Tele Novella

This Tele Novella show, long anticipated was not going to be one of those that got away. I've been a fan of Natalie since her days with Agent Ribbons. And now here she is at Schubas with her new band Tele Novella with members of Voxtrot, Belaire. Naturally, I wanna go to this. Ami plays before. Its exactly what a Tuesday night needs. I saved money from the Convergence that I couldn't go to anyway for this. For some reason I always feel cheered up when my ipod plays an Agent Ribbons track on random. As I listen to the released 6 track TN CD I took home, I get the same welcomed familiar feeling, a good mood just around the corner. She represents to me a welcomed alternate route to snarling anger and aggression, and since when do I go for the angry, butchy shit anyway. Tele Novella disarm with clever sweetness, and a bright and sunny...ness.  This is I think the first thing since missing all of Convergence the weekend before.  The state of mind was to be on that, taking inventory of what I missed. The rare bands along with great local acts and friends ......all goth, all weekend long......, and I'm thinking about it as I park relatively easy. I know this is all sweet first world whining and all that, but what problem isn't. . I'm going to what I chose to go, what I saved money for, and its against a Tuesday after that missing weekend. I just fucking need this, and shut the fuck up.

Parking around Schuba's is not so bad on a Tuesday night. Belmont parking becomes an inconvenient truth the further east you go especially on weekends. This Tuesday night can claim Ami Saraiya, Tele Novella, and good parking!  I apologize for going on about that last bit, but without it you can miss the show, so close and so far. I make it to some of Ami's set. I am a fan of hers as well.  I find it safe to say this....what attracted me to Natalie's music in Agent Ribbons carries over in her work in Tele Novella. There are signatures that go well beyond just recognizing her voice. Its how she puts words together, Ami is just like this for me and its difficult to explain, but its a signature of Natalie that I've come to like. I see it here with Tele Novella. I feel like I just took the lazy way of describing them. Its my extremely subjective, New Critic, Expressionist mind putting a reason for the constellations. Its how I begin to identify what I see in the brief span of one gig.. For me she seamlessly drifts into this vague period state, like in Hair of the dog, Trouble in paradise. I hear the 60's inspired, smart-sounding, urban tracks. Hmm, the 60's at least as I can recall. Even before seeing her perform, I see the vibrant colors that suggest a 60's vibe and all this before really listening to lyrics. For Agent Ribbons she has these songs that capture for me the style of old Mexican folk songs. In the new Tele Novella Ep the feel-vibe captured is 60's. As far as I can see/construct a Natalie Ribbons written track can suggest a world or time/place different slightly enough from ones own, the way a Wes Anderson suggests that larger weirder world. Nat's has included a Mexican cantina in her Agent Ribbon days. Still this is about what we have now with Tele Novella.

 Of course this could all be absolute fucking bullshit. I understand that this is all a construct that best explains the experience to myself. And I'm only identifying one person in a collective process.....it's just....do you know how long this would be. I'm trying to end it here. Every track that I heard live I could not wait to do so again on the way back home. I'm glad to have a CD to hold. This whole fucking rant is just to ponder the experience, write it down, and perhaps get a person that reads this to look the band up. Of special note to me was seeing Natalie Grace in the audience. This was  in part a crowd that seemed familiar with the bands.   Of course there are massive differences between Nat's work now and way back when, with different bandmates. All I can string together is in a continuum, from all the gigs I can catch.
Zig