Temples - Sun Structures

Late 2013 saw the release of many a fantastic psychedelic album- namely TOY’s Join the Dots and Wooden Shjips’ Back to Land. However, we’re less than a week into 2014 and something just as exciting as the both of them has already cropped up; Sun Structures, the eagerly awaited debut album from Kettering-based and Johnny Marr-endorsed Temples. 

Temples boldly announced themselves to the rest of the world in late 2012 with the release of their twangy psych-rock debut single Shelter Song. Fittingly that is just how Sun Structures announces itself, with the fast-paced single being the perfect album opener. Shelter Song immediately grabs the listener’s undivided attention and takes them away to the twilight zone and into Temples’ not-so-lucid world.

Following on from Shelter Song, the album’s next track is Sun Structures’ title track- a slightly different, more conservative affair, where any sort of lucidity in James Bagshaw’s vocal is lost. As is quite the theme throughout Sun Structures, Temples’ guitar tones echo, and sound somewhat oriental or Egyptian. Like the title track and a fair few towards the end of the record, The Golden Throne features reverb drenched vocals teamed up alongside riffs that almost lack character. 

The albums other notable highlights come towards the end of Side one, with the bands two latest singles (Keep in the Dark, Mesmerise) coming one after another. Whilst Keep in the Dark is Temples at their most anthemic and singable, Mesmerise catches them at their electrifying, exciting best.

Although Temples’ debut is packed full of excellent, charismatic songs, it’s also plagued by enough faceless easily skippable songs to let the whole album down. The latter half of the record is particularly guilty of this, as most of the songs are too long, and consequently too dull. However, like diamonds in the rough, nestled in the last half is The Guesser and Fragment’s Light- the album’s fitting beautiful closer.

Although it’s certainly no gamechanger, the Kettering four-piece’s first crack of the whip delivers exactly how you’d expect it to. It has character, but no alarms and no surprises, and has one or two too many forgettable songs. It is, however, a lot of fun and well worth a listen or two.

Details
Released: February 10th (on Heavenly)
Tracklisting: Shelter Song, Sun Structures, the Golden Throne, Keep in the Dark, Mesmerise, Move With the Season, Colours to Life, a Question Isn't Answered, The Guesser, Test of Time, Sand Dance, Fragment's Light.
Download these: Shelter Song, Fragment's Light, Mesmerise.

7/10

(WRITTEN BY CALUM CASHIN)