The Temper Trap recently released the follow-up to their breakout debut album Conditions. The band’s self-titled sophomore release is an ambitious record that is remarkably catchy and emotionally stirring, with moments of post-punk grit and lush-filled soundscapes.
It’s all over the place in a very good way; the kind of record a band makes that wants to stand out in a crowd. Lead guitarist Lorenzo Sillitto recently took time to chat with me before his show at the legendary Fillmore here in San Francisco.
Do you have a favorite touring moment past or present?
Yeah, there are a few. The first time we went to Japan was really incredible. I’ve never been there; most of us had never been there. We were treated amazing well.
Anything that just resonates with you around certain artists you performed with on stage?
We played a festival in Australia when the first record was beginning to take off. Mumford & Sons came on and played with us in front of 20,000 plus people; that was pretty cool. We did some shows with the Pixies in Mexico, and that was pretty crazy. We are all massive fans of the band, and it was very cool to be invited by the band to do those shows.
What’s most of the unusual place that you’ve heard your music?
I’ve heard it in the bank, but that was just because it was getting played on the radio. I was in line with my dad in Australia, and the song came on, and he was telling everybody in the bank that it was my song. I was like, oh my god, this is so embarrassing.
Ever have a Spinal Tap moment on tour?
Every day. Every single day is a Spinal Tap moment.
Favorite song played live?
At the moment it’s “Happiness, This Isn’t Happiness” from the new record and “Drum Song.”
“Trembling Hands,” just a mesmerizing song. Is there story behind that? How did it go over the first time you played it for anyone outside of the band?
I think everyone knew that it was a strong song when it was in demo form. It did change a little bit structurally in the recording process, but it was pretty much instant that everybody was like, “that’s definitely the first single.” Dougy actually ad-libbed the intro in the studio; the ooh ooh ooh wasn’t originally there.
In the epic battle of The Clash versus The Sex Pistols, which do you prefer?
The Clash, every day. I never really listened to The Sex Pistols.
How about U2 versus INXS?
INXS, only because they are Australian.
You guys just played a couple of rounds on the late night circuit. What’s the experience playing the late night circuit?
Letterman took very good care of us. Bill Maher was the guest, so we got to meet him, which was really cool.
Did Dave come by and say hello?
He didn’t come in the green room; he doesn’t do that. But he sent ice. He did talk to us for a while after we played.
And were you guys set up to play two songs, or is it three?
Actually we played one. We had to do an edited version of “Trembling Hands” because it’s four minutes and twenty seconds or something, and we also had to get it down to like three minutes. Then they asked us to play a full show afterwards. They cleared out the studio, and then a whole new audience came. They only do about ten of those a year so that was really special.
What about when you played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, did he come by and say hello?
Yeah, he is just like that. Fallon is the best and probably the coolest. He comes and hangs out in the dressing room for five, ten minutes, and he is just a really cool guy.
What’s your opinion on the album format in general; do you think it’s dead? You guys released “Need Your Love” as a special vinyl piece, and the new album is available on deluxe vinyl as well.
I think the vinyl format is going to be around forever; the fact is that it’s more tactile and a classic format. There’s something about it that I think is for real music lovers. The fact is that there are still people out there who enjoy putting on something and listening to it from start to finish. So I think vinyl is going to be around forever.
Is the band hands-on with the vinyl pieces for the new record?
We were. Toby and I we’re pretty vigorous with the way it was laid out and everything. We had a vinyl pressing for the last record as well. Both of us collect vinyl and it’s something that we really cherish. I saw Beach House have two different pieces of vinyl. One of them is a box with all this separate artwork and really cool stuff. For the new record, we created a triple gate fold, colored vinyl with a pull-out booklet featuring the artwork and everything, and it looks really, really beautiful.
Do you collect vinyl yourself—any prized pieces?
I have a couple of early pressings of mono Beatles recordings and I have a lot of early jazz records as well. That’s kind of my theme, I like trying to get the first or second pressings of certain jazz records. I have the ones that I play normally and then the ones I pull out on special occasions.
Why did the band decide to self-title the new record.
We couldn’t agree on a name.
For a band in your position is there still the fear of the sophmore slump, or is that a major label thing like from years past?
There is. I think the pressure comes when you have success, and because of the success there becomes an expectation based on the success of the first record. If you don’t meet those, it’s a failure. That’s just the way it is. I guess the music industry isn’t an artistic industry, it’s a business. A lot of the record labels are owned and run by conglomerates that are only looking at the bottom line. There are lots of awesome labels out there and great bands, but that’s essentially the way the music industry works. For us, I think of the classic saying, “you have your entire life to write your first record, you have six months to write the follow up.” This record is a good snapshot of where we were at that particular time.
Whether or not it will have the success of the first record, I think it’s definitely a good step for us in terms of like trying to find where we’re going. We want to keep pushing ourselves and to try different things, and I think we managed to do that on this record.
Check out The Temper Trap on tour now and pick up their latest self-titled record. This one is going to be on a lot of Top 10 lists by year’s end.
