Tangent Review—by Mike Caggeso

Strangers With Candy

The telefonics return with its third album, "The Strangest Places."

by Mike Caggeso
tangent editor
mike@tangenterie.com

Music writers have recurring nightmares about being outsmarted by that which they write about.

And it's easy to tell when that happens. First, it's usually a band that they are bonkers about. But primarily, all you have to look for is their use of indigestible, over-the-top terms such as "post new wave," "paisley-swathed," "neo-psych," "hallucinogen-enhanced candy of swirling melody" and "immersed in a sweet-psych revisionist Brit-rock history" that leave readers scratching their head re-asking the innocent question: "So what does the music sound like?"

All these musings were once used to describe the telefonics, which is plainly a pop band. The only catch is that this pop music recalls an era when pop music was entertaining instead of cool, carefree instead of sex-driven, highly danceable instead of grind-inducing, and played by a band instead of a machine.

On Jan. 27 at Forward Hall, the telefonics will release its third album, "The Strangest Places," a whirlpool of organs, shout-along choruses, '60s-style guitars and feel-all-right lyrics. It will undoubtedly garner a few more head scratchers from critics who think more than they dance. But know this: you will love it.

tangent threw some questions at telefonics' John Johnston, Josh Zimmer and Pete Burke, who did their best not to answer every question asked.

First, I got to admit something. tangent stole the whole lower-case "t" thing from the telefonics. Are you mad?

John Johnston: Our lawyers have advised us not to comment on the situation at this time.

You're very self-depreciating when describing just about everything of the telefonics. What's at least one thing you know you have that other bands don't?

John: A sense of humor? We unabashedly support universal health care?

Josh Zimmer: A lead singer with a candy cigarette addiction?

How can the telefonics call itself a pop band when they are one of Erie's most original bands?

Josh: You're right. We can't. tangent: 1. telefonics: 0.

John: Thanks! Well, pop music is all encompassing. And any genre of music has great and terrible elements. We all love pop music, what we consider the better side of things from Velvet Underground to Jesus Mary Chain to the Mr. T Experience to Joe Meek to Blondie to Wire to Television to Beat Happening to the Fall of Pere Ubu. The list could go on forever.

Pete Burke: You forgot the obvious ones — the Beach Boys and Beatles. And I totally skipped bands that began with the letter "A" like Abba.

So if Britney Spears was in the telefonics, would it still be a pop band?

John: No, we would be a white-trash pop band at that point.

Josh: The only difference is we'd all be rich as hell. Wait, I thought you said we weren't a pop band? Minus one point. tangent: 0. telefonics: 0.

Talk about the new album.

Pete: It's without doubt our best CD until our next one.

Josh: It's probably a bit more aggressive than the previous record, although it maintains a pop sensibility. In my opinion, it's one of the best records I've ever had the chance to be a part of.

How does a band with six members write a song? Seems like a complicated process.

Josh: John comes up with a song or melody. Pete plays 100 different guitar parts until we tell him to stop or like one. Zach plays his drums for a minute or two then gets bored. Fred contributes some thumping bass if he's still "fresh." And Gina and I get drunk and try to read John's scribbled writing.

Pete: Sometimes, a song comes out of just playing. For example, "1,000 Miles" came from some guitar riff I was just playing to warm up and the band joined in. John came up with words and the melody and the song formed. The band contributes in a huge way. We each come up our parts although sometimes they get vetoed out.

What needs to improve about Erie's music scene?

Josh: Nothing really. Erie has a pretty great independent music scene right now, and if people did less bitching that there were no bands to see and go out more and see a new band, they'd believe that too.

You helped start and run the local Basement Transmissions Records label. The latest three bands BTR added — Radio City Riot, System System and the Moralists — are a tremendous stray from BTR's trademark indie sound. That an intentional effort?

John: BTR is a collective of like-minded individuals and bands. Not really about the style of music, but the attitude of how it's played. For those who understand this, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

Josh: Nothing we ever do is intentional. We're always kind of walking around in the fog. We just put out records we like. And we like those bands.

Do newer BTR bands see the telefonics as the grandparents of the local scene?

John: More like liberal weirdo uncles and aunts. I think!

Josh: What an incestuous question. Minus one for the "eww" factor. tangent -1. telefonics: 0.
Pete: Are you trying to start a fight?

What's better to see from the stage: people dancing or people singing along?

John: Nudity! That's the best thing to see from stage.

Josh: I think that as long as people are having as much fun as we are, we don't care what we see. We try to make very fun music, and hopefully that comes across when we play.