A sophisticated, epic, slow burn of an album, The Temper Trap finds the band taking the creative long view, and updating its bombastic guitar rock with a moody, somewhat synth-oriented sound.
For all Mandagi's pained sincerity--and he makes Chris Martin sound like a smirking ironist doing inverted commas with his fingers every other line--it all sounds weirdly hollow: music as a means to an end.
I'm going to get one thing out of the way first. While Conditions is an amazing debut album from a great band, it's not your god. The worldI'm going to get one thing out of the way first. While Conditions is an amazing debut album from a great band, it's not your god. The world does not revolve around Conditions, nor does The Temper Trap. If you want Conditions, go lock yourself in a room for the rest of your life with a surround sound system and your very own mint condition CD copy of Conditions.
Anyways, this album is a masterpiece. Doug and his crew have absolutely pushed their limits to create this album. With a vibrant and very beautiful new sound, The Temper Trap is, quite honestly, the best album I have ever heard in a very long time. Each song on this record is like a completely different experience each time. The band have notably also taken huge risks aswell, like introducing the 'poppiness' of today's music into their sound, which should be commended, considering how brilliant songs like "Need Your Love" and "Where Do We Go From Here" turned out. Songs like "Miracle" and "Rabbit Hole" are unbelievably well written and mastered, but then again you have "Trembling Hands". Don't know about you, but this song is now one of my absolute favourite songs, and you don't know how many songs I've listened to. This whole album, and "Trembling Hands" alone, is the absolute apex of all The Temper Trap and their producers' hard work and struggles, blending in the genius of Mandi's truly inspirational and sometimes striking lyrics, the grand result of the band's ability to rock up a good tune, Tony Hoffer's sensitive but brilliant producing skills, and of course, the band's equally problematic struggle to keep in touch with the world around them.…Expand
First of all, this album is better than Conditions. I doubt anyone will agree with me on that but thats what I think. Its adventurous, bold,First of all, this album is better than Conditions. I doubt anyone will agree with me on that but thats what I think. Its adventurous, bold, and it builds on the bands sound. They still keep the smooth, sweeping vocals of Sweet Disposition, and then add a little synth and grandeur. Dougy's vocals are amazing on here and more impressive then his vocals on Conditions. Some songs though can lose their magic and become a bit boring, such as This isn't Happiness and Never Again. The songs pack more up front and in-your-face emotion especially on tracks like Trembling Hands, The Sea Is Calling and Need Your Love. Altogether its grander, more emotional and far more impressive than their debut. A wonderful step up for the band.…Expand
On the second album in the career of Australian band The Temper Trap they have caintained very decent piece of indie rock. Most attract moreOn the second album in the career of Australian band The Temper Trap they have caintained very decent piece of indie rock. Most attract more subdued songs where vocals are fused with a music layer which all form a single, harmonious and melodic whole. Notewothy are for ex. the pathetic chorus evident in "Trembling Hands" or single "Need Your Love". Unfortunately the album is not perfect - after all, you've got impression that some number of songs you could easily give up, so the quality of the album will be equalized. However, it is one of the best indie rock records this year.…Expand
Aussie indie rockers The Temper Trap will forever be known for their song Sweet Disposition. It was the track that should never have crossedAussie indie rockers The Temper Trap will forever be known for their song Sweet Disposition. It was the track that should never have crossed over to a mainstream audience, but through its strategic placement in the dramatic moments of popular international television shows such as Skins, One Tree Hill, and 90210, and the film (500) Days Of Summer, it ended up becoming a powerful driving force behind promoting the band…Expand
Sure, it isn't as good as Conditions, but that doesn't matter. Where this album hits its lowest points, it is dreary and average. But its highSure, it isn't as good as Conditions, but that doesn't matter. Where this album hits its lowest points, it is dreary and average. But its high points are brilliant and chillingly touching. I think that the legacy of Conditions has not worked favourably in the eyes of critics for this album.…Expand
Quite a disappointment. The album does start to pick up midway, but the main issue I have is that the Temper Trap do not play to theirQuite a disappointment. The album does start to pick up midway, but the main issue I have is that the Temper Trap do not play to their strengths, aka using their singer to his full ability. He's too restrained here, and a band like this whose sound honestly is a bit derivative, needs to take advantage of anything that sets it apart. There are way less melodic hooks, nothing near as strong as "soldier on" and "love lost." With so many other good releases now (Liars, Future of the Left, Japandroids), this will be forgotten.…Collapse
This album is so hopelessly depressing and disappointing that I would have been sad (and not a good sad like Soldier On) all day if it wereThis album is so hopelessly depressing and disappointing that I would have been sad (and not a good sad like Soldier On) all day if it were not for the amazing timing of the new Hives album which is bombastically fantastic (but that's for another review). Did The Temper Trap forget how to write "songs"? There isn't anything that even comes close to the goodness of Love Lost or Sweet Disposition. Did they forget how to use their guitars? By the end of track 12 I wanted to murder myself. The first single had me worried and rightfully so. This album was crushingly disappointing. Oh and Terg your insane. Plain and Simple.…Expand
