Live Review: Temples @ The Zoo, May 8

It’s 2014 and psychedelic music is everywhere. Anywhere where music is discussed, be it on an internet forum, on the radio or simply at your local pub, hang around long enough and you will eventually hear the word psychedelic. Many bands latching onto this title unfortunately do not really meet many of the requirements that would justify the label, apart from adorning a paisley shirt and a trendy sixties haircut, and maybe the occasional use of the fuzz pedal on a tune. Luckily for all the Brisbaners who went down to The Zoo on Thursday, May 9, English four-piece Temples are not this sort of band at all. They may be referred to as a neo-psychedelic group in every piece of press that mentions them, and yes, they may indulge in some flamboyant 1967 fashion styles, but this is one of the few bands claiming the label of psychedelic who musically fit the bill.

Temples make sweeping, full-bodied music that incorporates an impressive range of influences from The Byrds to Nazz to T-Rex. The band is a music-lovers goldmine, with their songs containing a plethora of nods to retro classics. The result is not a clumsily composed Frankenstein tune, but a fresh, young and vibrant reimagining of the sounds of the sixties. Merely labelling Temples a psychedelic group would be wrong as what really makes their music pop is the wide variety of eclectic sounds they incorporate into all of their songs. Their music is also a lot more accessible than the kind of experimental groups that come to mind when one thinks of the word psychedelic; nearly every Temples song has an irresistible pop hook and that is why they are at the forefront of this alleged comeback of psychedelia.

One of the most important factors that determines how a band is processed by media is of course the way they dress. As Temples take the stage, their fashion style instantly evokes images of the great psychedelic icons of the sixties and undoubtedly, this is one of the main reasons they continue to be thrown onto the psychedelic bandwagon, despite being more of a sixties-pop group. They plunge straight into ‘Colours To Life’, their most psychedelic song of all and a fitting accompaniment to their bold image.  ‘Colours To Life’ is also probably Temples’ most interesting song – layered, poignant and surprising – and it is this balance of pop hooks with emotional depth that the band should seek to emulate in the future. Temples follow with their first single’s b-side, ‘Prisms’, which is probably the catchier tune, but it lacks ‘Colours To Life’s’ melancholic yet groovy beat that makes you feel a range of confusing, but divine emotions. Songs like ‘Prisms’ are undeniably listenable; full of colour and vibrancy, with a notable flute accompaniment that gives the song a distinct mystical flavour. However, like much of the band’s catalogue, ‘Prisms’ fails to strike the deeper emotional resonance ‘Colours To Life’ absolutely nails.

Temples next move on to a few new tracks from their album: ‘Sun Structures’ and ‘A Question Isn’t Answered’. ‘Sun Structures’ slows down the pace considerably after their electric opening, feeling a lot more like a b-side than the wonderfully catchy ‘Prisms’. The song doesn’t really have any noteworthy moments apart from the ending instrumental section that really shows off the band’s talents. ‘A Question Isn’t Answered’ picks up the pace with a hypnotic bass-line and colourful key intro that slowly leads you into the song’s chorus, defined by a fuzzy guitar riff and some convoluted lyrics about questions and answers. The song gets a lot more interesting towards the end when it delves into a spaced-out instrumental that lures you into a euphoric reverie. Unfortunately, the instrumental ends way too early and needed to be carried a little longer for its full impact to be realised. Temples seem to use this same structure in every song, which can make their music feel a little stale after a few listens – catchy guitar riff matched with trippy lyrics and a sixties pop hook, which then delves into a drawn-out instrumental towards the end that marks the song with the ‘psychedelic’ stamp. These moments are some of the best bits of Temples’ music and it would have been great to see the instrumental sections taken further and further, particularly in the live scenario.

Temples move back in time and play an earlier b-side from the ‘Colours To Life’ single, ‘Anhk’, which holds up well, with a soaring keys chorus that carries the feeling of a majestic journey. The band then take the mood down a few notches with ‘Move With The Season’, in which we are finally given the chance to indulge in an extended, long-winded instrumental section. Like ‘Colours To Life’, ‘Move With The Season’ matches catchy pop rhythm with a deeper layer of emotional resonance. The band then play another early b-side, ‘Keep In The Dark’, demonstrating one of main strengths of Temples, which is their capacity to slide in and out of different genres of pop music on the same song, a talent which is not limited to emulating the psychedelic sixties. ‘Keep In The Dark’ is much more T-Rex and mid-seventies glam rock than Pink Floyd and as such, it stands out a lot more. The more simplistic rock n roll style of the song ironically feels much more vibrant and fresh than some of the band’s more psychedelic tunes and it is a sound I would love to hear more of from Temples.

‘Sand Dance’, the band’s next song, feels a little flat in comparison to the vibrancy of ‘Keep In The Dark’. In fact, many of the band’s newer songs do not hold up as strongly as their first singles and b-sides, which could be attributed to the pressure on the band to replicate the success of their first few singles with a stellar album release. The songs are undeniably catchy and fun, but they don’t have the same magic formula of earlier tunes like ‘Colours To Life’, ‘Keep In The Dark’ and the band’s last two tunes ‘Mesmerise’ and ‘Shelter Song’, which are played for the encore. ‘Mesmerise’ features the band’s best drawn-out psychedelic jamming, whilst ‘Shelter Song’ is the band’s secret weapon; a song that is simply to dislike, no matter how many times you hear it.

Temples are a band that sound fantastic live, practically faultless; this is band who have obviously been doing the tour rounds non-stop and have absolutely perfected their set. This sense of professionalism of course does not guarantee a memorable show, but for their Brisbane show, the energy on stage was just right and the use of heavier arrangements elevated the songs significantly. The band seemed upbeat and keen, however, it would have been great for the group’s front-man to take a few more breaks in-between songs and reach out to the audience. As it stands, Temples’ set was tight and fast-paced, but by the end it did feel like the ride ended too soon. Maybe this is just a testament to the band’s infectious good vibes and delightful pop tunes; whatever it is that makes Temples so much fun, I wanted more of it by the end of Thursday night.