The name THE TEMPER TRAP has become almost synonymous with their 2009 track release, Sweet Disposition. They’re by no means a one-hit-wonder, but that song, along with a handful of others off that album, is widely the only thing that rings a bell for a lot of people. This wouldn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering the success of these tracks. But since the band aims to make valued albums rather than bitesized, consumable pop singles, that could be seen as a bit of an issue. A new one, Thick As Thieves, will be released on June the 10th.
NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION sat down with Dougy and Toby, vocalist and drummer of THE TEMPER TRAP, and got their opinion on what it takes to make a successful album these days. And not just an album that fits together or that pushes musical boundaries but rather one that actually gets into the hands of their fans.
The band had previously said that they want their music to be taken as a whole; their albums played from start to finish and their collections to come together as a cohesive repertoire. But as of now, it seems that their spanning popularity comes from their handful of catchy tracks rather than their full package albums.
‘I think younger generations are much more used to just picking things out whereas for maybe of us that are older, it was a thing where you’d buy an album, you’d put it on, and you’d listen to side one and listen to side two’
‘Play by the game’s rules, for the greater good’
Rather than discrediting the poppy tracks that fans pick up easily, THE TEMPER TRAP tries to use them to their advantage. They hope that one catchy song is the bait needed to draw people to the rest of Thick As Thieves. That’s why they chose to put out the uptempo track Fall Together as the first teaser from their latest release. This aim to grab people with a poppy track isn’t just for the fans, but is steeped into the business side of the music industry.
‘The thing is, at the end of the day, the industry works a certain way. We didn’t create the system. Apparently you need these songs that they say breaks down the doors. We like to write records. It’s a cohesive body of work. But you know once that’s done and the labels are trying to plan out the marketing of it, they’re gonna pick out the one that they think is going to have the best chance of breaking down that door. Because otherwise not a lot of people will hear it; the radio just won’t play it…sometimes you have to play by the game’s rules, for the greater good.’
THE TEMPER TRAP have been together for over ten years now, having released their first EP back in 2006. Their lead guitarist, Lorenzo Sillitto, broke from the band back in 2013, shortly after the release of their self-titled album, while their base player Jonny Aherne moved away from the London based group to Brooklyn. Though they admit it changed the band’s dynamic a bit, it may have been the shake up they needed to push their creative borders and stave off contentment.
‘Even though one has left and one has moved away, I guess in our hearts we’re closer.’
Hope and Passion are strongholds of their careers and drivers for perseverance. Toby even has a tattoo that reads ‘Hope is when we feel the pain that makes us try again’. Dougy defines passion with:
‘Passion to me is what makes you feel alive; the one activity that makes you feel most alive and fulfilled’
Thick As Thieves will please the fans of the Australian four-piece very much. It falls into line with their past albums- mostly feel good vibes and uptempo tracks, ideal for the start of festival season. Check out THE TEMPER TRAP’s tour schedule to see if they’re bringing their music to a stage near you.
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