The highly anticipated debut from the English four piece is pleasant enough, but it’s low on complexity and originality.
It makes you wonder what the likes of Syd Barrett, Jack Bruce and Noel Redding would think knowing that anything as bland as this album would pass for “psychedelic” music these days. As harsh as that may sound, all Temples have really managed here is to create an album full of songs which sound like other songs but a bit weirder. And that’s not that exciting at all.
Sun Structures
‘The Golden Throne’ starts off which almost the exact same riff from Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Crying Lightning’ before sounding very much like Kula Shaker for a bit. ‘Shelter Song’ is probably the most entertaining song on the album, but still sounds too close to something that would be on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and you struggle to think what business any band in this day and age making a song like this at all.
‘Sun Structures’ is similar and picks up the tempo a bit, which is drastically needed throughout the album. There’s plenty of technical skill and some nice melody in a lot of the tracks, but not a huge amount to make you sit up and take notice. Unlike Angel Olsen’s recent release, which makes you stop and think at during each track, it’ quite possible to listen to Sun Structures a couple of times through without really listening to it.
‘Keep In the Dark’ is particularly emblematic of this. It’s a plodding track reminiscent of The Coral or The Bees. Now, there’s nothing wrong with either of those bands per se, but their appeal was based on their ability to have as much fun as possible when making their music, and the music reflected that. With Temples, it all feels a bit too proggy, a bit to earnest and a bit too contrived. Unfortunately, it misses the mark.
A decent debut but there’s more than a little room for improvement. We’re gonna give Sun Structures 5/10.
Sun Structures was released on February 10th on Heavenly Recordings.
Click here for Sun Structures by Temples from iTunes.
