Photos of The Temper Trap at 2014 Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL
Photos of The Temper Trap at Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY on July 30th, 2014
Photos of The Temper Trap at 2013 Groovin’ the Moo in Bunbury, WA, Australia
Photos of The Temper Trap at 2013 Future Music Festival in Perth, WA, Australia
QRO’s review of The Temper Trap at Roseland Ballroom in New York, NY on October 12th, 2012
Photos of The Temper Trap at 2012 Truck Festival in Steventon, U.K.
Photos of The Temper Trap at Stubb’s in Austin, TX on June 11th, 2012
Photos of The Temper Trap at House of Blues in Boston, MA on June 7th, 2012
Photos of The Temper Trap at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY on March 29th, 2012
Melbourne’s The Temper Trap are well on their way to be Australia’s Coldplay, without the baggage associated with being Coldplay. 2009’s Conditions (QRO review) was a powerful debut, while their 2012 self-titled follow-up (QRO review) reached for John Hughes-esque ‘80s glory. Thick As Thieves is a little more widely palatable, but just as grand.
Epic, anthemistic pop with guitars and synths are very popular today, even seem to be needed in these troubled times, and The Temper Trap deliver it on Thieves. “Burn” reaches upward evocatively, while the following “Lost” is grand pop-anthem uplift (though unfortunately this song from the Australian act has seemingly nothing to do with Lost – not that Coldplay haven’t skirted the island themselves – QRO album review). There is some of the ‘80s of Temper Trap, like the evening “Alive” and subsequent catchier “Riverina”, but this is a more straightforward record.
The world doesn’t need another Coldplay, but The Temper Trap manage to do the pop-uplift without coming off as saccharine or lost in their grandeur. Plus, no Gwyneth Paltrow…
