Temples: Sun Structures

Having heard some buzz surrounding their new album, I decided to sit down and listen to Temples' Sun Structures. And it was definitely worth the time.

Overall:
To quote the great NME online magazine, "Throughout this hazy, charmed hour, Temples mingle note-perfect ‘Nuggets…’-era references – The Electric Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators, The Monkees’ ‘Head’, Love, ‘Rubber Soul’, The Byrds, The Zombies and step-inside-the-kaleidoscope Tibetan drones galore – but never once take their foot off the melody pedal, making ‘Mesmerise’, ‘The Golden Throne’ and ‘Test Of Time’ sound like modern rejuvenations of psych in the same way that The Last Shadow Puppets gave orchestral ’60s lounge pop a blast of musical Optrex...they add Arabian grooves to ‘Sand Dance’, pastoral Byrdsian tones to ‘Move With The Season’ and glam tinges to ‘Keep In The Dark’, right down to the tiger-footed stomp, glittery handclaps and honking horns." There's an interesting quality to the choruses of all of their songs - they're strange and somehow very pretty. The appearance of all of the Indian/Middle Eastern influences is also very intriguing. Though the albums are extremely different, a lot of the same style shines through in Warpaint's new album, and it will something to watch and see if it begins appearing in more popular music.

Interesting really is the thing to emphasize in the discussion of this album.  There's no denying Temples have set up something great for themselves with this. The fact that many of the songs sounds similar somehow doesn't really ever become an issue: there's always enough going on in the music to keep you hooked, and there are enough unexpected changes of style and sound to keep you listening. It's unique and a refreshing thing to hear in the void of many mediocre more experimental albums that have been put out in the past few years. I will be interested to see what happens for them as time goes on, but there's definitely a place for them in the music industry. The question will just be whether or not they get the exposure they need (and is so difficult to receive) to catch on.

Track by track review:
Shelter Song
Really good, super Beatles-influenced track. Sets up everything that appears through the rest of the album: stacked and filtered vocals, quick tempo, Beatles influence, psychedelic and Indian-influenced style. The song captivates the listener and calls for them to keep listening as it moves quickly into the next song.

Sun Structures
Fast tempo, cool guitar and drum lines. Very, very Indian influenced, interesting guitar solo heavy effect pedals and stylistic oddity abound. Back and forth between two very different styles: an almost electronic sounding, hard guitar in a low register and a filtered, soloistic guitar in a very high register, all layered over a mid range continual guitar line.

The Golden Throne
The most clearly defined vocals yet appear in this song, with some weird choirness going on in the background. This one changes up the style of song that they created with the first two, making sure the listener isn't bored. Interesting, catchy line appears.

Keep in the Dark
A very throwback feel appears in this song, with an almost funky guitar line and a beat that makes you want to get up and clap your hands. My favorite one so far. Faint orchestral lines appear and this one takes a step back to an almost 60s sound, further back than before. Also very Beatles influenced. Just when you start to wonder if the song is a little to repetitive, they throw in a drum breakdown in the middle with some harp weirdness.

Mesmerize
Another electronic sounding guitar opening. Sets up similar to the last with more clearly heard vocals. Does the same thing as the last: just when you start to wonder if it's too repetitive, it strips it down to a vocal solo with a change of tempo and keeps your attention until the chorus comes around one last time. Interesting guitar and bass outro that moves directly into the next track.

Move With the Season
Slower than the previous songs, and the Indian influences are back, as are the Beatles influences. The vocals are stacked very interestingly, and the arpeggiated guitar sections keep your attention the whole way through. The 60s pop style appears a bit in the chorus, with the appearance of a string section over the gorgeous melody. 

Colours to Life
The string section and arpeggiated guitars are back, but in a different way than before. This one's musically a little weaker than the previous songs, but it's still pretty good. Cool outro that ties back to the opening that fades out into the next song.

A Question Isn't Answered
A surprise beginning to this song, with what sounds like a group of people clapping. Then the aerial vocals enter and the Middle Eastern influences are stronger than ever before. The clapping slowly fades out and is replaced with a strong drumbeat that, like Keep it in the Dark, make you just want to get up and clap. Like the previous song, it fades back to an outro that is basically just a shorter version of the outro.

The Guesser
Pretty catchy song, considering that it didn't lose any of the psychedelic style of the rest of the album. It definitely wouldn't feel out of place on Tame Impala's Lonerism.

Test of Time
This song is a little bit weaker than some of the others. It didn't really set up any material that the rest of the songs hadn't already presented, and it just wasn't quite as rock-ish as some of the others.

Sand Dance
A very dramatic tempo change from the last song, but it doesn't feel strange or out of place. This one especially has a 60s feel, but towards the end of it I started losing interest. he contrast section that they typically throw in to draw back the listener didn't come until later in the song, but when it did it was one of the coolest moments of the whole thing. 

Fragment's Light
Whoa, unexpected Spanish acoustic guitar intro. The albums goes out with a quiet, and again very Middle Eastern influenced sound. This is a perfect album closer: unexpected, quiet, and dreamlike. It wakes you from the haze of listening to this and gently pulls you back into the real world, while still remaining faintly in the back of your mind.

~Simone

Watch: Bruno Mars' Glorious Performance with RHCP

From the drum intro (:50 ) to the group dancing (3:48 ), to the James Brown impression (6:35), to the explosive performance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers (7:18), this year's Super Bowl halftime show was pure awesomeness. (Though, I think we can all agree that everything past 10:05 should not have been there.)

~Simone

Constructive Criticism

Dear people who complain about musicians,

     If you’re going to complain about someone’s music say this: “God, I HATE THIS!” This means that a) you personally HATE THIS and b) this is your opinion. If you’re going to complain about someone’s music don’t say this: “Wow, this musician has literally no talent”, “Seriously? An ape could write this! Oh wait!”, or “Wow, the quality of music these days...” Now yes, some music is simpler that other music, some music can be more difficult to play, but just know that attacking a musician like that is like telling someone that the way they are existing isn't worth anyone’s time. Feel free to have your own opinions, but remember what an abstract thing “talent” is. There is no objective way to measure it and you cannot be RIGHT or WRONG about the quality of music.

     Music is Art. If you were going to be critical about a painting you’d probably say something constructive like this: “Wow, I feel like the focal point of this piece isn’t balanced with all this negative space over here” or “Hm. Ya’ know, I don’t think there’s enough contrast being applied with the colors, it just feels a little bland.” You wouldn’t say: “How could this possibly mean anything to anyone?”, “The message that this artist is trying to convey is completely worthless” or “This painter obviously has no talent.” What the heck.

     So hands (meaning words) off my music or anyone else’s, because someone, somewhere, right now, is dancing or crying or singing along to this song. And I mean obviously the lack of talent the singer/guitarist/songwriter/drummer has has invalidated the emotions of a thousand human beings, but just try to be nicer okay? Seriously though, keep opinions where opinions need to be kept, separate them from measurable facts, and don’t you try to tell me what you think about talent, because I hope it’s obvious that it’s really pissing me off.

Love you all,

Adair