VIDEO: Tele Novella release dreamy folk single/video Never

Tele Novella will release their new 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.

The band have just unveiled their dreamy folk single “Never”, alongside a playfully-home-spun, Godard-esque music video on BrooklynVegan. Ribbon’s echoing vocals float over gentle, plucking melodies that captivate listeners to sway along. Written for her best friend after an unexpected loss, Natalie Ribbons sys, “There’s really not much that you can do to alleviate grief, but getting to be there for her through the process deepened our bond. I saw her strength and big-heartedness all the more clearly after that experience, and it deepened my love and admiration for her.”

Self-described as “medieval outsider country”, the dizzying collection is a homespun bricolage pulling from influences as diverse as cowboy troubadours and folk baroque. As Ribbons’ voice ranges from candlelit whispers to coyote howls, there’s an honesty and vulnerability that underlies every word. 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).

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. 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 band has carved out their own unique pop-infused medieval-tonk style that sounds at times like the Old West possessed by the spirit of the Old World.

The band have already shared the singles “Technicolor Town” and “Words That Stay”.