Tele Novella Debut Cathartic Single “Paper Crown” on American Songwriter

Tele Novella Cathartic Folk Single “Paper Crown” Debuts on American Songwriter Merlynn Belle due out Feb 5, 2021 on Kill Rock Stars Singles: “Words That Stay” “Technicolor Town” “Never”

“ …dusty, winsome, twangy pop that they refer to as “medieval outsider country.” (Angel Olsen may come to mind, or the ’80s L.A. Paisley Underground scene.)” – BrooklynVegan“‘Technicolor Town’ lilts with a lo-fi grace and sense of magic.” – Austin Chronicle“a timeless, stripped-down style of Western-leaning lo-fi psych-folk pop” – KUT, Austin’s NPR“If the Austin-based band Tele Novella isn’t on your radar yet, it should be.” – USA Today“equal parts Nancy Sinatra and The Virgin Suicides, combining classic ’60s rhythms with macabre undertones.” – SPIN

Photo credit: Laurel Coyle

Tele Novella will release their sophomore album Merlynn Belle on February 5, 2021, their first with Kill Rock Stars.

It is a collection that respites in country, meshed with a sentimental indie-folk shimmer. Written when frontwoman Natalie Ribbons first moved to Austin, new album single “Paper Crown” acts as a self-empowering “pep talk” wrapped in a bouncy folk flourish. Though it is a very personal song of self-care and catharsis, the subject matter is universal to all listeners’ lives in 2020. Premiering with American Songwriter today, Ribbons shares, “I was deeply lonely but in love with the city, and would ride my bike home late at night across Congress bridge while humming little fragments of songs to myself. This was a tune I would often be found singing then, but I didn’t finish it until we needed one more song for this record. It was the last one that we recorded for Merlynn Belle, and it made perfect sense here.”

 Click HERE or image below to watch/share “Paper Crown” Video

It can be easy to lose sight of real people, whether out on an endless highway, or confronted with the endless possibilities of making music today. Tele Novella came together when Natalie Ribbons, who owns a vintage shop, and Jason Chronis, who collects rare records, were each making music in separate projects at the time (Agent Ribbons, Voxtrot, Belaire).

Painstakingly assembled using a blend of hi-fi recording gear and technique straight onto an 8-track cassette recorder, Tele Novella have crafted a cohesive pop record that feels equal parts mysterious, evocative, heartfelt, and sincere.

The forthcoming record and accompanying singles, “Technicolor Town and “Words That Stay” and “Never,”, have been met with critical support spanning NPR, Austin Chronicle, BrooklynVegan, Austin Town Hall, Austin’s NPR affiliate, KUT and more.

Facebook | Instagram | TwitterSpotify | Apple Music | BandcampSoundcloud | YouTube