Telltale Raise Awareness with Hot New Single, ‘Slowburn’
With the COVID-19 global pandemic making up a decent chunk of our content consumption’s subject matter, you can’t be blamed for glossing over other catastrophic events that have taken place in recent times. Virginian rockers Telltale are keen to play their part and encourage others to look at the bigger picture with their latest single Slowburn, released 15 September.
Freshly signed to international label Rude Records (Blood Youth, Modern Error, Wilder.), the environmentally conscious track is the first taste of new music from the band since their 2020 single Won’t Be Me, with more to be released later this year. Frantic drums and biting riffs pave the way for call-and-response vocals before exploding into an anthemic chorus with infectious melodies and halftime breaks. Telltale’strademark soaring vibrato vocals and complex rhythms exhibit the familiar pop-punk sound with an original twist.
The lyrics of the song discuss modern society’s ignorance to the effects of global warming and excessive media distribution with little substance. In a world where we are overwhelmed with digital information and desensitised to notable events, it’s easier to find a distraction from pressing matters than to address them. Telltale intend to bring that sad truth into focus and recalibrate our priorities by using their platform to express their concerns to likeminded people.
“I’m not claiming to be an expert on the climate crisis,” shares vocalist John Carteret. “The goal of a song like Slowburn is to encourage people to ask questions. It doesn’t require an uncompromising shift to sustainable living, just an introspective look at ‘what can I do better?’,” he continues.
“The biggest effort that young people can make right now is writing to their local politicians to oppose corporate CO2 emissions, and learning through research. Staying informed on the effects of globalisation, polarisation of the media, and just generally informing your political stance can make all the difference,” Carteret adds.
The first lines of the second verse, ‘It’s really cold outside so you can deny/ Watched a compilation on your timeline’, perfectly summarise the critical message of the song and reinforce the idea that we prefer to stay comfortable with what we don’t know than to be educated and enact change. Global warming is not a new issue – referenced in the line ‘30 years to learn, no going backwards’ – though we are yet to see much action taken against the climate crisis by politicians in our own country, let alone the rest of the world, and Telltalewant to rectify that.
Telltale tackle a tough subject with Slowburn and skilfully articulate their passion without coming off as preachy and elicit lively headbanging instead of exasperated groans. This is the sign of a band that knows how to cater to their audience while staying true to what they believe in and inciting change in the youth who can make a difference before it’s too late.
