Tele Novella ‘Merlynn Belle’ LP out on Kill Rock Stars Today
Tele Novella
Merlynn Belle Released
on Kill Rock Stars
Today Singles: “Words That Stay”
“Never” “Paper Crown”
“Tele Novella’s ‘Paper Crown’ Reveals the Magic of Spontaneity” – American Songwriter“ …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: Stevan Alcala
Today, Tele Novella released their sophomore album Merlynn Belle, their first with Kill Rock Stars. The record and accompanying singles, “Technicolor Town” “Words That Stay”, “Never,” and “Paper Crown”, have been met with critical support spanning NPR, Austin Chronicle, BrooklynVegan, Austin Town Hall, Austin’s NPR affiliate, KUTX, American Songwriter, and more. It is a collection that respites in country, meshed with a sentimental indie-folk shimmer. Inspired by cowboy troubadours, baroque folk, and a pop-infused medieval-tonk style that sounds at times like the Old West possessed by the spirit of the Old World, frontwoman Natalie Ribbons’ voice ranges from candlelit whispers to coyote howls, with honesty and vulnerability underlying her every word.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.
