Telescopes
(Bomp)
I assumed this was a different Telescopes than the one that released records on Creation (and then in America on the Double Agent label in the 1990s) but it's the same one. The U.K. band, led by Steve Lawrie, is still active but these songs were recorded back in 1991/92 and not released until 1994 (in the U.K. only). It seems like an odd turn for the usually garage-centric Bomp label but Bomp has previously dipped both toes into the psychedelia pool and that description fits this band as good as any.
On opener "Splashdown" a piano opens the song rubbed up against by some far away drums and when the vocals come in the first thing I think of is Spacemen 3 (whose Richard Formby plays on this record) as well as early Cosmic Rough Riders and Michael Head & the Strands. That song, like a lot on this record, is not built on pop hooks but more on stream of consciousness vocals, waves of guitar that occasionally noodle about and take series of left hand turns (check out "Spaceships" and "And" for this) and occasionally tribal drums. At times the songs drone on a bit much, as on "You Set My Soul" but for the most part it's an interesting journey and one has to give Lawrie credit for undoubtedly following his own muse.
Recommended Tracks: "Yeah", "And", "Splashdown" TIM HINELY
