Telling on Trixie

Telling on Trixie have talent, passion an ingenuity. "Ugly, Broke & Sober is an incredible ride." - SuChin Pak

"Interesting themes and catchy grooves...the talent is obvious." - Billboard Songwriting Contest

Before I talk about this album I have to admit a few things. The first is, when it comes to pop and rock, I much prefer female singers to male ones. Women seem to be much more dynamic than men and are able to add depth to a genre that otherwise has little. That’s not to say I don’t like any male singers that do pop rock, I do like Prince (who sings like a girl) and…well that’s about it. Imagine my shock when I popped in Telling on Trixie’s independent debut and immediately fell in love with singer Derek Nicoletto’s voice before I even noticed what was going on around him musically. The point of all this is that it takes a lot to make that happen and this band is well worth all of your attention.

All the songs here are anthemic in nature, hook heavy, and easy to sallow without ever sounding trite or confusing. “Halfway Back to Sane” engages the listener with its guitar hooks but the lyrics totally suck you in as Nicoletto sings to what I imagine to be an ex-girlfriend asking, basically, for her to leave him alone because he has just gotten his life back together and doesn’t want to know about her still messed up one. “Circles in the Sky” is a Live-esque trip that builds slowly into an insanely catchy classic rock style chorus.

There are a number of songs here as well that lean more towards the soulful side of rock. “Devil’s Best Friend,” “Atlantis,” and “Dumb Boy” lead this charge and it makes the album a bit schizophrenic in a good way. The band really show how versatile they are without alienating modern listeners or fans of the band’s dominant pop rock persona. As a matter of fact, I dare say that these songs lend Telling on Trixie a great deal of credibility. “Your Silence” deepens the album musically as well while bringing an end to the goodness with its intimate acoustic guitar and vocal delivery. It sort of ends the album on a sad note but I can’t enough of it.

I really love this band. This is so much better than Avril Lavigne’s latest, not to mention less melodramatic. Nicoletto has the presence that many classic singers have. He reminds me a great deal of Paul Rodgers when it comes to versatility and soulfulness but that shouldn’t downplay the band as they have ably created a well rounded backdrop for his voice. If you are looking for something new that will instantly grab you and make you want to sing along then you should check this band out. - Infuze Magazine - Mark Fisher

Although I’m a firm believer in the stripped down, dark and minimal rough edges of garage bands etc, that is definitely not a knock against arena rock and power pop. These genres are often catchy, exciting, uplifting and fun, and sometimes that exactly what we want out of rock and roll. It’s a little strange really because for a long time the arena rock and power pop bands were typically the bands that first caught my attention while the rougher garage rock and more experimental bands took longer to sink in, but become more of my favorites. Still, both have a definite place in my musical landscape to this day as sometimes I want something dark, and other times I want something more positive, uplifting and fun… an anthem.

I would definitely call Telling on Trixie, a band out of New York I’ve been listening to online for a little while now, anthemic, although not necessarily in pure arena rock/power pop fashion. The first few bars of the first track I listened to by them had me placing them in line with Rush, for some odd reason (it’s really not an accurate description at all… not even close), but the more I’ve listened to, the more depth and catchy pop flavors I’ve found combining to make for an engaging pop/rock band that is worth checking out.

The first song I heard from the band was “Twisted in Knots”, a pretty straight forward rock song with a vocal style that is what I think reminds me of Rush, but when the chorus kicks in, it’s light, uplifting and catchy making for a song that seems pretty tailor made for positive sing along crowds. It’s a catchy song, I was impressed, but not really amazed as power pop songs come and go like crazy with only a few really sticking in my mind. “Orion’s Light” is a song that stuck though… Slow building with soulful lyrics that just seem to hang in the air and soar as the song grows. Then subtle guitar parts echo that same feeling with pushing into a massive power pop climax just like you’d expect from such a song. It is truly spine tingling at some moments and would surely earn some swaying and lighters on the arena tour.

That was enough for me to want to check out the rest of their album and see what else they had to offer and there are some interesting moments throughout. “Devil’s Best Friend” shows the band channeling their inner funk band, but also features a great guitar lead and a catchy feel. “Dumb Boy” has a funky feel as well, but is more of a swagger than funk, with some soul coming through in the chorus. The slow rocker “Angel’s Fall” features some pop lyrics, chorus and overall feel that I can see garnering it lots of radio play. “Atlantis” is a slower burning rock anthem as well, again with some great guitar work and soulful lyrics. Then there is “Your Silence” an acoustic track that has a bit of a haunting feel that really adds some melancholy and depth and “Halfway Back to Sane” is a pretty straight up rocker that’s again just really catchy in it’s chorus. “Circles in the Sky” a harder more progressive rocker that again might show a little Rush influence and along with “Orion’s Light” was one of the songs that stood out to me.

I wouldn’t exactly call Telling on Trixie groundbreaking as although they do seem more grounded at times than some similar outfits, these ideas don’t exactly seem new…but aren’t rehashes either… more so reinterpretations… and there blend of funk is a feel many bands can’t pull off, but they handle it well. Also they definitely do have a flair for adding that bit of an epic feel to some of their songs.. anthemic I called it earlier… slightly pushing them towards the melodramatic at times. Still, those things are not really bad things and are never over the top. Also, there is enough soul in the vocals and depth in the songwriting that these songs do come off as a little bit more than just catchy anthemic rock, making Telling on Trixie a band to keep an eye on in the future.

Overall, I’d say Telling on Trixie is a great band to check out if you’re looking for some catchy power pop/rock with a little more than your typical band. I wasn’t completely floored because there may be lots of similar bands out there that I’ve heard before, but these guys seem to have a lot of genuine talent, soul and creativity to be a cut above a lot of the rest and really make some great music. - Soul of Rock n Roll .com

CD Review:

Artist: Telling on Trixie
Title: Telling on Trixie
Website: http://www.tellingontrixie.com
Style: Power Pop/Rock
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
By Senior Writer C.W. Ross

Telling on Trixie is a New York City band that's on the way up. This self-titled debut release from the band should help to continue that climb with the high level of unique sounding music found on it.

The core of the group is self-described introverted guitarist Brad Small and extroverted lead singer Derek Nicoletto.

The 10-tracks of music found on this self-titled release features a mixture of rock, and power pop along with small splashes of alternative music.

On song's like, "Devil's Best Friend," the band even shows that they have a funky side. That sound can be traced back to an earlier partnership that Derek and Brad had in 2000 in the funk/jam-based band Trixie's Itch. When the band broke up the guys spent several years apart, reuniting in 2006 to start writing songs again and trying a new direction.

The release start off with the song, " Halfway Back To Sane," a rocking track that shows that the band isn't afraid to take a trip to the darker side of things.

A lot of the songs you'll find on the CD deal with relationship issues (mostly bad ones), along with emotions of loneliness and heartache.

The band's music is filled with the guitar work, that like Lego blocks, builds support for the songs while Derek Nicoletto's vocals fill in the gaps with his passionate singing. His vocals have just that just something different about them sound that really draws your attention.

Two of the song's found on this release, "Orion's Light," and "Angels Fall," won honorable mention at the 14th Annual Billboard Magazine Worldwide Songwriting Contest. Billboard Magazine's Songwriting Panel said that the band's songs had, "Interesting themes and catchy grooves…the talent is obvious."

The release ties up all the knots and brings everything to a strong finish with the last acoustic track, "Your Silence."

The band has also had their songs used on such projects as the Hurricane Healing project and the Extreme Sports website, http://www.Go211.com .

In a short time this band has already begun to build an impressive musical pedigree that this release will help continue building upon.
- Indie Music Stop

I just got T-on-T's 'final' CD in the studio at WMHB. So I HAD to re-visit the T-on-T tunes. WOW. I previewed the CD for the radio station and realized out of the literally 100's of CDs I've previewed and reviewed in the last 7 or so years for WMHB, this is one of less than 10 CDs where I like every..... single....... track. Highest rating for the track and for the CD! Awesome. Thanks for the music Derek and band! I'm going to keep the note that came with the CD (signed by Derek)... it'll be worth millions when these guys make it big!!
Cap'n Barney
WMHB - DJ Cap'n Barney

"Telling on Trixie is what MPMF is all about. Great to meet an artist who is both creative and smart." - Sean, Director of Midpoint Music Festival

"Derek Nicoletto is one of the better voices you have never heard of, a reason that Telling on Trixie is making this list. Nicoletto soulfully carries hooks effortlessly, very redolent of how pop rock bands in the 1990's used to do things. TOT is band that truly pays attention to detail, something that should be pretty obvious in their songwriting. Their song structures are clean and concise, lead to an easy listen surely everyone can enjoy." - Brian Campbell 8/5/09

If the band Telling On Trixie make it to the top, their sheer determination will be a major factor in the success. The band has independently released their second album Ugly, Broke & Sober with the assistance of $20,000 raised with the support of the group's fans to help record the album. The New York City based group plays anthemic pop-rock and are beginning to make serious headway on a national scale.

The single "Crash Me Up" is starting to climb national adult contemporary charts. The album's title song "Ugly, Broke & Sober" is likewise gaining exposure on college radio stations. Telling on Trixie are gearing up for a number of high profile live appearances this summer and will continue a push toward pop-rock stardom. Check out their music below. - Bill Lamb of About.com

A solid combination of crunchy rock, power pop, and organ-fed soul, Telling on Trixie's debut album comes out roaring with "Halfway Back to Sane" and "Dumb Boy." The two songs powerfully describe the two sides of the heartache coin. Derek Nicoletto's vocal flair puts one in mind of soulful rock singers like David Bowie and Chris Robinson. He sings with heart and soul and you can still understand all the words...the band's best work is excellent and it's no surprise these New York indie rockers are getting themselves some TV licensing spots and prestigious gigs. - Jon Sobel