Tele Novella Debuts 'Words That Stay' Single

Tele Novella will release their sophomore 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 recently released lead single "Technicolor Town" which was met with support spanning NPR, Austin Chronicle, Austin Town Hall and more. Today, they offer a second peek into the eclectic collection with the "Words That Stay" single/video debuted today with Austin's NPR affiliate, KUT. Flamenco claps and acoustic guitars create a dreamlike underscore for frontwoman Natalie Ribbons' haunting vocals in "Words That Stay" as she laments the loss of a friend who seems to have mysteriously disappeared.

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.

Listen here:

Photo Credit: Julian Neel

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