May 21, 2021 - The Tell, a new project from indie singer-songwriter Noah Dickie of Las Vegas duo Coastwest Unrest and LA-based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist James McAlister who has worked with everyone from Sufjan Stevens and The National to Taylor Swift, share their second single “Burning”. The new song, which features Tyler Chester of Andrew Bird's crew on bass, follows the captivating debut single “Clap Clap”, released last month. Today The Tell also announced that a full album, Somewhere Right Now, is set to be released on June 18th via Reclaim Records.
The Tell have received a lot of early praise in the tastemaker blog world for their new sound, with comparisons to The Hold Steady meets The National (BuffaBlog). They’ve also been cited as “trippy and upbeat" (The Joy of Violent Movement) with “some great unique elements that makes [The Tell] stand out all on its own.” (From The Strait)
The beauty of “Burning” is that it evokes themes of lust and regret against a backdrop of ‘80s new wave meets disco, with waves of orchestral sounds, that take listeners on a universal quest (“I hear the journey calling/I know I’ll take it someday”). It’s all about sensational desires that touch the spirit, like when Noah sings “I hope I find you someday,” beseeching the object of his adoration. The fever of desire and longing is stoked by a mythical incantation, the creative process itself the destination, underlining the importance of being “somewhere right now” - the universal theme behind the album.
Noah shares, “‘Burning’ was a fun one to make and be a part of….Tyler Chester (Andrew Bird) was in the studio that day as well and he and James really locked-in rhythmically, with Tyler on Bass and James on drums. It made my job easier with the vocals once we had laid down this energetic, rhythmic bed to stack everything else on top of. Out of all of the songs we recorded, this one definitely has James’ ‘fingerprints’ all over it…especially the ending coda where he goes full-ham and unleashes a storm of buzzing synthesizers.”
The Tell is a long overdue venture for Noah and James, who have been friends for quite some time but have been working on various projects throughout the ages. Originally starting on this collection of tracks in 2018, 2021 seemed prime to complete the record together and share it with the world. Noah brought the songs and the collaboration bloomed from there. They recorded a majority of the forthcoming album, due out later this year, by themselves between their respective home studios - Noah in Henderson, NV and James in Eagle Rock, CA, adding producer Luke Vander Pol for two tracks on the record via his home studio in Burbank, CA.
Noah and James decided to name themselves The Tell as a double entendre, that includes the behavior of a poker player (the antithesis of a poker face) and the sonic narrative of their musical work, an aural journey from borderline despair to well-being, using music – and its creation -- to try to heal psychic and physical wounds. The music combines Dickie’s narrative song craft and folk roots with McAlister’s sprawling, buzzing soundscapes, wrapping the former in a fully realized interior world that inadvertently reflects the pandemic everyone has had to face over the past year.
Stay tuned for more music and updates by connecting with them on Instagram and Facebook as @TheTellMusic.
