Telescreens

Emerging ostensibly from the early-2000s alt-rock surge across New York City, Telescreens deliver a fresh wave of muscular riffs and memorable melodies refined inside Manhattan and Brooklyn clubs. Their breakthrough album Stare Wide spotlights standouts “Phone Booth,” “Games,” and “Lost,” advancing the band further along the local live circuit. Los Angeles native Jackson Hamm, who handles vocals and guitar, had operated under the Telescreens name for years, first with a high-school folk-rock quartet and later with a harder-edged configuration after he moved east to study music at New York University. Following graduation the group locked into its current lineup of Hamm, keyboardist Josiah Valerius, bassist Austin Brenner, and drummer Oliver Graf, issuing the sprawling The Return at the close of 2020. Armed only with straight-ahead modern rock as their guiding principle, Telescreens climbed rapidly through New York venues, moving from Arlene’s Grocery to Irving Plaza and landing a slot at the outdoor Governor’s Ball. The band sharpened its club-tested approach on 2023’s Stare Wide, released via the Virgin-distributed Victor Victor label; cuts such as “Phone Booth,” “Games,” and “Stare” demonstrated their skill for catchy guitar hooks and singable vocal lines. In 2024, after additional touring that included a headline appearance at Austin City Limits, they unveiled the lengthy 7, which compiles all material from Stare Wide together with further tracks including “Floods,” “Lost Ants,” and “Vertigo.”