JULIAN TEMPLE BAND: Quiet Earth
By John Paul Carroll
At times it feels as though one must cut a swathe through crops of singer/songwriters to get to the real treasures of the genre in this country, so prolific are our ranks of musicians who favour the blend of verse and strum. That said, when you do come across the odd gem it makes it all the more special, and though Julian Temple has elaborated on the concept some (i.e. the incorporation of two other members, effectively constituting a band), the essence of singer/songwriterism is still hefty in presence throughout this album. One can instantly detect a very international flavour to the music, and you mightn’t be surprised that Julian Temple hails from San Francisco, and there is no denying the American influence that makes this stick out like a sore thumb in the genre. Add to that a heaping helping of roots/Pacifika feel, blues, contemporary folk and funk, and what you get is... well... anything but a singer/songwriter if you didn’t know any better. But you do, and it’s there, underneath all of the genre twisting and pulling in what is really a fairly sparse arrangement. At times, elements of the musical delivery seem forced, but that’s small change by contrast to the general ease you will experience when the Julian Temple Band slip into a groove and stay there. Reccomended acoustic/groove/chill out and then some, and indeed a wee gem, albeit with a bit of a spit shine.
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