Every so often, I hear a song and like it enough to check out the album. Even less often, I check out the album and like it enough to make the purchase.I just downloaded Conditions by The Temper Trap after hearing "Sweet Disposition" on the Glass Note label web page while looking for contact information for getting a sync/master license for a Phoenix song for our movie.
Being label mates with Phoenix is definitely a good first sign. They've got a similar "driving pop" vibe that I really dig. They've also got a little Snow Patrol (listen to "Fader") and Arcade Fire (listen to "Down River") action going on. They've definitely got a good deal of 80's influence ("Sweet Disposition" could have easily been on a When In Rome album --there's even a little Big Country, early U2 and Dream Academy spilling from various rifts in the album's space/time continuum).
The latter half of the album ("Soldier On," "Fools," etc.) leaves me with a kind of Coldplay meets the Bee Gees feeling that prevents me from giving the album a full "run out and buy it NOW" recommendation, which is not to say that I don't like what I'm hearing. I just don't feel as strongly about recommending it (though I do love hearing what it would sound like if Jose Gonzalez got together with The Killers to make a pop album, especially on "Resurrection").
After several listens, I still feel comfortable with a strong: if you haven't heard these guys, I definitely recommend you check them out.
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