Telekinesis: Dormarion

Merge

Third albums can come across as grand artistic statements but Telekinesis auteur Michael Benjamin Lerner seems content tinkering around the edges of power-pop. The arrangements are a bit more adventurous here, from the ballsy rock of “Power Lines” to the gothic synth-pop of “Ghost and Creatures,” to the spare folk confessional “Symphony,” although Lerner primarily sticks to bounding pop-rock that’s thoroughly steeped in the traditions of ELO, Big Star, and GBV. Producer and Spoon drummer Jim Eno gets a high-relief sound here as well, although part of that is Lerner’s typically sure melodic footing. Highlights include the T. Rex-gone-new-wave number “Little Hill,” and the aforementioned “Symphony,” where he concludes, “I do believe that we are machines and we search till our parts intersect.” (4 out of 5 stars)