|
|
The Australian 5 piece set out to justify the hype
If you've got Sky TV then, consciously or otherwise, you've heard The Temper Trap. Recent single 'Sweet Disposition' provides the ethereal(ish) soundtrack to that ad where Jose Mourhino tells you how marvellous the English Premier League is. They're the latest in a line of Southern hemispherical conquests on the north, also including a revitalised Jet and the wonderful, wonderful Empire of the Sun. They're also the subject of not inconsiderable hype - the show here at Manchester's quirky little Ruby Lounge so sold out that some nice polite notices as you enter warn you it might get a little tightly packed tonight.
They're not kidding either. This must be one of, if not the, biggest crowds ever drawn to the Ruby Lounge. Busy isn't in it. The Temper Trap are quite clearly capable of bigger and, as we'll come to in a minute, they're probably better suited. In the days running up to the gig, the £7 face value tickets are going for £80 on auction sites. Somebody, somewhere really likes this lot.
As the crowd shoe-horns itself into as comfortable slots as possible, the pre-gig music disconcerts slightly; a mix of hard rock and metal. I confess I don't know a massive amount about the Temper Trap - is 'Sweet Disposition' a red herring? Are they really a bunch of meathead metallers? The first song sets the tone and answers the question. Proggy, looping guitar riffs from a guitarist who's clearly got U2 stuck on repeat, thumping big beats and pulsing bass lines. And as the set progresses, a theme emerges. One of proggy, looping guitar riffs, thumping big beats and pulsing bass lines. Every song pretty hinges on the same chord changes - the widescreen, stadium sized changes that the likes of U2 and Coldplay have patented so effectively. Problem is that U2 and Coldplay also know the power of light and shade and that's something The Temper Trap will have to discover if they're really going to break through. Their sound is truly massive though - the Ruby Lounge's PA system struggling at several points to contain it.
And then there's the voice. What's the aural equivalent of retina scorching? Even hours after the gig's finished, there still the sensation of Dougi Mandagi's permanent falsetto ringing away in my ears. An impressive vocal range? For sure. An acquired taste? Absolutely.
Stationed squarely mid-set, 'Sweet Disposition' truly stands out, its (ahem) sweet melodies counterpointing the alternately trancey and anthemic backing perfectly. There's almost a collective sigh of relief (from band and audience) on its conclusion - the sardine-sandwiched throng certainly thins a little. And buzz there may be about this band, but the band who chooses to intersperse a 50 minute set with a number of extraneous jams is staring down the barrel of one cold hard fact; they just don't have the songs yet. That's not to say there isn't potential. You can definitely hear The Temper Trap's sound translating incredibly well to larger arenas, and if Dougi Mandagi can rein that voice in a little and they can vary the songwriting (as they hint at on 'Downriver') then The Temper Trap may still justify the hype. Just don't believe it yet.
Tags: the temper trap live music review ruby lounge
comments 0
|
|
