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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not all like "Promises, Promises" but damn good anyway !!, 11 Oct 2003
I was perhaps taken aback by the feel of this album on first listening - having worn out my speakers on "See This Through and Leave" (their debut) I was expecting a similar follow up effort, particularly because their new single "Promises, Promises" (as seen on MTV2 etc.) taken from the album is, to all intents and purposes, in the same vein.Be aware, this is by no means the case! The slightly experimental leanings hinted at by the electronica and synth work in the first album have been elaborated on and play a much more integral role second time around, though guitars, bass and drums still dominate (as they should do in a rock band!). Those of you who may be looking for a stripped back-to-basics garage rock band (ala The White Stripes and Datsuns) will not find such an ethos here. The Cooper Temple Clause, in much the same way as The Music (but darker and not as upbeat), take account of the last ten years of musical progression and incorporate dance-like beats and all manners of knob-twiddling into their music. The emotions expressed through the tracks seem to have changed as well, the riotous anger of "Panzer Attack" being mostly (but not entirely) replaced by some more reflective and sentimental tracks. I would not say the album is an easy listen (though not as obscure as The Mars Volta), particularly in the second half where I found there was a tendency for tracks to drift from one to the next - not a problem in itself but it means that "Kick Up The Fire, And Let The Flames Break Loose" is less a collection of self-contained, easily identifiable numbers, and more an experience that needs to be listened to as a whole. The final track, "Written Apologies", clocks in at roughly 10 minutes, and is truly a stunning piece of work. The gradual changes, looping sections, and returns to earlier parts give the instrumental an epic quality and really exemplify how the band have progressed. The new direction has, however, provided some fantastic melodies that, while not instantly engaging (to me at any rate) really grow on you with subsequent listens and become infectious. "The Same Mistakes" (album opener) and "Talking To A Brick Wall" (one of the three tracks penned by Tom Bellamy rather than Dan Fisher) particularly caught me, in addition to the instantly hooky "Promises, Promises". Ben Gautrey's voice seems overall to have lost some of its raw power (probably because the songs do not require it) leading to a more mellow feeling album. Hopefully after this effort, the band should get the widespread recognition that they thoroughly deserve, in addition to their existing cult following. The live experience certainly lives up to the high expectations left by their albums (Reading 2003) and "Kick Up The Fire And Let The Flames Break Loose" is a fantastic follow-up effort. Recommended to existing fans as well as anyone who wants to listen to a forward thinking, innovative rock band.
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~ Cooper Temple Clause
~ The Cooper Temple Clause
~ The Music
~ Vampire Weekend
~ Elbow
![Kick Up The Fire and Let The Flames Break Loose [CD + DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/314FAZ1385L._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
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