See This Through and Leave

In a quarter full of interesting and generally well-recieved debuts (read E.S.P, Vex Red, Haven) TCTC are perhaps the angriest.

Like the Hives did on TOTP with 'i hate..', The Clause astounded and confounded equally with the rendition of 'Film-maker', and what a class performance of an amazing track. The album ebbs and flows with intense melody and eclectic density, threatening to twist and turn inside and out. Like a cute puppy that looks as if it might take you hand off at any second.

'Did you miss me?' really is a bitter song full of angst and hatred, the almost spoken undertones tell of a previous relationship not yet come to full terms.

'Film-maker' rattles and shakes in all the right places, 'Panzer attack' is aggression on stick, hinting at the live energy caught on the bonus disc.

'Murder song' if you can believe it is the result of an early demo, replete with lyrics Gautrey claims 'were left over from when I was about 16!', none the less when the chorus explodes and the line 'please believe me when I say...' and is a suitable album closer at once familiar and yet not sounding like anything else on the record.

It is not the easiest of listening experiences and my only critiscm is at times it really (at least vocally) can sound like Oasis, albiet a more inventive representation.

While the likes of The Coral and The Music are in production limbo and 'AYWKUBTTOTD' ride high, another yardstick has been set in this positive time for British music that it's not all about corporate lineage of family loyalties. Top Tunes are Top Tunes and Top Bands are Top Bands. The Temple have and are both.

Album starts with live set opener Did You Miss Me. Bassy, mean, fuelled by something I suspect to be twisted, this one is magical before just breaking into dirty shrapnel shouty screaming mentalist. Its superb. Jumps straight into Film Maker which picks up the baton in fine style, maintaining the pace & possibly even cheating. Panzer Attack is unrelenting evil genius, a perfect warm up for Who Needs Enemies' bluesy paranoia. Live favourite Amber represents the change in direction for the record, like a dip of the shoulder and is quite fantastic. Digital Observations throws a white sheet out over the album, cutting two eye holes and scaring pants off small children and old people. Not a bad thing, distinctly slower paced, yet epic in a muted sense. Lets Kill Music would grab you by the balls if they played it as fast as they tend to live, but this always sounds a little down beat on record to me. Tom's Aphex Twin-ish 555 number grows, but your eyebrow may well raise at its inclusion over, well, everything they left out. Been Training Dogs is bouncy in a most violent fashion, and The Lake (first song they wrote together) would be an ideal album closer if it werent for: Murder Song. Very very good indeed. Brooding, dark, emotionally stained, just absolutely superb. And as the album closes at such frigtheningly high altitude you'll wonder whether you just listened to two seperate LPs or just the one. Almost like it has two seperate personalities, but in a good way, not a Me Myself & Irene way. Phew!

The bonus disk makes it all the better, with Devil Walks & Way Out West being arguably two of their best songs, and I'll Still Write a really high quality B-Side. Seeing as the Coopers always sound better live, the inclusion of a few live tracks can only be seen as a very very cool McBonus.

So overall, this is a great album, combining the best of so many genres without ever sounding anything other than completely original. So far over-looked by the music press, this album will surely arrive in the style of a brick through the window. Strokes schmokes, you know you want this album.

Well, it's taken a six-piece from Reading called The Cooper Temple Clause to finally shatter the mere 'potential' and nail down one of the best British debuts in history with a large, bloodstained hammer. This album truly is a great record. Not only because it has the tunes and the experimentation and the downright ANGER that so so many bands are lacking in this day and age, but because it has come at absolutely the right time. From the frazzled, tired sounding opening bars of 'Did You Miss Me?' through the acid spitting rant of 'Panzer Attack' and 'Who Needs Enemies?', to the downright genius of the riff-o-rama of 'The Lake', this band really has defined the current rise of the British side of things.

While The New Oasis (The Music) beaver away in the studio on the album of the year (let's hope) and The Electric Soft Parade defy all expectations with their excellent 'Holes In The Wall' album, it's The CTC that really have set the standard with this astonishing album. Since it was bought I have not listenened to anything else and the sheer brilliance of some of the melodies and songs could take years to unfold.

Want good music? Think a Sex Pistols for the 21st century. Or an experimental Clash with keyboards (the less said about Sandinista the better)...actually just think of the best British debut since 'Definately Maybe'. Really, honestly, can you think of a better time for music in this country since those lovely Britpop summers? No, nor can I.