The Telescopes– #untitled second (Bomp!)

THE TELESCOPES don’t get the ink of their 80s/90s psych rock contemporaries like SPACEMEN 3, LOOP or the shoegazers, likely due to their releases being mostly confined to their native U.K. But the band, led then and now by STEPHEN LAWRIE, is just as notable as their scene mates. Originally released on Creation in 1992 (1994 in the States as part of the ill-fated Creation/Tristar deal), this awkwardly titled sophomore album is a fine examples of postpunk psychedelic rock/pop. Dreamy vocals and pretty melodies flow through a gauze of acoustic and electric guitars; the angry stomp of their Stooges period is left behind in favor of lighter rhythms that stop well short of Madchester happy feet. Songs like “Ocean Drive,” “You Set My Soul” and the gorgeous “Flying” presage the rise of the BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, whose ANTON NEWCOMBE has been a tireless champion of the band. (See Newcombe’s idiosyncratic but useful compilation As Approved By the Committee.) The epic “Tornado,” meanwhile, is equal to any better-known dreampop anthem you’d care to name. If you’re a fan of this era of psych rock, or even psychedelia in general, you’ll find this album (which includes some bonus tracks, including the excellent “The Sleepwalk [Sitar Version],” in this incarnation) richly rewarding.

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http://bomp.com