An effortless crossover between the smooth synths of Tame Impala and the timeless pop hooks of David Bowie, “Tell You Something” is a perfectly mellow introduction to a new era for alternative pop outfit Sports. The project is the product of two friends who go all the way back to junior high: Oklahoma-based Christian Theriot and LA-based Cale Chronister.
“Tell You Something” is the group’s first single since their 2018 album, “Everyone’s Invited.” The song’s disco-tinged alt-rock is an upbeat backdrop to a story of desire, frustration, and uncertainty. Chronisters lyrics beg for guidance and direction and his vocals bring a distinctly moody and mellow dose of LA soundwaves to the mix.
The track was created way back in 2016 but found itself gathering metaphorical dust in the deep recesses of their hard drives. “It just kind of got buried,” says Chronister. “We forgot about it.” It was eventually unearthed by their producer Chad Copelin. “Tell You Something” is Sports’ first release since the departure of Theriot’s brother, Jacob, from the band.
Sports has a whole batch of songs that they’re wrapping up and selecting for an upcoming body of work that is finally beginning to take shape. Their influences historically ranged from hip-hop to western music (they once covered the song “Grand Massacre” from the movie “Once Upon A Time In The West). This time around, they are leaning more in the direction of rock than R&B. The result is a faster-paced, guitar-laden subset of pop.
The exact timeline for more music is still tentative. We can expect more from Sports before the end of 2020. In the meantime, the two will continue refining their sound, curating their upcoming body of work. In their spare time, they're reading “Bowie in Berlin” for their unofficial band book club. Quarantine or no quarantine, the two are more than ready to release new music. “It’s been long enough,” says Theriot. “I’m so excited to finally put it out.”
