The Temperance Movement

The Temperance Movement have made their rep as a dynamic live act and powerful Rock/Blues outfit.
This album shows that they also have a good handle on melody and a great pop sense to go with their power.

‘Built In Forgetter’ for example shows their ability to put a great hook in a song alongside a dynamite solo from guitarist Paul Sayer while ‘Love And Devotion’ delivers the hard edge and heavy beat they are famous for.

The album’s title track is a lovely acoustic ballad, the slightly countrified tone working perfectly for Phil Campbell’s vocals. The manner in which the song builds to a soft peak and down again is classic and in lesser hands might seem contrived but here is emotionally deep and involving.

‘Beast Nation’ feels a little out of place with its reggaefied keyboards and strangulated vocal but the chorus brings it back into the ‘normal’ world.

Phil Campbell’s vocals on ‘The Way It Was and The Way It Is Now’ show the other completely different side of him – he bellows out the vocal here as rough as a cement floor and it is remarkable to think that this is the same singer as on ‘A Deeper Cut.

The band seem to have gone back to their strengths with this album.
It swaggers and struts with confidence and the slightly ramshackle elements of their last set have been reined in – the result is a band very much in touch with their core.

Not a ground breaker but a terrific album and well up on much of their competition.