Telephony Delivery,

I am writing you this letter because I couldn’t tell you this to your face – it’d hurt too much. I just… I can’t listen to you anymore. We’ve had some great times together, and you’re a lot of fun most of the time, but I just can’t count on you. Your Living in Verified Enclosures EP is too unfocused and inconsistent for me to stay with you for much longer, and that’s why I’m leaving you now, before either of us gets truly hurt.

Your EP’s organization is hapless, Telephony Delivery. It’s as if you wrote a bunch of tracks that satisfied you, put the song titles in a hat, and then arranged the songs in the order that you drew them out. For example, using the only song with vocals on the EP as the opener is a grave error, especially when the vocals aren’t exactly top-notch. A band with all the energy you are able to muster should not use the slot where the listener is introduced to your music with slow vocals moaning “I need you…” You have to assert yourself, Telephony Delivery, show some confidence, rather than apologizing to me for the album before I even have a chance to listen to it. 

Your idolization of 65daysofstatic is a bit overbearing as well. Both “Faux Fiancée Foe Pt. 2” and “Aviation Spirit” sound like they could have been found on the cutting room floor of the Fall of Math recording sessions. But I’d rather listen to The Fall of Math than listen to you pretend to be 65dos – you have the energy, Telephony Delivery, but you aren’t nearly as paranoid. Your drumming is quite impressive on these tracks, imitating the ferocity and proficiency of the band you adore; it feels as if you are wearing someone else’s skin, you’re not quite at home, Telephony Delivery. You have to channel your relentless enthusiasm and pour that into your proficient drumming, giving it your own voice and fun, energetic tone, creating a more definitive style that you can call your own.

But our time together wasn’t all bad – you are incredibly fun to listen to early on, and you have an energetic charm that you just can’t fake. This charm is all over “The Overture of Dollah Tiger & Mat Chicago,” the best song on the EP. Given the relatively short track length, (just under three minutes) your short attention span assists rather than hinders the creation of a full, completely realized track that channels all of the energy that you are capable of. The only part of the track that doesn’t sit well with me is the synth program designed to mimic strings, which always makes a song sound rather artificial. The synth on the slow(er), airy “Mubarak” however, is wonderful, conveying all of the tenderness that I know you are capable of.

You’re like the little boy who can’t sit still, Telephony Delivery – endearing and fun for a little while, and rather tiresome soon after. I can’t count on you, and that’s why I can’t listen to you anymore. If you mature a bit, dispense with the idolization, and really find your own voice, then I’ll welcome you back with open arms. But until then, I’m going to stick with bands that have already reached their maturity. I’ll be waiting for you,

-Zach Mills