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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A completey different direction, September 27, 2002
One of my favorite bands of the early 90's shoegaze/spacerock scene, the telescopes, had released a self titled album in around 1992, and let me tell you, it was and is GREAT! I listened to the thing all the time. Soft boy/girl vocals float above warm psychedelia, shuffly drums, shifty bass, and resonate acoustic guitar. The songs are timeless, distant, pleasing and soothing. The beautiful harmonizing of the vocals combined with the alpen glow like instrumentation has the abiltity to make even the punkiest hardcore rocker stop and reflect on something, anything! Alas, not this time around. About 10 years later the telescopes release Third Wave. Gone are the acoustic guitars, live drumming, and soft basslines. The vocals are still present, which are about the only thing that sounds familiar and decent on this album. Third Wave is full of weird electronica, obtuse sound effects, and un-structured songs. Man, I can't believe how disapointed I was after hearing and WAITING for this. What a let-down, geeeeze! This sounds more like experimental electronica than it does anything else. If I picked this up not knowing it was the Telescopes, I would never have guessed it was their new album, even after hearing the vocals. Sure I may have thought, "oh these vocals sound familiar" but no way would I guessed this was the telescopes that I used to know.
I only hope that they have not entirely lost touch with their past song writing sensibilities. This band was GRREAAAATTT! Their new direction is frankly, terrible.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the only true forward thinking artists in existance., November 3, 2002
The title of my review says it all. Their career backs it up. This album is no exception, shame the other reviewers are stuck in the past. The Telescopes were always so much more than mere shoegazers. This is a fantastic album. Classic from start to finish.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
"splashdown" it ain't..., October 26, 2002
Those of us, like one of the other reviewers here, who relished and cherished the blissful psychedelic dreampop of the self-titled album (sadly out of print, but sure to turn up in some bargain bin as the lonely detritus of Sony's ill-fated attempt at licensing Creation releases for the US market... anyone remember Idha?...) probably will not find much appeal in this release. Rather than a return to form, it's a progression into the electronic world in the post-rock Chicago vein, and while personally I'm all for the Morr Music school of prettytronica, it all just makes me want to dig out the 1992 album. But then, those of us who also liked the Telescopes' kick-out-the-jams persona a la 'Taste' may find this release even that much farther from their initial point of reference.On the other hand, what sad state of affairs does this reflect when one waxes nostalgic over shoegazing? Whatever. I'm digging out my copy of Ride's 'Nowhere'. "Vapour Trail." Yum. :)
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by The Telescopes 
