Going by lyrics alone, you’d think Telekinesis’ Michael Lerner is one sad dude. On the band’s second album, he sings about heartbreak in 50 different ways (to take a nod from one of his songs), lamenting about salt in the wound and constantly lonely.
There’s even a song called “I Cannot Love You.”
But, in a neat twist of comportment, Lerner surrounds these dour words with sun-soaked melodies and cheery sing-alongs. Getting your soul crushed by another never sounded happier: Lerner spends the better part of the 40-minute album getting you up while also bringing you down.
The album’s best song, the Cure-tinged “Please Ask for Help,” pushes along at clipped speed (all but two of the songs check in under three minutes), with Lerner racing to keep up with the music before needing a second to take a breath. Singing about pain is tiring. Other highlights include the lo-fi “Car Crash” and the loud-quiet-loud dynamics of “Fever Chill,” both solid efforts.
But what you discover after listening to Straight Lines is how forgettable it all is. It’s fun to go back and relive, but unlike the pain Lerner suffered to spur the writing of these songs, his work doesn’t stay with you. This isn’t all bad. Like ruined relationships, the aim is to learn something and move on, and Lerner has taken a positive step here.
Here’s hoping his next offering will be lasting, which — like true love — is what we”re all looking for in the end.
