Temples released their second studio album Volcano on March 3. Though there is an audible distinction between Sun Structures, their debut album released in February 2014, the overall ’60s vibes remain in place, especially with regard to the vocals.
The English band is based out of Kettering and was formed in 2012 by James Bagshaw (vocalist/guitarist) and Thomas Warmsley (vocalist/bassist). After working separately and together in various bands, the two eventually formed their own band and later secured Adam Smith and Sam Toms as keyboardist and drummer, respectively.
Bagshaw had previously been a member of Sukie, another Kettering band, whose single “Pink-A-Pade” made it all the way to the top of the UK Indie Chart.
Describing their debut album Sun Structures, Pitchfork’s Jayson Greene stated, “They are Tame Impala minus the sneaky modernizing touches.” For Volcano, those sneaky modernizing touches have simply been added, resulting primarily in psychedelic melodies, featuring unoriginal vocals.
Hippo Campus pairs masterful instrumentation with laid-back energy in debut album
The Beatles serve as an evident influence in Temples’ music. The vocals are often indistinguishable from the early Beatles, especially in Sun Structures. Even the evolution of their sound from album to album seems to mimic that of The Beatles’. In Volcano, a dash of Pink Floyd and the likes of Peter Bjorn and John have also been added.
With an exception to slower songs like “In My Pocket” and “How Would You Like To Go?” most songs on the album start off with an upbeat, catchy melody. These melodies are somewhat reminiscent of the background music in video games from the ’90s with a certain Nintendo 64 attribute.
Despite these captivating characteristics, however, the songs seem to retain excitement only briefly before becoming dull from repetition, not only within the songs but throughout the album.
Many songs on the album possesses perfection in terms of melodic and rhythmic flow, yet they are not unique. The songs sound like they could have been produced by any of the bands previously mentioned. “All Join In,” for example, sounds like a lost track off of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
In 2014, Temples performed both on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and the “Ellen Degeneres Show.” They have gained some popularity since the release of their first album, but not much. Perhaps Volcano will draw new attention to the band and help them receive more airtime than they have previously.
