The Cooper Temple Clause

The Cooper Temple Clause delivers a typical rock electronica in typical pretentious Brit rocker style. Valeria Valiente reviews 2003 album Kick Up The Fire, And Let The Flames Break Loose as well as two performances in Seattle, Washington.

Kick up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose

Label: RCA/BMG/ Morning Records

I am assuming that only the Brits reading this article know who is The Cooper Temple Clause. Me, I happened to chance upon this British band in a record store listening station, and after the first listen, I bought the well-priced gem of exceptional music. How can you pass up a full length CD, a 3 song EP, and an additional enhanced CD with live audio, a video and a video game entitled Snuff Movie, for a mere $7.99? Kick up the Fire and Let the Flames Break Loose is TCTCs 2nd album on Morning Records and RCA, yet is the first one to be released in the US.

The 2001 debut release, See This Through and Leave did well in Jolly Old England, but there is nothing jolly or old about these pouty, pretentious, and pompous lads from Reading. Their sound, look, feel, and image is all scowling pain, histrionic musical posturing, and overwrought emotional release. Yeah, these boys are just following in the footsteps of other pretentious Brit-rockers. Typical.

Yet, The Cooper Temple Clause is not to be dismissed as copycats, whiners, or mere poseurs. The musical talent of these five arrogant lads is a mixture of rebellion, pent-up anger, loving advice, reflective lyrics, and mastery of a variety of musical instruments and electronic effects. Their songs are sad and and emotive, loud and powerful, and you can act like a total asshole having a hissy fit and let all the shit loose while listening to them. The songs are well-executed, creative noise rock that dabbles in hard and alternative genres of rock, electronica, and a unique unidentifiable sound all of their own. TCTC is often compared to Radiohead and Oasis, but this is it own thing, a big bawling baby throwing a tantrum and you cant help but love all its naughtiness.
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The band played their final shows of their short American tour in Seattle, March 28, 2004. Surprisingly, the Sunday in-store performance at Easy Streets Records and the show at Crocodile Caf were not heavily attended. Not many Americans have heard of their tremendous sound. They played with tour mates Calla and Run Run Run in Los Angeles at the Troubador, but even that show did not sell out. They looked extremely weary and a bit hung over. Bassist Didz Hammond celebrated his birthday with a fizzle of a finale. Singer Ben Gautrey mused about being in a state of shock to be playing in the very town that many of his rock idols call their stomping grounds.

The shows were outstanding. These boys know how to play their instruments well. Guitarists Dan Fisher, Tom Bellamy and Didz exchanged guitars, bass guitars and effects programming as well as screaming vocals along with Ben. Keyboardist Kieran Mahon and drummer Jon Harper skillfully filled out the sound. They flailed around the stage, or stared at the ceilings like blitzed cows, maybe dreaming about being back at the band farm. It is surprising to read that they live in the English countryside at an old pig farm, dressed like fashionistas with pompous hairstyles and still wearing their coveted all-access wristbands from the Troubadour show, five nights earlier in the week. I learned the songs on the Kick Up the Fire CD quickly and enjoyed hearing them sound more powerful and full live, but it was the songs from See Through This and Leave that had the rest of the crowd braying along.

The bandmates did not follow through with our interview but I wasnt terribly disappointed. I am a new fan of their music because the lyrics and musicianship impresses me. I can do without the conceited egotism and cold attitudes. It is all about the music and I would rather not be let down or turned off to The Cooper Temple Clause because they act like jerks or cant answer questions without unintelligent sarcasm. I look forward to another tour to the US in the future and you all should search out either album if you are a fan of rock and electronica hybrids.

More info on The Cooper Temple Clause can be found at www.coopertempleclause.co.uk and some great reviews of the American tour shows at www.roomian.com .

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