The Temper Trap - "Conditions"

A friend recommended this outfit from Melbourne, Australia to me earlier in the week and, after some MySpace sampling, I got the album last night. With not even a full day elapsed, my opinion is still forming; I know I like it, just not how much exactly. Listeners accustomed to heavier fare might find it easy to dismiss the band early on as overly precious popsters. Or, worse yet, poseurs. Getting an accessible single featured in a "buzz flick" (in this case, the anthemic "Sweet Disposition" and (500) Days of Summer, respectively) will do that. So, too, will somber, falsetto vocals. There's restraint at work throughout the album that's anything but soft, though. Opener "Love Lost" and the robust "Rest" benefit from this, in particular, while the irrepressible, synth-laden "Fader" will be immediate enough to convince all but the most cynical feet to move.

Thanks! I was resigned to this discussion never happening.

Usually, I'm quite a hard person to get on-side with bands in this vein, but the album's just too solid not to appreciate. As you say, it's not spectacular, but it's too memorable to be throw-away. I don't remember ever putting it on and just listening to a few tracks or giving it only one complete spin. Much like man city fans, they tend to come in clusters.

I contemplated catching them before Christmas at the Mandela Hall Here when they were supporting Florence and The Machine, but I don't care for her really so I ruled it wasn't worth the asking price for half an hour or so. If they come back for a headline tour, though, I'll be all for it.

Gutted for you, Jake! Gigs of note are so few and far between Here that it's hard for me to imagine being in such a well-trafficked place for live music. Although England was an eye-opener for this. Stuff's always going on there.

Even though it stings to miss gigs like that (something I know would happen to me, too, in your position/location) it must still be pretty comforting to know that they'll probably be back again with the year or in the next 18 months or so. If a band says they'll be back to Belfast within the next ten years (hello, Rancid in '03) it's best to have your salt at the ready.

Comin' up on 7 years, Lars. I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to see you guys again, but just sayin.'

I really don't know, Spike. It's always wound me up how bands can come over for a European tour, take in London, Glasgow, Leeds, and Sheffield shows, then disappear to Paris and beyond. It's not like the Bad Old Days where most artists were rightly too scared to play here. I've always had massive respect for the Clash for coming back in '77, at the height of The Troubles, when next-to-no-one had the balls to play Belfast (even though the gig never happened due to - surprise surprise - a security alert.)





A lot of bands are good at coming to Dublin but, even though it's only a few hours down the road, it takes too much preparation to just "pop down" for the night. It's always made me appreciate those who do make the effort, small as it is, to play here though.

I could fill my boots a few times during the week at least with local live music, but the quality varies massively. Most bands from Here will never achieve anything with very good cause because they're just imitating bands from across the Irish Sea, only not as well. Or American bands from the 90's that most people don't care about.