While any theft feels like a violation, there are levels of pain. Generally speaking, the greater the loss, the deeper the hurt. The inverse, of course, is also true. So when Telemarket vocalist/guitarist Adam Wayton and guitarist/engineer Will Wise came home one pre-pandemic day to discover their home burglarized, the situation left them feeling alarmed and vulnerable. Fortunately, however, the thieves only made off with a few trivial items, among them Wayton’s stock of weed and Vyvanse, and a jar of loose change. Critical possessions, such as the band’s music gear, were left behind, bringing a measure of relief to the housemates’ unease.

Still, the experience stuck with Wayton and Wise. Covid lockdowns soon followed, and the feelings of helplessness and instability first triggered by the robbery lingered long after. But rather than wallowing in anxiety, Wayton decided to channel his energy into finding the absurdity of the situation. “Who Was In My Room Last Night?,” the lead track from Telemarket’s forthcoming album Ad Nauseam, is a gauzy, gritty psych-pop jam that explores pandemic fears with a bit of levity and a heavy dose of shimmering hooks.

“I tried to tackle this time with a similar mindset of finding humor and relief in the mundane and uncertain, with this theme coming across in the entirety of Ad Nauseam,” Wayton explains. “‘Who Was In My Room Last Night?’ sets the stage for the following tracks, unaware of the toils to come but ready to face whatever rears its ugly head with a dose of humility and hilarity… The title is a reference to the Butthole Surfers track with the same title. I’m a fan of the group and their antics, and they lived in Athens for a bit so I figured we’d pay them a little homage.”

Shot on 8mm VHS tape by local filmmaker Isaac Johnson, the video matches the song’s blur of melodic scuzz with its own lo-fi mirth and grainy analog textures. The clip features an array of masked intruders (played by members of fellow Athens group Sex Cells) who add a bit of playful chaos to the otherwise mundane proceedings. Overall, it’s strange, shambolic, and fun, a semi-surrealist ode to finding joy in the uncomfortable.

Watch/listen above.

Ad Nauseam is out Aug. 25 on Elephant 6 label affiliate Cloud Recordings.

Telemarket will celebrate the release of “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” tonight at Flicker Theatre & Bar alongside Basically Nancy and Sex Cells. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.

More Info
Web: telemarketmusic.com
Bandcamp: avenuenoiseandsound.bandcamp.com
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