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Related Reviews

HiFi Choice
5 Stars
"intelligent songwriting that mixes distinct melodies with jangly guitar accompaniments"
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MOJO Magazine
3 Stars
"unabashedly melodic, sensitively anthemic pop-punk...an impressive second statement"
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musicalmathematics.co.uk
"a new Tellison with an enlarged sense of musical self and a heightened penchant for melody"
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One Beat
"brimming from start to finish with catchy songs that could easily soundtrack a summer."
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stereoboard.com
4 Stars
"the collection of songs the band have presented here are comfortably the best that they have ever produced."
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thefourohfive.com
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"Tellison have always been a band close to my heart, and with the songs on The Wages Of Fear, it's actually getting a little dangerous how near they are to piercing it...."
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alerttheaudience.co.uk
"with ever-changing, unpredictable musical directions...Tellison has a lot of future potential."
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southsonic.co.uk
4 Stars
"packed with memorable moments of dynamic change and air punching infectiousness...The Wages of Fear is a future classic."
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Surrey Advertiser
"filled to the brim with fun, intelligence, melody, beauty and sadness"
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247 Magazine
4 Stars
"Tellison's second album is destined for good things..."
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decibelsoup.com
4 Stars
"coated with promise, fun and intelligence throughout."
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theskinny.co.uk
3 Stars
"Factor in Collarbone’s left-field lyrics and medulla-penetrating infectiousness and you’re left with an oddly lovable slice of sunshine and sadness."
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thisisfakediy.co.uk
4 Stars
"without a shadow of a doubt, one of the albums of the year."
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deadpress.co.uk
4 Stars
"if you want an album that is full of good, happy and well-written songs, then this is the album for you."
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Torquay Herald Express
"Bright, intelligent, fresh-faced guitar pop. Good songs aplenty here."
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Total Guitar Magazine
3 Stars
"slick production,solid song structures and swoony choruses"
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alternativevision.co.uk
4½ Stars
"you better be ready to forget everything you thought you knew about pop-music"
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Kerrang! Magazine
4 Stars
"it took a long time but the wait is well worth it"
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RedHotVelvet.co.uk
5 Stars
"musical depth that is seldom heard from Britain’s indie bands."
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The Fly Magazine
"more mature...relentlessly energetic"
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Art Rocker
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Southsonic.co.uk
4 Stars
'the concept of the difficult second album has been blown out of the water. The Wages of Fear is a future classic.'
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Subba-cultcha.com
4 Stars
'Turn up the volume, stick your head out of a moving car window, close your eyes and smile like a cheshire cat'
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punktastic.com
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NARC Magazine
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The Crack
"taut guitar riffs, reflective lyrics and memorable choruses."
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Shakenstir.co.uk
3½ Stars
'powerful rhythms, strong and clear vocals with instrumental performances that clearly underline the band’s rock credentials'
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Getreadytorock.com
3 Stars
'it's a powerful and accomplished signal of intent that should more than satisfy'
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Alterthepress.com
4½ Stars
'Oh my. What an album..consistently solid and unleashes track after track of carefully crafted indie-pop song-writing'
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Virgin.com/music
'instantaneously refreshing for listeners new or old. Anthemic lyrics, killer kick drums and sharp guitar riffs, one of the year’s finest offerings'
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Front Mag
3½ Stars
"in the right hands, indie can still rock like a pissed-up angry pirate as these noisy London chimps prove" 3/5
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Big Cheese Magazine
4 Stars
"an album which proves Tellison are a band to be reckoned with" 4/5
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morethanthemusic.co.uk
“Credit where credit is due, Tellison have made an excellent record here"
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Rock Sound Magazine
4½ Stars
"fantastic...the entire album is packed with forthright songwriting and great ideas" 9/10
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Roomthirteen.com
'a thick slice of driving and impassioned indie-rock that'll be swirling round your head for days'
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Kerrang! The Playlist
"There's only one thing that will get this video of the Tellison men dressed in swimming costumes out of your head - this brilliant tune!"
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NME Magazine
"With a singalong chorus that grabs through your chest to your heart and gives it a little squeeze, London's Tellison are doing what they do best"
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Q Magazine
"a summery haze of sing-a-long vocals and buoyant drums...magic"
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Tellison on Rock Generation


16 June 2011
rock-generation.co.uk
George Fullerton

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW ONLINE

 

This year has seen a large number of bands working their way into our hearts already, and I think I have found yet another band that is bursting with potential and about to sky rocket through this summer. Tellison, a four piece indie rock band from London, have been causing quite a stir this year with the release of their second studio album, The Wages of Fear. With their first album receiving steady praise, it was no surprise that their second offering was going to be fuelled with excitement to see where they stood. Luckily, they rose above expectations and have been championed by the likes of Rock Sound and Kerrang recently.

The Wages of Fear kicks off with ‘Get On' which starts with a slow progression of chords on a piano. Eventually the track bursts into a glossy guitar riff and flows with a soft indie rock style throughout the song. Next is my personal favourite, ‘Say Silence (Heaven & Earth)' which instantly kicks into front man, Henry Danowski's powerful vocals, accompanied by soft indie guitar riffs.

I have not heard a band like Tellison in a while and their sound is quite unique, as a distinct hint of indie creeps into their songs. A rock fuelled chorus completes the analogy of their description of indie rock as it is obvious that these are the key elements to their sound. Further into the album, tracks ‘Know Thy Foe' and ‘Collarbone' show a more edgy side to their songs with more of a thumping rhythm, so you're left stamping to your foot to the beat rather than feeling like you're floating with the music.

‘Freud Links the Teeth and the Heart' shows a softer side to the band through subtle guitar picking and tired sounding vocals accompanying striking piano chords. Anthemic group vocals and soft drumming carry the song nicely into ‘Horses' which smashes back into the bands edgy indie rock vibes along with ‘Rapture'. ‘Tell It to Thebes' has a haunting vibe to start as a stale intro maintains a steady feeling to this track. A thumping drum beat leads the song into a slightly rebellious chorus is led by the lyrics ‘I'm a cold young man, I don't need anything'. Penultimate track ‘Letters From Pre-Med' has an indie twist to start with a similar distinct vocal tone from the bands front man leading the track forward as a pop rock style chorus shows a more upbeat fashion following the morbid previous track.

What I like about this band is their ability to switch moods in their songs without leading the listener astray. I am able to listen to the melancholy outlook of ‘Tell It to The Thebes' and then somehow jump into the upbeat outlook of ‘Letters from Pre-Med' without feeling any sort of strange transition. ‘Vermont' and ‘Edith' maintain the pattern of upbeat indie rock but ‘My Wife's Grave is in Paris' brings a close to the album on a slower note with time to reflect on just how special this record is.

What can I say? Tellison have covered all the bases in this record. They have explored the softer sides of their sound as well as mixing emotions to make sure they don't seem to optimistic, yet show that they are not stuck in their failures. They have moved on from their previous album without looking back and with a lot of exposure, a loyal fan base building after every show and the summer approaching, there is no doubt that there are big things ahead for this band. This could be the perfect indie rock album of the year.


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