The Temper Trap

Lets just say that having loved 'Conditions' and having looked forward to this album with high expectations i was slightly disappointed on first listen with TTT's new offering. For me it lacked the dynamic tunes of their exhilarating debut. However i loved the first three tracks so i persevered giving the album a chance to grow...and it is a real grower. The group has changed tact moving to a more electronic sound were it would have been easy for them to just produce 'Conditions - Part 2', so fair play to them. Some of the songs have an 80's influence... see 'Dreams', 'Never Again', 'I'm Gonna Wait' with lead singer Dougy Mandagi adopting a lower register at times almost aping Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan. Elsewhere, the spiky 'London's Burning' recalls The Clash/Specials (look out for a sample of David Cameron)and the anthemic 'Trembling Hand's' echoes U2 at their best. In my opinion this is an excellent second record from TTT which only loses a star for a couple of tracks which i find slightly bland, 'Miracle' and the album closer 'Leaving Heartbreak Hotel'...having said that they still perfectly showcase the lead singers brilliant voice. Sometimes the most rewarding albums are those that take a bit longer to get into and this one certainly falls into that category. A special band.

This is a 5-star album, it's really brilliant and there's not a bad track on here. The vinyl version has a really nice thick gatefold cover for this 2LP offering that handily protects its goods.Music 5/5Vinyl 4/5Perfectly centred vinyl, lovingly spread over 4 sides of wax to keep fidelity intact, The Temper Trap have delivered an excellent package for those buying the new album on vinyl. In addition the vinyl is coloured lavender and navy blue to match each LP's cover individually.The vinyl is a little noisy, but given that it was shipped in paper covers I expect a good cleaning will do wonders and then get these puppies into polyethelene inner sleeves.When I first saw The Temper Trap's new video for the first single from the album, Need Your Love, I cringed. What an awful video. The song sounded pretty bland too although I was listening through dinky PC speakers at the time. But really, what a terrible video! I had already heard the studio version of Rabbit Hole which they were playing throughout their tour in 2010 and knew I'd like at least one song, but I was concerned when I started reading the reviews from other users at how different the sound was, an observation that seemed to jive with my first listen of the new single. Well it took a little while to receive my vinyl and I was determined not to listen to an .mp3 version of the album, but the wait was worth it.Even the first song sounded much more catchy without the visuals and listening through a proper playback system, but it was the third track that really put a smile on my face, Trembling Hands. What an immense chorus and great lyrics. The 2LP vinyl edition does contain 15 tracks so there is lots more music to sift through. The Sea is Calling is another standout track and the dynamics on Rabbit Hole are fantastic, reminds me a little almost of the ending of Coldplay's "Politik". "Miracle", the 5th track on the CD or first song on SIDE B of the vinyl is brilliant, absolutely amazing. I think it's my fave track, but I really think the album is full of great tracks. The odd track out is London Calling, in terms of the rest of the album, but those who have the 2006 EP may hear similarities to that sound and if you don't have that EP grab it, Peter Parker and Sunday Painter are great tracks worth adding to your Temper Trap collection.There is definitely a more electronic vibe on this album than is found on Conditions, but it's not unlike some of the sounds you might hear on a Depeche Mode album. I was expecting awful after reading some of the reviews, but I came away very happy. Having listened to the album through three times now I would recommend this to any fan of The Temper Trap and I think at around 19 pounds shipped to North America Amazon UK's price is very palatable. This was also shipped in a sturdy vinyl mailer which meant no bent corners, I'm glad Amazon has finally found the proper way to ship records.I can't compare the dynamics to the CD but I wouldn't be surprised if the dynamics were much more intact on this 2LP set than they are on the CD. I will have to try and track down a copy to check. This 2LP set seems like the definitive version of the album to me. Hopefully The Temper Trap will press more copies of their debut album for those that missed out. Grab this one while you can!EDIT - July 10th - after having listened to the album several times through I'm bumping my rating to 5-stars. This is a FANTASTIC album, great songwriting and catchy tunes. It's unfortunate the CD was so compressed dynamically, typical "loudness wars" mastering, but it's nowhere near as bad as some of today's CD's like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. TTT = 7dB DR on CD.

I think some of the reviewers have been a little harsh on these guys. I agree, the bar was set with 'Conditions'. BUT, you need to listen to this album without comparing. Most decent bands who've had a very successful first album try out different things in the second - they are still finding their way and there are some little gems to be found - 'Trembling Hands' is a soaring ballad which I guarantee will be used on many a TV ad. 'Rabbit Hole' gets back to some nice soaring guitars. All in all, it's a fresh new sound - some of it doesn't quite work, but a lot of it does in a funky, quirky way. Personally, I like it when bands get experimental - it shows innovation and bravery and will hopefully prevent the dreadful outcome of bands such as Foo Fighters, Coldplay & the like whose albums all sound exactly the same. This is why Queens of the Stone Age are so successful - every album is different, they don't just play it safe. I gave Temper Trap an extra star for daring to try something different and not boxing themselves in.

I am a big fan of the TTT and when i bought this cd i was hoping it would be just as good as the first. But on the first few play's i was not so sure,But then like the first album songs started to grow on me .... Need your love - where do we go from here - Rabbit hole - heartbreak hotel and now am hooked so don't give a review based on a few plays just let it play for a few weeks then make up your mind....P.S I bought Special edition..

I bought this based on their first album and also seeing them live at Cardiff Uni. Is it as good as the first? that's a purely subjective thing, but I loved the first and I don't think anyone would be disappointed by this. I am definitely a fan of the Temper Trap; not to everyone's taste I agree, but if it's any help I'm an old-school rock man Led, Def etc. I can't wait to see them live again.

This ones a cracker too.

Just had to write this review as YET AGAIN Amazon has the Wrong listing.. This is a DOUBLE vinyl album one on Blue vinyl and one on Mauve vinyl both heavyweight and beautifully packaged....ALSO there 15 tracks on this issue and NOT the twelve tracks as listed so you are getting the FULL deluxe version on Vinyl .......ONE PROBLEM THOUGH IS THAT THE MP3 WEB ADDRESS DOES NOT CONNECT SO DON'T EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD IT ........just to let you know but it's a brilliant album though

A very strong album from Temper Trap. There isn't a track I dislike, and the whole album is full of interest. Stand out tracks have to be Trembling Hands and London's Burning, which has an edgy, punk feel. If you like their previous tracks, Fader and Sweet Disposition, you are sure to like this album.