Real to Reel

Real to Reel is a strongly conceptual covers album on which TESLA took up 1960s and 1970s rock classics that are their own roots. Rather than viewing it as a mere song collection, the interest of this record lies in hearing how TESLA re-places outside songs into their own timing, voice and guitar tone. Rather than relying on the fame of the originals, the band’s own habits and aesthetics surface in the push of the rhythm, the thickness of the choruses and the way the air is built before and after the solos. Rather than each song’s origin, listen for the unity that arises when passed through the TESLA filter. It is a project album outside the flow of the signature works, but how an artist interprets others’ songs is precisely where its essence shows. How TESLA’s earthy, bluesy sound breathes new life into classics of old — from an angle different from the main albums, it is an intriguing record for confirming the band’s musical roots and identity. A candid love for the music that influenced them comes through from start to finish.