The Temperance Movement deliver another showstopper

The Temperance Movement – A Deeper Cut (Earache Records)

Genre – Blues Rock

A Deeper Cut marks album number three for The Temperance Movement, and like their self-titled debut album and White Bear, its pure gold from start to finish.

Since their breakthrough in 2013, the Scottish five piece have consistently pushed themselves stylistically, with each album acting as a musical progression from the last. Their raw, rugged debut injected new life into blues rock, thrilling fans all over the country, while White Bear came with polished production and more variation in pace; A Deeper Cut continues in this vein, with a polished, acclaimed approach that seamlessly fluctuates in pace and venom.

Like their first two full length releases, A Deeper Cut takes a few listens to really absorb, but once you get it, there’s no turning back. From the album’s opener Caught In The Middle to the slow paced, melodic closing track The Wonders We’ve Seen, The Temperance Movement cement themselves as one of the finest rock and roll bands around, proving their more than a match for their label mates, Rival Sons.

Tracks like Love and Devotion and Backwater Zoo see Phil Campbell deliver some of his most infectiously raspy vocal performances, offering a commanding presence at the mic, in front of a foursome that are more than capable of blowing the roof off any venue.

Along with fantastic vocal performances, these tracks bring some incredible lyrics like ‘baby, I would give you all the tea in China’, along with intertwining a funky element to their beautiful bluesy sound. It’s this added layer that takes you by surprise at first listen, but like everything The Temperance Movement do, it’s impossible not to love.

While Campbell’s vocals may have earned more focus in this release, special mention must go to Paul Sayer and Matt White, who deliver a steady stream of delectable licks throughout, showing their seamless ability to seemly switch between various genres at ease. This particularly stands out in Another Spiral, a country rock style number steeped in Stones’ influence that fits logically into a line-up of rip roaring hard rock.

The wealth of variation on show within A Deeper Cut only goes to show the incredible talent of the Glaswegians, and it’s quite possible that we are only scratching at the surface of their immense talent. With each passing album, the band continues to grow musically, drawing influence from some of the greats, and putting their own unique spin on it. There is no band out there like The Temperance Movement, and this album marks another triumphant release.

RUSHONROCK RATED – Impeccable 10/10

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