British blues-rock band The Temperance Movement have been busy building themselves up to something pretty damn good. The band aren’t afraid to go heavy, but they also slow things down on the title track of their third album, Deeper Cut, highlighting lead singer Phil Campbell’s ability to sound great whether he is backed up by heavier rock or softer six strings.
Unfortunately, the lyrics in “Backwater Zoo” are cliche and immediately made me think of Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey.” It’s not all bad as far as lyrics go, though: “Another Spiral,” for example, is far from cliche. This band has a story to tell and a message to send; most of the time they do this well.
The band’s songs are diverse, courageous, well-rounded, fierce, and original. And they can play their instruments, too: they play a perfect mix of sounds for this kind of rock.
The highlight of the album is “The Way It Was and the Way It Is Now”, which sets the bar for rock today. Listen to this album carefully and you’ll see The Temperance Movement has a tiger by the tail.