Telekinesis is the songwriting vehicle of Michael Benjamin Lerner, whose mu… Read Full Bio ↴Telekinesis is the songwriting vehicle of Michael Benjamin Lerner, whose music splits the difference between summery indie rock and buoyant power pop. A multi-instrumentalist who usually plays all the instruments on his Telekinesis recordings, Lerner achieved a classic pop sound on early efforts like 2009's Telekinesis! and 2011's 12 Desperate Straight Lines, but shifted his focus to vintage synth pop on 2015's Ad Infinitum, while 2019's Effluxion struck a balance between the two sides.

Based in Seattle, Lerner handled most of the instrumental duties on his band's debut, Telekinesis!, which was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and released in spring 2009. Telekinesis then launched a tour in support of the record, with auxiliary members Chris Staples, David Broecker, and Jonie Broecker filling out the lineup. On the 2010 EP Parallel Seismic Conspiracies, Lerner took over production duties, but for his next full LP, 12 Desperate Straight Lines, he was back to working with Walla. For the tour that accompanied the release, Lerner formed a new band with Jason Narducy on bass and Cody Votolato on guitar. Lerner's third outing under the Telekinesis moniker, 2013's Dormarion, found the one-man band enlisting the help of Spoon drummer/producer Jim Eno.

Lerner spent the next two years immersing himself in the world of vintage synths and keyboards in anticipation of the band's retro synth pop-heavy fourth studio album, Ad Infinitum, which dropped in September 2015. Lerner struck a balance between the clean electronic textures of Ad Infinitum and the more organic approach of his earlier work on the album Effluxion, released in February 2019.

Biography by Andrew Leahey

Great Lakes
Telekinesis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Desolation
I don't even know my name
But as the rain breaks down
I think I've seen a ghost again

Silver moonlight
Soaking up the amber waves
By the heat of fire

I called your name

Coast to coast
I don't travel any length
through the andes mountains
Across the great great lakes

Through the grandest canyons
To the highest caves

Still I hear it's calling
It's calling out my name

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Telekinesis's song Great Lakes are rich with evocative imagery that speaks to themes of longing and loss. The opening lines of "Desolation" set a somber tone, as the singer admits to not even knowing their own name. As the rain falls around them, they feel haunted by a ghost from their past. The next stanza brings in images of natural beauty, as the "silver moonlight" contrasts with the "amber waves." The singer calls out for someone they miss, hoping to connect with them even across great distances.

The chorus of "Coast to coast" emphasizes the length the singer would go to find this missing connection. They describe crossing the Andes Mountains and the Great Lakes, journeying through grand canyons and up to high caves. Despite all of this, the feeling of loss remains, as they hear a call for their name that they cannot ignore.

Overall, the song captures a sense of wandering and searching for something elusive. The imagery is vivid and emotional, drawing on natural settings and a sense of personal yearning to create a powerful sense of atmosphere.

Line by Line Meaning

Desolation
Feeling lonely and deserted

I don't even know my name
Feeling lost and confused about oneself

But as the rain breaks down
As emotions and tears are released

I think I've seen a ghost again
Haunted by memories and past experiences

Silver moonlight
A bright and peaceful nighttime atmosphere

Soaking up the amber waves
Taking in the beautiful surroundings

By the heat of fire
By the warmth and comfort of a fire

I called your name
Longing for a loved one

Coast to coast
Traversing wide distances

I don't travel any length
Traveling doesn't bring fulfillment

Through the andes mountains
Exploring difficult and unknown terrain