Psychlub 7: "Sun Structures" - Temples
 

Temples - Sun Structures [Full Album] - YouTube

It's technically sidewinder's turn, and Moss's after him, but as neither of them seem to be around and I don't want this to lose further momentum, I've taken the liberty of advancing my pick.

On my phone now, but will edit in the questions later.

I already had my review typed into the last template, so here it is...

What were your impressions of this album after the first five minutes?

Pleasant but not particularly exciting.

Did those first impressions change as you listened to the album?

No.

Were the opening 2-3 tracks or the closing 2-3 tracks stronger?

I thought the songs sounded so similar that I didn't have a preference either way.

Did you find you enjoyed this album more or less on repeated listens?

Neither.

What was your favourite track?

Number 8, "A Question Isn't Answered." It sounded a bit more interesting than the other songs.

What was your least favourite track?

No track really stood out as being particularly bad.

What did you think of the variety of tracks presented?

Not much variety, really.

How would you describe the overall mood?

Rather pleasant but bland.

Would you listen to it again for purposes other than this club?

Possibly, but not very likely.

How well do you know this band/artist?

Never heard them before.

If you're familiar with this band/artist, how does this album compare to their other work?

N/A

How would you improve this album?

Get the band to re-record the songs with a heavier, darker sound. It might make the songs more interesting and memorable if they had an edge to them.

Would you recommend this album to a friend?

Probably not.

Will you be exploring this band/artists' other material?

Probably not.

What did you think of the vocals?

Average.

What did you think of the instrumentation?

Average.

What did you think of the production?

Average.

Any other thoughts to share?

None of the songs were interesting enough to be memorable. In one ear and out the other.

Rate the album out of ten. No decimals!

6/10

First off, apologies for the late review. Christmas hasn't given me much time to gve this a proper re-listen.

What were your first impressions of the album?
As soon as the opening riff kicked in, I thought Byrds.

Did those first impressions change as you listened?
Yes, by the end of the record, I no longer thought Byrds. More like Cleaners From Venus.

Did you prefer the opening 2-3 tracks or the closing 2-3 tracks?
Seeing as "Shelter Song" is probably my favourite song of 2014, the openers.

Did you enjoy the album more or less upon repeated listens?
More. I wasn't crazy about the extremely lo-fi sound at first, but it grew on me.

Favourite track?
"Shelter Song"

Least favourite track?
As Psy-Fi has already stated, there really isn't a standout bad track.

What did you think of the variety of tracks presented?
There really wasn't a lot, but it didn't bother me.

How would you describe the album's overall mood?
Very low-fi and upbeat.

Will you listen to this album again for purposes other than this club?
Definitely, it's one of my favourite records of the year.

How well do you know this band/artist?
This is their first album.

If you're familiar with them, compare this album to their other work.
N/A

How would you improve this album?
Throw in some variety and give it a more lush feeling.

Would you recommend this album to a friend?
Yes.

Will you be checking out this band/artist's other albums?
When they're released, yes.

What sub-genre would you classify this album as?
Retro lo-fi psychedelic pop, maybe?

What did you think of the vocalist?
Nothing special, but he did the job.

What did you think of the instrumentation?
Typical for the genre.

What did you think of the production?
Practically nonexistent.

Rate the album out of 10. No decimal places!
8/10

Any other thoughts?
Sun Structures keeps drawing me back. It's nothing original or extraordinary, but it has an intangible vibe about it that makes me appreciate the album more than the sum of its parts, if that makes sense. One of my top ten albums of the year.

BTW, I'm going to give this an extra week because of Christmas -- a lot of our regulars are absent or posting less.

Sorry about that. Been job interviewing and generally busy as hell. still interested and I love this Temples album.

My answers would be exactly the same as Psy-Fi's, although that puts my rating at a 4/10 and my favorite song was also "Shelter Song" if I have to pick. This was a horribly boring album for me, sorry Pet_Sounds.

Okay, I'm taking part this time. Got the album, listening now.

Good to have you aboard. :)

What were your impressions of this album after the first five minutes?

Classic psychedelic sound although modern. Really got me interested right off the bat.

Did those first impressions change as you listened to the album?

No.

Were the opening 2-3 tracks or the closing 2-3 tracks stronger?

Hate to say it buy I had it on shuffle while laying in bed so have no idea what order the songs were.

Did you find you enjoyed this album more or less on repeated listens?

More

What was your favourite track?

Not sure, did not pay attention to what tracks were what.

What was your least favourite track?

N/A

What did you think of the variety of tracks presented?

Not a ton of variety but enough to keep me intested

How would you describe the overall mood?

High energy, good music. Made me happy.

Would you listen to it again for purposes other than this club?

Yes

How well do you know this band/artist?

Had heard a few tracks and meant to check out more but never did.

If you're familiar with this band/artist, how does this album compare to their other work?

N/A

How would you improve this album?

More guitar. Production did not seem great but that could have been my rip.

Would you recommend this album to a friend?

Absolutely

Will you be exploring this band/artists' other material?

Yes, look forward to future releases.

What did you think of the vocals?

Above average

What did you think of the instrumentation?

Average.

What did you think of the production?

Need to hear a better copy, mine seemed a bit muddy.

Any other thoughts to share?

Really liked it even though there was not a ton of variety on there as far as tempos and things.

Rate the album out of ten. No decimals!

7/10

What were your first impressions of the album?
I was enjoying it at first, the drums were a lot of fun.

Did those first impressions change as you listened?
Not really.

Did you prefer the opening 2-3 tracks or the closing 2-3 tracks?
I liked the opening 3. I felt like the album had sort of used up all it's tricks by the end.

Did you enjoy the album more or less upon repeated listens?
A lot of the songs sound similar, but on repeated listens I started to differentiate them in my mind. So more.

Favourite track?
Shelter song is an excellent track and a great way to kick the whole thing off.

Least favourite track?
There are a few tracks that could've been cut, not because they're bad but because they don't really add anything to the album.


What did you think of the variety of tracks presented?
Variety was definitely the weak point. I think that all of the tracks here are pretty good when you get them on their own, but they're too similar to each other.

How would you describe the album's overall mood?
Pretty up beat.

Will you listen to this album again for purposes other than this club?
I might listen to a few songs, but I don't think not really works all that well as an album.

How well do you know this band/artist?
First time listener. I also think this is their debut.

If you're familiar with them, compare this album to their other work.
N/A

How would you improve this album?
Cut two or three tracks and replace them with something a little more outside the box.

Would you recommend this album to a friend?
I might send an individual song to someone who is a fan of the genre.

Will you be checking out this bnd/artist's other albums?
Probably not, but it's their debut, right?

What sub-genre would you classify this album as?
I don't know, still new to psych.

What did you think of the vocalist?
He did a good job, but nothing really extraordinary.

What did you think of the instrumentation?
The drums sounded nice, but again, noting really extraordinary.

What did you think of the production?
I didn't mind the lo-fi-ness of the whole thing. It worked pretty well.

Rate the album out of 10. No decimal places!
5/10
Any other thoughts?

What were your first impressions of the album?
They sound a lot like Tame Impala.

Did those first impressions change as you listened?
My first impressions were based on my first listen, so, no.

Did you prefer the opening 2-3 tracks or the closing 2-3 tracks?
The last time I played the album, I feel that it got stronger toward the end.

Did you enjoy the album more or less upon repeated listens?
It's tough to say, I first listened to it back in January 2014. I've only listened to it a couple of times though, so it could grow on me some more with repeat listens.

Favourite track?
I haven't paid attention to track names.

Least favourite track?
I haven't paid attention to track names.

What did you think of the variety of tracks presented?
The sound was pretty consistent throughout.

How would you describe the album's overall mood?
Mildly psychedelic, positive, slightly playful.

Will you listen to this album again for purposes other than this club?
Yes, I will eventually listen to it again. But after 3 listens in the past year, it hasn't really grabbed me that much - mainly because of the Tame Impala similarities.

How well do you know this band/artist?
This is their debut album and I learned of it before the official release date. I know they're from England. That's about it.

If you're familiar with them, compare this album to their other work.
N/A

How would you improve this album?
A bit more variety in the tracks, a more unique sound.

Would you recommend this album to a friend?
Sure, if they asked me for recommendations in the genre.

Will you be checking out this band/artist's other albums?
Sure, I would listen to a follow-up.

What sub-genre would you classify this album as?
Neo-psychedelic.

What did you think of the vocalist?
Not bad but he sounds too much like the guy from Tame Impala.

What did you think of the instrumentation?
Well played but again, there are too many similarities with Tame Impala's sound.

What did you think of the production?
Clean and not over-produced. Ideal to my ears.

Rate the album out of 10. No decimal places!
7

Any other thoughts?
As I've mentioned throughout my answers, the biggest reason I don't like this album more than I do is their similarity to Tame Impala. I enjoy Tame Impala, but without any members in common I would prefer this band have their own sound.