Local Wire

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": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "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.

Keep

Free

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1.