This is the band you will be fighting your way through crowds to see in the coming months. Melbourne four-piece The Temper Trap are creating the kind of buzz seen only every few years, and reserved for the most elite musicians.
Their over-subscribed Levi’s Ones To Watch gig begins with three minutes of pounding guitars and drums. This is the perfect introduction to their genius and ensures the last remaining people back by the bar are now standing to full attention. Opening track ‘Oh Baby’, with its near tribal rhythm section, makes its impossible to stand still.
Multi-layered soundscapes reminiscent of TV On The Radio with the excitement of Arcade Fire abound on ‘Down River’. Angelic soul vocals from singer/guitarist Dougy Mandagi are somewhere between Prince and James Brown. This adds a pop element which sees this band flow easily across many genres.
‘Sweet Disposition’, released as a single in Australia, sees the band’s animated energy mirrored by the crowd. Hard rock guitars return on ‘Resurrection’ and are juxtaposed once again with choirboy vocals from Mandagi.
A another instrumental interlude – this time its rock-meets-tribal drumming and has the crowd at fever pitch – before the set climaxes with current single ‘Science Of Fear’. The venue erupts with admiration and phrases like “gig of the year” can be heard as the crowd disperse.
With two EPs in their native Australia, an impressive showing at SXSW in March, plus a debut LP – produced Jim Abbiss (Artic Monkeys) – set for a UK release in August, The Temper Trap are firmly at the top of the list of this year’s ones to watch.
