Temples
Sun Structures
Kindred spirits to killer Aussies Tame Impala, young English band Temples know how to kickstart a psychedelic prog rock renaissance, Britannia style. Sure they wear their influences on their guitar strings, but they pastiche with panache, and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… or so it’s said. On Sun Structures’ opening track, “Shelter Song,” the band borrows liberally from the Beatles’ “Ticket To Ride” in the riff department, yet still manages to kick off the disc distinctively. The title track rocks hard, bringing to mind both Led Zep and Yes, like some eldritch love-spawn of Jimmy Page and Jon Anderson. In other homages, “The Guesser” owes a melodic debt to Leiber and Stoller’s “Love Potion No. 9” by way of the Searchers. “Test of Time” breaks free and takes flight like the best freak-beat songs of the late ‘60s; then it’s King Crimson-meets-“Kashmir” on the hypnagogic “Sand Dance.” Temples definitely have good taste in classic rock riff-offs, and singer-guitarist James Bagshaw knows what he’s doing, but is Temples Britain’s best new band? Maybe. But they could use more cowbell.