Melbourne four piece The Temper Trap present yet another hyped debut for the summer of 2009. With a lead single as ultra catchy as 'Sweet Disposition' giving quiet nods to the 80s with its U2 style guitar, it's not hard to see why. 'Conditions' is packed full of savage percussion, elegant synths and shiny guitar sounds, giving it a certain amount of crossover potential, as it takes in quirky indie tunes and massive rock anthems.
Known for their epic climaxes, The Temper Trap veer dangerously close to creating a rock cliché, but for the most part, they manage to pull it off. It can become a little exasperating though, since the formula applies to each and every song.
What really keeps 'Conditions' from being a great record, though, is a regrettable loss of momentum in the middle. The soft folk style guitar of 'Soldier On' is sweet, though slow to progress, while the Bee Gee style vocals of 'Fools' come across somewhat trite.
Thankfully, 'Resurrection' lives up to its title by reviving this album with its slow building bass intro and distortion heavy finale, before the exotic rhythms and sharp electric guitar of 'Drum Song' make for one hell of an ending.
