Telekinesis

With its Flying Nun-style perfect pop, cool '80s bass lines and peppy bad moods, Telekinesis! seems a perfect fit for Merge Records' default template. Michael Benjamin Lerner's second full-length for the label finds him trusting the groove and crunchy guitar a little more, aided again by DCFC's Chris Walla with the hook sharpening. There are really no missteps here; 12 tracks mostly under three minutes that feel comfortable and strong on first, second and every other listening. From the classic Cure intro to "Please Ask For Help" to the Wilco-via-East River Pipe stately bop of "Dirty Thing," the aural company Lerner keeps is impeccable. Unobtrusive little production choices, noises and odd counterpoints at just the right moment keep things from feeling too perfect. But it's the immediate sensation that this album has been in your collection, usually played right after the Lemonheads' Shame About Ray and before Guided By Voices' Bee Thousand, all this time that makes it a winner.