Why Temples?

Putting the debut album from Britain's Temples is like putting on a record released straight out of 1968. "Shelter Song" opens with the chiming guitars at home on any Byrds record. But it is Byrds meets psychedelic-era Pink Floyd or Cream with the trippy rhythms, especially on the title track. "The Golden Throne" has a killer chorus as the drums take over with nice keyboard flourishes before giving way to a sinister-ish guitar line. "Mesmerize" gallops more than the other tracks with a Rick Wakeman-like keyboard line coupling the chorus back to verse.

Those ever present rhythms make for a very strong foundation; the bass and the drums do not quite thunder but they are definitely not weak. They anchor the songs nicely. Bolstered by reverb-y vocals and keyboards and ringing chords. The production is very classic sounding, very heavy in a way...maybe not heavy but thick. The sound, especially the drums, have bottom.

I read about the record first in Pitchfork. They were predictably blah about it. I reckon when you listen to as many records as they do it is hard to get jazzed over something. The music here is not especially unique. I agree in a way when they say Temples are Tame Impala without the modern flourishes. I think the fat drum sound steps it away from a total psychedelic tribute. It builds upon that scene, if not grandly at least functionally.

Reading about them, it seems they have already opened for the likes of Suede and even The Rolling Stones. Noel Gallagher has sung their praises. It makes me wonder where this comes from; how notice like this happens, especially for a band so young Is it great? I wouldn't say it is GREAT, but it is enjoyable if you like this kind of music: British bands wearing their influences on their sleeve and doing a great job at it. What makes it stand-out, though? Why do Temples get the notice but others don't. I can't imagine there are not others bands like this doing similar things. What sets apart a band like this from a band like mine (other than talent and inspiration and about 20 years and plenty of time is a big studio)? Maybe those things are really all it takes. What it is, the music business is about 10% talent and 90% luck. Lots of bands are talented and write great songs, but they simply never break through where Noel Gallagher gets to say nice things about you. Lucky for my band we aren't leaning on our talents for our livelihood. Otherwise we'd starve. At least we admit it.

Here's the title track from this fine new record.