After working with his friend, producer
Chris Walla
, on
Telekinesis
' self-titled debut record, then recording an EP (2010's
Parallel Seismic Conspiracies
) by himself,
Michael Benjamin Lerner
decided to go back to work with
Walla
on the band's second album. While the debut had plenty of good songs, the over-stuffed and slick production sucked some of the air out of the sound. For
12 Desperate Straight Lines
, the songs are still there, only this time some of the looseness of the self-produced sessions comes into play, and the end result ends up being a marked improvement. The energy level is higher, the songs are catchier, and it simply feels like a more assured and exciting record. The uptempo tracks like
"Please Ask for Help"
and
"Car Crash"
jump out of the speakers in a tangle of amped-up guitars, rumbling bass, and dancefloor-ready drum beats. Even though the mood is somewhat downcast lyrically, with a recent heartbreak being the main topic
Lerner
writes about, the energy rarely lags. The midtempo tracks in between the rockers have a less folky and more of a post-punk feel this time around. Some, like
"Dirty Thing"
"Gotta Get It Right Now"
(which sounds like a radio hit waiting to happen with its
T. Rex
boogie rhythms and singalong chorus) have a light-hearted pop bounce that was missing from the first album and is quite welcome here. On
,
proves himself to be quite adept at creating really good, very energetic, and fun songs that hold together well as a complete listening experience, or which could be spun off as singles, or at least indie rock mixtape staples. ~ Tim Sendra