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Volcano
by
Volcano Image
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

  • Summary: The second full-length release for the British psychedelic pop band was self-produced.
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Top Track

Certainty
I've got I've got the picture and the detail Outside Under within the sights We stand We land upon the parallelogram On the sand of another land We... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    Mar 2, 2017
    80
    Volcano may rank as more of a technical progression than an artistic one, but it’s no less impressive for that.
  2. DIY Magazine
    Mar 3, 2017
    80
    If Temples needed to prove that they were more than talented revivalists, then Volcano should silence the doubters. Sure, you’re unlikely to find a Stormzy sample buried within its midst, but Temples’ second statement shows that innovation and notable progress can still sound classic.
  3. The Telegraph (UK)
    Apr 19, 2017
    80
    Every track on Volcano flows beautifully, almost overloaded with hooks and harmonies, and charged with rhythmic intent. But the soundscapes are infinitely brighter and weirder and more thrillingly modern.
  4. Pretty Much Amazing
    Mar 3, 2017
    75
    This record’s closest counterpart is last year’s Currents from Tame Impala. Temples can’t quite reach pop solidarity like those Aussies, but they come close enough.
  5. AllMusic
    Mar 6, 2017
    70
    Fans of the first album may be disappointed by the changes, especially since the band takes most of the psych out of its pop. Those who stick around will find that Volcano is a pretty good modern pop record.
  6. Drowned In Sound
    Mar 6, 2017
    60
    Volcano is a fun album of tightly-crafted, catchy melodies. But it’s in no way reinventing the genre the band members so keenly idolise.
  7. The Independent (UK)
    Mar 1, 2017
    20
    With the toothless Volcano, they’ve abandoned that path [hinting at deep immersion in psych-rock] in favour of a wheedling, keyboard-heavy electropop sound with much less bite, pock-marked with dubious stylistic potholes.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. andrevictor
    Apr 14, 2017
    8
    A lightweight album that makes you travel in an unreal world. With wonderful compositions and nostalgic melodies, "Vulcano" is a record thatA lightweight album that makes you travel in an unreal world. With wonderful compositions and nostalgic melodies, "Vulcano" is a record that makes you very optimistic, with a vintage style the composition of this project is really a great highlight.… Expand
  2. triple_co
    Mar 30, 2017
    7
    This is a really solid, entertaining album, with the opener 'Certainty' bringing in a great, gritty guitar line before the song explodes intoThis is a really solid, entertaining album, with the opener 'Certainty' bringing in a great, gritty guitar line before the song explodes into chorus. From there, tracks such as '(I Want To Be) Your Mirror' and 'Born Into The Sunset' provide excellent hooks and I've found myself coming back to these early tracks often. Later songs like 'Roman God-Like Man' and 'Strange Or Be Forgotten' give the project a nice close.

    The middle slumps a little however and the production can feel a little bit muddy, with drums being drowned out by the dreamy, echo-focused vocals and instrumentation. There are obvious comparisons that will be made here to Tame Impala and, while not as consistent as the former bands 'Current's', there's a lot to enjoy here that sets Temples apart from their contemporaries.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Shared Album of 2017

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