Taller Tales is an alternative rock band hailing from Baltimore, MD. The exciting trio have quickly earned a reputation for their infectious melodies and honest lyricism while seamlessly bridging the gap between traditional pop elements and visceral rock arrangements. Their new EP, Kalorama was released on October 18th and we asked guitarist/vocalist Bryan Kotsher to tell us about each track. Check out his commentary on the album below.
Best Day
As condescending as it is infectious, Best Day reproaches the inauthenticity of social media culture with a swaggering bravado. Overflowing with relentless upbeat energy and sing-along hooks, there’s no mistaking this song’s identity, and yet it keeps you on your toes for the entirety of its succinct under three minute run time. Best Day was produced by frontman Bryan Kotsher.
Lay Down and Die
A steady, driving rhythm under a rustic guitar melody pulls you immediately into the world of Lay Down and Die. It’s a song that plays as a modern, pop-forward ode to the Country Western roots that inspired it. Clever lyrics tell the age-old tale of love lost, carried by steady rhythm of the driving melody that effortlessly paints a world as authentic and relatable as its story. Featuring an immensely catchy chorus, Lay Down and Die is a can’t-miss track.
The River
Yet another showcase of their eclectic and diverse repertoire, Taller Tales keeps the punches rolling with Kalorma’s high energy third entry: The River. Boisterous, confident, and catchy as hell, the track hits home for anyone chasing an impossible dream, expanding on the narrative of “Best Day” that good things come to those who just don’t give a fuck.
Bloodlines
Bloodlines is the fourth entry on the Kalorama EP, and marks a heavy shift in tone for the record. Gone are the upbeat and airy motifs of the first three tracks, as the trio dives deeper to explore the more unsettling aspects of their own humanity. A somber, single-note guitar riff immediately sets the tone for this songs story of self-destruction and the possibility of redemption. Even at their darkest, Taller Tales’ delivers choruses that are never less than infectious. This song earned Taller Tales a performance at the 2018 Maryland Music Awards.
The Wire
Singer and lyricist Bryan Kotsher calls the back half of Kalorama “as honest and vulnerable as I’ve ever written. Especially The Wire and Comfort.” The first of these two portraits of self follows Bloodlines’ somber tone with a fast paced and beautifully chaotic reflection of the deep thoughts and desires that consume and seemingly control us, often at the expense of those we love and care for. Can we ultimately break free from our own thoughts and emotions, or are we destined to fray our connections to others?
Comfort
Comfort may be the coda to Kalorama, but don’t expect it to give you any closure. A journey into the singer’s own anxiety and depression, the song begins with intimate lyrics over a beautiful and haunting piano melody before descending headfirst into it’s aggressive, and touchingly authentic body, culminating in perhaps the most affecting and visceral vocal climax of the record.