The Tellers Close The Evil Eye

Oh, the fruits of being young! Tell that to Ben Baillieux-Beynon and Charles Blistin, main songwriters of the now five-piece known as the Tellers. Virtually unknown in most parts of the world except in their native land of Belgium, it’s hard to believe that their hummable melodies have yet to cross over. Their journey started under a Beatle-esque set of circumstances – throngs of fervent young girls would increasingly attend their shows, eagerly expecting the duo to play their catchy pop nuggets. Just like the Fab Four, their debut boasted explicitly chipper titles such as Want you Back and If I Say (Die With Me). A further look into their lyrical themes shows how the power of simplicity never fails; the songs in Hands Full of Ink read like a youthful diary filled with pain and longing, but with a subtext which suggested much more complicated feelings.

Though the duo was mostly modest about their rising popularity, their shy looks and instantly likable acoustic sing-alongs were more than enough to affirm their success in the Belgium charts. Now a little bit older, the Tellers’ second full length doesn’t sound like a radical departure. With its jumpy chorus and acoustic flimsy, Evil Eye is an ideal example of their shambling, but ultimately winning songs. Unabashed about their infantile behavior, foolish lyrics (written on the sand/ and on the soil of my shoe) make their emergence countless times. Expectedly, there’s still that alluring formula that screams twee pop. Except their experience manages to level out the adorability and enthusiasm with more fleshed out songs that surpass most beginners of the genre.

In fact, The Tellers must have been listening to some of the most self-assured guitar pop albums of the past ten years. With its augmented drum fills and bridge solos, Like I Say breezes with repeated verses (lika lika lika like I say, better, better, better go away) and guitar progressions which resemble the guitar pop that defined It’s Never Been Like That. I’ve Got a World is filled with hooks and grooves, shuffling Strokes-like bass/guitar lines with mid tempo gusto. But the real charmer is Cold as Ice, a feet tapping, guitar scuffing garage tune with chorus cries that uncannily resemble Menudo in their prime. Even with these subtle changes, The Tellers do continue to reap from the seed they previously sowed. Some of their leading songs are also their most sparse, from I Wish and its blend of bucolic arrangements and ominous mallet instrumentation, to Paul Simon flattery in the twenty four seconds that compose Salt.

Coming from the same camp that brought Allo Darlin’ and Los Campesinos! to the public eye, The Tellers really nail down a more dynamic, less streamlined form of power pop with a motif that couldn’t be more clear: love. Whether it’s the undeserved, unrequited, or indecisive type, Close the Evil Eye’s even-keeled track sequencing and head nodding tempos should brighten even the grungiest of grout. Presumably, they'll continue to grow up at their expected pace, so it's been a pleasure to know them while they're still young.