There are multiple artists with this name.

1. Brooklyn’s Telltale sh… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with this name.

1. Brooklyn’s Telltale showcases an intriguing mix of experimental no-wave, reverb-soaked post-punk, and dark shoegaze. Featuring Eric Gilstrap, Laurie Ruroden, Stephan Cherkashin, and Lauren Andino, the quartet's ear-splitting washes of guitar feedback, deadpan chants and ominous droning wastelands doesn't so much blanket you as it does envelop you, overpowering you with Sonic Youth caterwauls and JAMC-esque walls of sound. The music churns in a slow burn, awash in effects, but there’s an aggression lurking just beneath the surface that maintains an uneasy atmosphere. There’s also a healthy dose of reverb to help wash down all the gauzy noise...

Telltale disbanded in October 2010.

"With meaty hooks and dreamy soundscapes, this band will put you into a daze you may not want to escape."
-Short and Sweet NYC

"ear-splitting washes of guitar feedback, deadpan chants and ominous droning wastelands..."
-Philadelphia Weekly

"The music is dark and made for dreams that extend into nightmares"
-The State Newspaper

"Their droning, ghoulish, noise-laden soundscapes pay homage to their shoegazing forefathers while providing this season’s perfect backdrop."
-Jezebel Music

"This will destroy you, and you will love every second of it."
-The Free Times

"...slow-building shoegazer ethos where the guitars shiver and twirl and vocals float alongside."
-Creative Loafing (Charlotte, NC)

2. Telltale were a group of six musicians who regularly appeared on the first series of the British TV series Rainbow in 1973.

Telltale began with Tim Thomas and Hugh Portnow who were working with the Freehold Theatre Company. In 1970, Tim concentrated on forming a group of musicians and actors, and Hugh joined him a year later. Hugh Fraser, Chris Ashley and Fluff Joinson joined later, with the final member Ted Richards joining the group in the summer of 1972.

The three members of Portnow, Fraser and Thomas also wrote the theme tune to Rainbow. The group recorded a total of 14 songs for the show, including "Shapes", and "Walk in the country". The band feature on a vinyl LP album released by MFP in 1973 called Rainbow (catalogue number MFP50087).

Slowburn
Telltale Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

13 million acres in a slow burn
30 years to learn, no going backwards

It's a telltale sign of the end of time
but it's fun to die online

Burning a hole through the ozone
You can pump us full of your hormones

Trading little hearts in for headstones
Building up a wall with no capstone

It's a big joke, look at your phone
Alone, don't mind what we don't know
It's a big joke, look at your phone
Alone, alone with your mind closed

It's really cold outside, so you can deny
Watched a compilation on your timeline

It's a telltale sign
but it's fun to die online

Burning a hole through the ozone
You can pump us full of your hormones
Trading little hearts in for headstones
Building up a wall with no capstone

It's a big joke, look at your phone
Alone, don't mind what we don't know
It's a big joke, look at your phone
Alone, alone with your mind closed

Misrule, burn fuel, write our headlines
Skip school, have you ever seen the youth strike back

Overall Meaning

In the first two lines of Telltale's song "Slowburn," the lyrics are relatively simple but tell a very complex story. The 13 million acres referred to are likely related to the significant wildfires that occurred in California in 2018 that engulfed 13 million acres of land. The slow burn refers to the fact that while these fires may have initially been sparked by a sudden event (such as a lightning strike), they were fueled by a variety of factors, such as drought and climate change, which led to the fires burning slowly over time without easy solutions to extinguish them.

The second line refers to the fact that it took 30 years to learn what it took to start these wildfires, and there is now no turning back. This likely refers to the fact that climate change is partly to blame for the increase in wildfires, and this global trend is hard to reverse.

The refrain, "It's a telltale sign of the end of time, but it's fun to die online," brings attention to how the lyrics are using the wildfire as an extended metaphor for the eventual collapse of the environment as we know it. It's like people are watching it happen in real-time online, but instead of trying to solve the problem, some are enjoying the spectacle of it all, which is a very sad realization.

The lines about burning a hole through the ozone and pumping hormones into people serve as critiques of agricultural and industrial practices that harm the environment and people. The reference to "trading little hearts in for headstones" makes the case that the world is sacrificing the people and things that are important for the sake of progress, and the metaphor of a wall being built without a capstone emphasizes the danger of these changes not being fully thought through.

The verses that follow the refrain continue to critique modern consumption and lack of action on climate change. The lines, "Misrule, burn fuel, write our headlines / Skip school, have you ever seen the youth strike back" seem to be a call to arms for young people to take up the mantle and demand better from their leaders.

Line by Line Meaning

13 million acres in a slow burn
A large area of land is gradually being destroyed by a low-intensity fire.

30 years to learn, no going backwards
It took a long time to get here and there's no way of undoing what has been done.

It's a telltale sign of the end of time
The situation is an indicator that the world is coming to an end.

but it's fun to die online
Despite the gravity of the situation, people find entertainment value in the way that they are affected by it.

Burning a hole through the ozone
Environmental damage is being done that will have long-lasting consequences.

You can pump us full of your hormones
Our feelings and emotions can be manipulated.

Trading little hearts in for headstones
Our focus on trivial matters can lead to our demise.

Building up a wall with no capstone
Our actions are creating a situation that is not sustainable and will eventually collapse.

It's a big joke, look at your phone
People are using technology to distract themselves from the problems they face.

Alone, don't mind what we don't know
People choose to ignore what they don't understand or find uncomfortable.

Misrule, burn fuel, write our headlines
The reckless actions of those in power are fueling the problem and gaining media attention.

Skip school, have you ever seen the youth strike back
Young people are starting to take action to combat the problems they've inherited from previous generations.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bryce Marshall, John Carteret, Timothy Fogg, Travis Slack

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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