{"id":41069,"date":"2021-02-22T12:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T17:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/?p=41069"},"modified":"2021-03-23T18:37:08","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T22:37:08","slug":"musique-boutique-tele-novella-lael-neale-lau-dusty-springfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/musique-boutique-tele-novella-lael-neale-lau-dusty-springfield\/","title":{"rendered":"MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE: Tele Novella, Lael Neale, Lau &#038; Dusty Springfield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Welcome to Audiofemme\u2019s monthly record review column,\u00a0<strong>Musique Boutique<\/strong>, written by music journo vet\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GillianGaarWriter\/\">Gillian G. Gaar<\/a>. Every fourth Monday, Musique Boutique offers a cross-section of noteworthy reissues and new releases guaranteed to perk up your ears.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella-324x324.jpg 324w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella-416x416.jpg 416w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/telenovella-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tele Novella hails from Lockhart, Texas (33 miles south of Austin), and their music is so multi-faceted it almost defies description. \u201cCoin-operated medieval pop songs through a 1960s western lens\u201d is how their <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tele_novella?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter bio<\/a> puts it, which gives you some idea. They take country, pop, indie, and folk, and twist it all into delightfully unexpected shapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWords That Stay\u201d is the striking opening number of the duo\u2019s new album, <em>Merylnn Belle<\/em> (Kill Rock Stars). On the surface, it sounds like a song about a lost love. But Natalie Ribbons\u2019 dry, husky voice has enough bite in it that you\u2019re left unsettled. Something\u2019s not quite right here. Something\u2019s a little off-center. And that\u2019s the hook that draws you in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The album\u2019s homespun sound is the result of recording on an 8-track cassette deck. Neither Ribbons or her co-collaborator Jason Chronis were keen on doing many overdubs, so minor mistakes were left in, and the use of vintage microphones adds further atmosphere. This record takes you into another realm. \u201cPaper Crown\u201d is a surreal nursery rhyme. \u201cCrystal Witch\u201d is a spooky fairy tale. The soft-shoe shuffle of \u201cTechnicolor Town\u201d is the closing lullaby that sends you off to sleep with Ribbons howling like a wolf. Imaginative, captivating and intriguing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe style=\"border: 0; width: 400px; height: 472px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=69667319\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/telenovella.bandcamp.com\/album\/merlynn-belle\">Merlynn Belle by Tele Novella<\/a><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/laelneale-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41072\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Lael Neale also opted for simplicity in making <em><a href=\"https:\/\/laelneale.bandcamp.com\/album\/acquainted-with-night\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acquainted With Night<\/a><\/em> (Sub Pop), recording on 4-track cassette, accompanied only by an Omnichord (an electronic instrument that produces both chiming music notes and pre-programmed beats, and is smaller than a keyboard). There\u2019s a delicate gracefulness to the songs, even as they touch on sadness and longing. The beautifully-titled \u201cEvery Star Shivers in the Dark\u201d is a song of aching vulnerability, with such haunting images as Neale waving to a man in a prison tower, though there\u2019s a glimmer of hope by the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow Far Is It to the Grave\u201d is another evocative song; mortality, as seen from the perspective of a child, a lover, a banker, a slave owner. Neale\u2019s empathetic, crystal-clear voice makes the song sound like a prayer, lifting it from despondency. The title track is a shimmering, seductive number about how very different things become under the \u201ccold, white shape of the moon.\u201d And \u201cSome Sunny Day\u201d is a song of farewell, of looking back and having no regrets as the sands run out. Neale\u2019s lyrics also have the elegance of poetry: \u201cI\u2019ve known the sand that made the pearl inside my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/15APIHMOiJkPm11YDOaiuE\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allow=\"encrypted-media\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/laubeliever-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41073\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone whose tastes run to synthpop\/synthwave has likely crossed paths with Lau (aka Laura Fares) over the past decade. The Argentinian-born musician relocated to the UK at the age of 17. After years of working as a session drummer, DJ, and teaming up with Nina Boldt on the albums <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/6U2FUoIegrcJidus6hEds8?si=caLr8oBQRzGzVgqV0mGN6Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sleepwalking<\/a><\/em> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/63L4x13H3mr4mzpUMWTO4Z?si=aCjLgrzSQg-TJsTdBLbEvA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Synthian<\/a><\/em> (credited to \u201cNina featuring Lau\u201d), she\u2019s now stepped out on her own as a solo artist, with her debut album, <em>Believer<\/em>, released on her own Aztec Records label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The album kicks off with \u201cStunning,\u201d an instantly catchy track that\u2019s one of the most effervescent breakup songs you\u2019ll ever hear; it\u2019s a smooth, streamlined, fuel-injected ride to freedom, an \u201cI Will Survive\u201d for the 21st century. The <a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/album\/believer-deluxe-album\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deluxe version<\/a> of the album also features a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/track\/stunning-popcorn-kid-nocturnal-mix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Popcorn Kid Nocturnal mix<\/a>\u201d of the track, reworking it into a slower paced, sultry ballad. There are remixes of four other album tracks as well. The soulful \u201cTrue\u201d is presented in three versions; an original, ethereal mix, a decidedly poppier \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/track\/true-luke-million-remix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke Million Remix<\/a>,\u201d and a more dance-oriented \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/track\/true-austin-apologue-remix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Austin Apologue Remix<\/a>.\u201d Indeed, Lau conjures up such a mesmerizing groove, it\u2019s easy to forget that the album\u2019s theme is the fallout generated by the end of a relationship. The rock-steady, electronic beats of \u201cRecognise,\u201d \u201cUnable,\u201d and the cover of HAIM&#8217;s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/track\/now-im-in-it-haim-cover-friday-night-firefight-rework\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Now I\u2019m in It<\/a>\u201d are sparkling sweet treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe style=\"border: 0; width: 400px; height: 472px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=4235222450\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/laufares.bandcamp.com\/album\/believer-album\">Believer (Album) by LAU<\/a><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"708\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dustyatlantic-e1614057118486.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dustyatlantic-e1614057118486.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dustyatlantic-e1614057118486-324x328.jpeg 324w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dustyatlantic-e1614057118486-100x100.jpeg 100w, https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dustyatlantic-e1614057118486-416x421.jpeg 416w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>From 1969 to 1971, Dusty Springfield recorded some of her best work for Atlantic Records, moving from the pop songs that had made her a star to the soul music she\u2019d always loved. On <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/6SNMenG3NjZyqgI5p4Hcmg?si=O5jfuoZwTdCf0Xnd7Bq5jw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dusty in Memphis<\/a><\/em> (1969) she was backed by the legendary \u201cMemphis Boys,\u201d an informal group of studio musicians who played on hit records by Neil Diamond, Merilee Rush, and Wilson Pickett, among others, and the equally acclaimed Sweet Inspirations, the all-female backing group who recorded with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Van Morrison, and toured with Elvis Presley in the 1970s. On <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0pm72PHGq5z0yK60jXr36t?si=XmYoHJYLRhq1Xj-DFaqZbg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Brand New Me<\/a><\/em> (1970), she worked with noted songwriting\/production team Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (\u201cMe and Mrs. Jones,\u201d \u201cLove Train,\u201d and \u201cWhen Will I See You Again,\u201d to name a few). The best-known song from those years is of course Springfield\u2019s classic rendition of \u201cSon of Preacher Man,\u201d with \u201cThe Windmills of Your Mind\u201d running a close second. Now all of Springfield\u2019s Atlantic 7-inchers have been compiled on <em><a href=\"https:\/\/realgonemusic.com\/products\/dusty-springfield-the-complete-atlantic-singles-cd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971<\/a><\/em> (Real Gone Music). Only eight of the 24 tracks have appeared on CD before, in their original mono mixes. It\u2019s wonderful to hear sterling non-album tracks like \u201cI Believe in You\u201d and \u201cHaunted\u201d in such suburb quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b4pYANUAJAI\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to Audiofemme\u2019s monthly record review column,\u00a0Musique Boutique, written by music journo vet\u00a0Gillian G. Gaar. Every fourth Monday, Musique Boutique offers a cross-section of noteworthy reissues and new releases guaranteed to perk up your ears. Tele Novella hails from Lockhart, Texas (33 miles south of Austin), and their music is so multi-faceted it almost defies [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":41076,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10494,202],"tags":[10212,11810,2450,11679,11808,11809,10503,1345,11807],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/mb9.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41069"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41069"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41075,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41069\/revisions\/41075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.audiofemme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}