(Wing Sing Records)

Menacing passion channelled through riveting rock

On their debut self-titled album, The Peep Tempel sound remarkably self-assured. The trio play rousing, hypnotically overwrought punkish garage-rock. Pounding drums maintain the momentum, while guitars jangle frenetically with riffs both coarse and precise, and raw vocals growl and howl with grim vigour. There’s a consistent emotional sincerity present that takes the music from satisfying to captivating and while a blistering energy crackles relentlessly for the record’s entirety, each track is distinctive. On Do What You Want the title is sung as a mantra, but the blunt honesty means that instead of being hedonistic it becomes inspirational. The catchy Thank You Machiavelli has the clipped ferocity of Talking Heads (with extra ferociousness), while radio chatter buzzes under the frenzied instrumental, Traffic, bookended with horse racing commentary. The Peep Tempel have produced a record that seizes your ears, demanding that you listen. This is a good thing.

DAN DIXON

Be first to comment on this article

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*