13 June 2011
alerttheaudience.co.uk
Vicki Griffin

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Ultimately, music is about telling stories. In The Wages of Fear, Tellison prove that there is a kind of musical story-telling that strays from the (questionable) lyrical depth and meaning of Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boi, yet is equally as powerful - relying simply on the music to tell the story.

There is genuine musical talent behind Tellison, as exemplified by this album. Opener Get On keeps the listener guessing with dischordant piano contrasting with the confident and fun guitar riffs, which contrast again with the gentle musical breakdown and a few jazzy guitar parts. Know Thy Foe uses a gutsy bass part to give the song personality and set the backbone for the genuine heartwrenching emotion lead singer Stephen Davidson portrays so well.

While many indie-rock bands rely on those same three chords and a lyrical twist to sell records, solid musicianship and adventurously arranged songs form the foundation of Tellison's strengths, seeing insanely catchy rock numbers like the aforementioned Get On co-exist with masterfully written gentler songs that emerge once you scrape past the album's rock-oriented openings.

It's these songs that prove to be hidden gems, and allow Tellison to captivate and enthrall the listener. Freud Links the Teeth and the Heart uses beautifully crafted fragile guitar melodies as a background for the breathy and emotional vocals. Album closer My Wife's Grave is in Paris is another melancholic ballad, with the tender and haunting repetitive chorus echoing like whispers in the listeners head. Lyrical twists and cleverness are attempted and executed solidly throughout the album, but it's the simplest statements that prove to be the most emotionally touching, case in point the simple power of Davidson's vulnerable statements in Letters from Pre-med, "you are my one desire/please return to me."

While the similar structure of the songs become quite repetitive after a little while, album standout Horses uses the songwriting craft to musically tell a story. The bipolar madness of the ever-changing, unpredictable musical directions, and desperate melodies made all the more urgent by breathy vocals, bring Tellison to the next level in getting inside the listeners head and making them live emotions - an achievement that makes it clear Tellison has a lot of future potential.

7/10

Released on Naim Edge Records on the 13th June 2011.