A 22-year-old from Seattle, Michael Benjamin Lerner just released his full-length debut under the name Telekinesis. Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, who calls the project "a road trip waiting to happen," produced the album (titled Telekinesis!), helping to give it some early and much-deserved blog buzz.
When Lerner stopped by the KEXP studios with a live band — Chris Staples and David Broecker on guitars, with Jonie Broecker on bass — the resulting performance dazzled the senses. The songs practically sparkled, with buoyant melodies and catchy hooks that shone like little pop gems. It helps that watching Lerner on the drum kit was a delight: He was pounding away in such a frenzy of intensity and joy, I thought he might take flight mid-song. (How he drums and sings so well at the same time is a mystery to me, but he makes it look easy.) Fortunately, he stayed grounded to his kit as he and his bandmates treated us to one infectious song after another.
Originally recorded Apr. 13, 2009. Session engineered by Kevin Suggs.
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Copyright 2009 KEXP
