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

Power Lines
Telekinesis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

First time I looked straight into her eyes
I saw the future, I saw bluer skies
oh oh oh oh oh

Even when I'm lonely I am always surprised all

of the ways you told me to keep my eye on the prize

You and your photographic memory
You and your photographic memory

I'm a broken man,I'm damaged goods
Lock me in the basement with furnace soot

You came along in your party dress
I climbed a mountain under house arrest

When we were kids I swear we were power lines
Out on some journey searching for some better minds

You cant cut it out, no you cant keep it out of line

Looking for the pavement
Looking like were running out of time

And I am yours and you are mine

Batten down the hatches and man the sails
The war isn't over, its not even tipped the scales

Run down the tracks like a bat out of hell

Don't muss up your hair because were destined to fail

When I was young I thought I was a power line

When I was young I was searching for some better time

Overall Meaning

In "Power Lines," Telekinesis describes a relationship that sparks a feeling of hopefulness in the singer's heart as they look into their partner's eyes for the first time. The lyrics of the song seem to convey the idea that the relationship offers refuge from the difficulties of the world. Even when the singer is alone, they are "always surprised" by their partner's ability to encourage them to keep their "eye on the prize." The line "you and your photographic memory" suggests that the partner remembers every significant moment of the relationship, perhaps indicating that the relationship is essential to the partner.

The chorus has the lines "When we were kids I swear we were power lines, Out on some journey searching for some better minds," which appears to be a nostalgic reference to childhood, when being young and full of life felt like a never-ending adventure searching for better things. This is further emphasized in the lines "When I was young I thought I was a power line, When I was young I was searching for some better time." The singer understands that they aren't as strong or as powerful as they thought they once were, but the relationship gives them hope for a better future. The song carries a message of hope and encouragement that things can get better in the future.

Line by Line Meaning

First time I looked straight into her eyes
The singer feels hopeful and optimistic about the future.

I saw the future, I saw bluer skies
The singer sees great potential and possibility ahead.

Even when I'm lonely I am always surprised all of the ways you told me to keep my eye on the prize
Even during tough times, the singer draws inspiration and guidance from someone special.

You and your photographic memory
The singer admires someone's mental sharpness and attention to detail.

I'm a broken man, I'm damaged goods Lock me in the basement with furnace soot
The singer feels broken and worthless, and desires isolation.

You came along in your party dress I climbed a mountain under house arrest
The singer expresses being stuck or trapped in a difficult situation until finding someone new and fresh.

When we were kids I swear we were power lines Out on some journey searching for some better minds
The singer recalls a shared sense of purpose and the drive to push forward together.

You cant cut it out, no you cant keep it out of line
Something is so integral and essential that it cannot be ignored or removed.

Looking for the pavement Looking like were running out of time
Scrambling for answers or solutions, fearful of running out of opportunities.

And I am yours and you are mine
The singer has strong feelings of love and commitment toward someone else.

Batten down the hatches and man the sails The war isn't over, its not even tipped the scales
Refusing to give up or surrender, despite the enormity of the challenge ahead.

Run down the tracks like a bat out of hell Don't muss up your hair because were destined to fail
Moving forward with incredible speed and determination, while acknowledging an undercurrent of doubt and pessimism.

When I was young I thought I was a power line When I was young I was searching for some better time
The singer reflects on a past mentality of having great strength and ambition, in pursuit of a better future.

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Michael Lerner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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