The Wages Of Fear - Tellison Album Review

Tellison

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Album Review

Originally formed on a Scottish isle during an earthquake (according to their website), but now holed up in London the four piece Tellison are primed to release their second full length LP on 13th June. They have been rocking about since 2003 back when they were only a three piece, and after debut album 'Contact! Contact!' they are hoping that follow-up 'The Wages Of Fear' produced by Peter Miles, the man behind The King Blues and Frank Turner, is going to catapult them into the mainstream and after many listens I cannot see any reason why it won't. After years of touring and slots supporting the likes of Biffy Clyro, Hot Club De Paris and Jonny Foreigner I don't think it will be long until those bands are repaying the favour. Their sound is very much in the same vein as the aforementioned Biffy Clyro when it comes to doing big rocky numbers that make you dance like an idiot in your car as well as the slow soft numbers that tear at the heartstrings and bring you to tears.

'Get On' opens up with gentle pianos before bursting to life with crashing guitars and pounding drums, one of the lyrics that caught my attention was "I picked up some nerves in my youth and I'm scared that they own me" because if there are any I can't hear them. 'Say Silence (Heaven & Earth)' is another slice of rock/pop happiness and a good choice for their next single although personally I would have picked 'Collarbone' because it's fast paced, short and very catchy.

'Freud Links The Teeth And The Heart' is a slowly does it love song about falling in love with your dentist, I don't know how that could happen because all my experiences with dentists have been ugly old men causing me pain but then again maybe he was lucky. It is a nice song but with lyrics like "My dentist took off from France/I fancy off her pants" I think they could have used a bit more imagination. 'Horses' and 'Rapture' come off sounding like 'Only By The Night' era Kings Of Leon if Caleb was born in Scotland and maybe that's a good thing because they are giving the people what they want in big stadium filling anthems.

I have to admit I find 'The Wages Of Fear' a bit of a guilty pleasure, I want to hate it because it sounds all too American and has no real identity but then so do half the other bands out there so why shouldn't Tellison cash in, and if it makes you and me happy listening to it then what is wrong with that.

Adam Hardy