The Temperance Movement/White Bear(2016)

Well a few weeks ago when I reviewed Monster Trucks super duper awesome Sittin Heavy album I mentioned that I could count on one hand how many new bands that I like. Well now we can add The Temperance Movement to that list.

When I first heard that Monster Truck were coming to Tbay fellow blogger ‘Bop’ fully endorsed these guys he said not to miss Temperance so when showtime rolled around back on March 5 of this year I was wondering what kind of band myself and my best friend Tbone would see.

The first thing I did when I headed into the University Pub (where the show was being held at )was head to the merchandise table to grab a Monster Truck T Shirt! While browsing I noticed their was Temperance Movement Cds for sale. Their self titled debut and White Bear. First thing I did was grab two copies of White Bear(one was for Tbone) as they were $10 each! Score! Impressive was the fact that I bought before I listened.  The Temperance Fella’s did not disappoint Live so it was money well spent! Me and Tbone were blown away by the performance these guys put on. They rocked n rolled in an old school kinda garagey Rock way!

Now it’s time to listen to the audio side of things here……

Phil Campbell(vocals) Paul Sayer(guitar) Nick Fyffe(bass) Damon Johnson(drums) and Luke Potashnick (guitar)

If we’re keeping score here. Luke Potashnick quit shortly after the recording and was replaced by Matt Whyte.

Three Bulliets so this being the opening track on the album it was also the opening song at there show here in Tbay! When the boys hit the opening few bars of Three Bulliets I turned around and said to Tbone “Holy Shit its Good Times Bad Times by Zep!” When I played the Cd the next day Nope it’s not the Zep Classic as the start is in a different key. Fooled! Once the first few bars are launched the boys go into Garage like rock 101! It’s a different sound, not overproduced and Phil Campbell sounding like a mix of Chris Robinson(Black Crowes) and Rod Stewart(70s Stewart not 80s commercial tinged Stewart). This tune is a great leadoff track with Damon on the drums propelling the ship. The prechorus is real good,total ear candy and it ramps right up!

From there we’re Into Track 2 which is  Get Yourself  Free This song is a blend of some real off time like chord changes added with some real cool slide guitar by Luke and Paul and as Phil hollers “Got To Get Yourself Free!” By golly some one just slammed a real cool power chord in there as well! Think later day Black Crowes! I don’t want to always compare  these guys to them but it’s just to give you the reader a bit of what I’m going on about!

A Pleasant Piece I Feel is a moody like piece that builds into a full-out rock attack complete with Phil singing a real good vocal with big epic like sounding chorus with Damon like all good rock drummers do and that’s driving the song forward.

One of my favs from this album is Modern Massacre and this song just ripped live and it does as well in the studio as Damon playing that kick pedal and Phil singing like his throat is gonna blow! The chorus ramps up and the song drives towards the end with some real slick guitar leads and Phil and the boys take it out on whatever and smash …done! Crank The Video…

Battle Lines are drawn and this was another song that was played here in Tbay and  you want to talk about a cool groove. The verses are the band keeping themselves in check until the chorus where they tear it up and who knew Phil was a “Gangster” I dunno about you s but i didn’t. Nice play out at the end with some neat little bass runs done by Nick.

White Bear is a real chill track with some neat guitar picking and at the chorus Damon and Nick lock horns and man wait till you get to the solo tons of fuzzed out feedback guitar like rock and back into some real nice slide work and a fantastic vocal by Phil and back to some real chill like drumming that takes the tune out!

When these boys were cruising Canada they ended up playing Oh Lorraine on our cross-country news program Canada Am at 9am! Good to see some rock waking up people! Oh Lorraine features some real cool guitaring  and some nifty bass work as well. Poor yourself a coffee  and listen to Oh Lorraine and you’ll know what I’m talking about!

Maginfy has a ton of real cool rock trappings in it! Nice driving shuffle by the drums and some real tasty guitar picking by Paul and Luke. Catchy chorus with a Stones like vibe wobbling about!

What a title here The Sun And The Moon Roll Around Too Soon. You know my deal when I get blown away by the end of the album tracks. This is one of them. Nice interplay between guitar and lead vocal and it has that deep delta like swamp rock and then BAM into the chorus back to the chill like beginning and BAM Part Deux of super cool build up into the pre chorus into the chorus with some trippy lead guitar work and Phil lays down the money shot vocal! I Say F’in A! Crank the Video Posted…do it! Please in a nice Canadian Way!

I Hope I’m Not Losing My Mind ends the album on a somber like song. Slow like melancholy with some nice music behind Phils pain as  it sounds like a bit of a choir behind him trying to keep him from losing his mind.

What a great rock album! The Temperance guys tell you all that its ok that they can find other ways to rock and make it work! Great band catch em and buy their music!