Telekinesis @ The Sail Inn

Michael Benjamin Lerner is a Seattle-based indie rock musician who performs under the moniker Telekinesis. Though he was a solo act before hiring two guns for his latest album, his foil on this particular project has long been Chris Walla, a guitarist who plays in Death Cab For Cutie. Walla,...

By Michael Lopez

February 24, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Michael Benjamin Lerner is a Seattle-based indie rock musician who performs under the moniker Telekinesis. Though he was a solo act before hiring two guns for his latest album, his foil on this particular project has long been Chris Walla, a guitarist who plays in Death Cab For Cutie. Walla, also from suburban Seattle, is an accomplished producer, having worked with Lerner on both of his Telekinesis records, and his presence is felt heavily on Lerner's newest Telekinesis album, 12 Desperate Straight Lines. Just released, Lerner's new disc finds him joined by former Blood Brother Cody Votolato and bassist Jason Narducy. Along with the extra help, we find a dutifully expanded DIY sound and an improved output. Not that there's anything wrong with songs about loneliness and heartbreak written, performed and mixed by a single person. But with Walla, Votolato, and Narducy on board, we find a record that's more poppy and upbeat — not to mention polished.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.