TELOGRAPH "Little Bits of Plastic" Telograph TWO IF BY SEA "Safety" Silverthree
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IN THE MID- TO LATE '70S, local bands were heavily influenced by arty British pop, rock and punk. Then California-style hardcore made its impact, and the U.K. sound became less conspicuous. It never really disappeared, however, and these two discs suggest that a comeback is underway. Both D.C.'s Telograph and Baltimore's Two If By Sea play sweeping, stately, yet economical music that's rooted in the styles of such exemplars as the Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen.
The five songs on Telograph's self-produced "Little Bits of Plastic" are an impressive introduction to the local quartet. If the band's influences are unmistakable, such tunes as "Beneath Your Feet" and "Electric Light" aren't simple mix-and-match jobs in the manner of such latter-day revivalists as Interpol and Franz Ferdinand. Impeccably arranged and confidently played, Telograph's material balances grand gestures with propulsive energy and an astute sense of space: The music sounds big but never overstuffed. Ultimately, of course, the group needs to move beyond its circa-1980 vision, but this EP demonstrates all the skills needed to do just that.
An almost eerily appropriate support act for Telograph, Two If By Sea is even closer to the headliner stylistically than it is geographically. The most notable difference between the two bands is that TIBS singer-guitarist Cris Cowan has a deeper voice and a more declamatory style than Telograph's Andy Boliek. On such songs as "High Water Mark," TIBS also reveals a little more hard-rock firepower: David Hardy's guitar shifts into arena-rock mode, and drummer Chuck Cole slams his kit. Just as frequently, however, the band's melodies float above the thumping rhythms, creating tension and a feeling of distance -- both hallmarks of the British art-punk method.
-- Mark Jenkins
Appearing Saturday at the Black Cat with Cedars.
