Conditions (album)

Conditions
Studio album by The Temper Trap
Released 19 June 2009
(see release history)
Recorded 2008—2009
Genre Indie rock, indie pop
Length 42:42
Label Liberation (AUS)
Infectious Records (UK)
Producer Jim Abbiss
The Temper Trap chronology

The Temper Trap EP
(2006)		 Conditions
(2009)		 The Temper Trap
(2012)
Singles from Conditions
  1. "Sweet Disposition"
    Released: 16 August 2008
  2. "Science of Fear"
    Released: 24 March 2009
  3. "Fader"
    Released: 4 July 2009
  4. "Love Lost"
    Released: 6 February 2010

Conditions is the debut studio album by Australian rock band The Temper Trap, released in Australia through Liberation Music on 19 June 2009. It was later released in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2009. The album debuted at number nine on the Australian Albums Chart,[1] where it has been certified platinum, and peaked at number 25 on the UK Albums Chart, largely due to the success of the debut single "Sweet Disposition", which peaked at number six on the singles chart.[2] The song "Science of Fear" was featured in the EA Sports video game FIFA 10 and the Codemasters racing game DiRT 2.

Background

After signing a worldwide record deal with Korda Marshall's newly re-launched Infectious Records (previously home to Muse, Ash and Garbage) and scoring a trailer and soundtrack appearance for the US film (500) Days of Summer, Melbourne band The Temper Trap got together with producer Jim Abbiss (Kasabian, Unkle, Arctic Monkeys, Adele) to work on their debut album in early 2009.[3]

Production

The album was completed in March 2009 in a final London Session with Abbiss, following a previous four week stint at Melbourne's Sing Sing Studios with renowned Australian engineer Kalju Tonuma.[3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (71/100)[4]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [5]
BBC (favourable)[6]
NME (8/10)[7]
OK! [8]
Pitchfork Media (4.6/10)[9]
Sputnikmusic [10]
The Sun-Herald (favourable)[11]
The Guardian [12]
The Times [13]

Generally, early Australian reviews for the album were positive. Brisbane's Rave magazine gave the album high praise; "Some bands can only dream of a debut as auspicious as this. The Temper Trap have it for real".[14]

In reference to Mandagi's voice, Michael Hann of The Guardian noted that; "with his voice, and a band this dynamic, he could get away with singing the racing cards",[12] The Times online wrote that "the lead singer of this Melbourne four-piece, soars across a debut album with a voice that switches without warning into a rasping, edgy tenor with thrilling dynamic impact",[13] whilst Keira Burgess of the BBC commented that; "Mandagi's falsetto vocal provides the axis around which the rest of the band revolves, displayed both in the often unintelligible 'Love Lost' through to the likes of sing-along synth pop 'Fader'".[6]

However, not all reviews were positive, with music critic site Pitchfork Media deciding that the group is "defined by almost any measure except musical creativity or lyrical ingenuity", as well as noting that "when you adopt the trappings of revolutionary significance without showing much interest in advancing beyond the revolutions of twenty years ago, you sound ridiculous".[9]

The album was nominated for the ARIA Album of the Year Award in 2009.[15]

Promotion and release

In Melbourne, coinciding with the launch of the album, the logo and title of the album were spray painted on pavements, including in Melbourne's central business district. Their debut album was released in Australia through Liberation Music on 19 June 2009. It was later released in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2009.

It was released in the United States on 13 October 2009, through Glassnote Records, a label which specializes in alternative rock music.[16]

Track listing

Conditions (original release)
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Love Lost"  Dougy Mandagi, Jonathon Aherne, Lorenzo Sillitto 3:33
2. "Rest"  Mandagi, Aherne, Sillitto 3:52
3. "Sweet Disposition"  Mandagi, Sillitto 3:54
4. "Down River"  Mandagi, Aherne 3:40
5. "Soldier On"  Mandagi, Aherne, Sillitto 5:55
6. "Fader"  Mandagi 3:12
7. "Fools"  Mandagi, Sillitto 4:33
8. "Resurrection"  Mandagi, Sillitto 5:31
9. "Science of Fear"  Mandagi 4:17
10. "Drum Song"  Mandagi 3:20

All songs written and composed by The Temper Trap. 

Conditions (international release)
No. Title Length
1. "Love Lost"   3:33
2. "Sweet Disposition"   3:52
3. "Fader"   3:03
4. "Rest"   3:40
5. "Down River"   3:45
6. "Soldier On"   5:55
7. "Fools"   4:33
8. "Resurrection"   5:31
9. "Science of Fear"   4:17
10. "Drum Song"   3:20
11. "Little Boy" (iTunes bonus track) 3:51
12. "Hearts" (iTunes bonus track) 2:45
Conditions Remixed
No. Title Length
1. "Love Lost" (Rollo & Sister Bliss Remix)  
2. "Rest" (Three Trapped Tigers Remix)  
3. "Sweet Disposition" (Alan Wilkis Remix)  
4. "Down River" (Fool's Gold Remix)  
5. "Soldier On" (RUSKOS F'kin Seagull Remix)  
6. "Fader" (Adam Freeland Remix)  
7. "Fools" (Peter, Bjorn & John Hortlax Cobra Remix)  
8. "Resurrection" (Penguin Prison Remix)  
9. "Science of Fear" (The Count (aka Hervé) 'Medusa' Remix)  
10. "Drum Song" (bretonLABS remix featuring Kate Tempest)  

Chart performance

Chart (2009) Peak position
Billboard 200 175
Australian Albums Chart[1] 9
UK Albums Chart[2] 25
Irish Albums Chart 18
Italian Albums Chart 53
Irish Indie Albums Chart 2

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
Australia 19 June 2009 Liberation CD, digital download
CD LMCD0056
United Kingdom 10 August 2009 Infectious
United States 13 October 2009[16] Glassnote[16]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Steffen Hung (6 February 2012). "Discography The Temper Trap". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Temper Trap". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Conditions | Music , Music Genres, Alternative : JB HI-FI". Jbhifionline.com.au. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  4. ↑ "Conditions Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  5. ↑ Leahey, Andrew. "Review: Conditions". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Burgess, Keira (10 August 2009). "A less marketable, but equally accurate description is blooming enjoyable pop music". BBC. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  7. ↑ MacBain, Hamish (12 August 2009). "Album review: The Temper Trap - 'Conditions'". NME. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  8. ↑ "The Temper Trap: Conditions". OK! Magazine. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hogan, Mark (24 August 2009). "Pitchfork: Album Reviews: The Temper Trap: Conditions". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  10. ↑ Boy, Davey (24 July 2009). "The Temper Trap - Conditions (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  11. ↑ Ohandjanian, Sevana (31 July 2009). "The Temper Trap - Conditions". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hann, Michael (7 August 2009). "The Temper Trap: Conditions". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Cairns, Dan (9 August 2009). "The Temper Trap: Conditions". The Times (London). Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  14. ↑ "Brisbane Street Press - THE TEMPER TRAP – Conditions". Rave Magazine. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  15. ↑ Noel Mengel (8 October 2009). "ARIA Awards 2009 nominations a musical mixed bag". The Courier Mail (News.com.au). Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Conditions: The Temper Trap: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-02-10.