Artist: The Cooper Temple Clause
Album: Kick Up The Fire And Let The Flames Break Loose
Label: RCA Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 53:50
Review by: Phil Nichols

You can usually tell what a band sounds like from their name. For example, a band named the Saltines is most likely a punk band that recently picked up guitars and learned to play a few chords; or a band called Tears of Autumn probably screams a lot and has many depressing songs with pretentious metaphors and frequent time changes. A band's sound usually isn't too hard to figure out- or at least that's what I thought, until I came across The Cooper Temple Clause. I had no idea what kind of music to expect from this album. And to be honest, even after I had finished listening to it, I was still not sure how to describe it.

Musically, Kick Up The Fire And Let The Flames Break Loose is a blend of a whole lot of genres. The album flows flawlessly from gut-wrenching rock and roll riffage to techno-punk breakdowns to smooth and serene dark pop and then back again, with electronic transitions to make the whole release sound like one long track. You could easily put this in and listen to it straight through from start to finish. The instrumentation is pretty simple, lacking the usual self-gratifying solos that many similar bands throw into the mix. And though the album may be a little bit overproduced, this is basically just an all-around solid release.

Their band name may not say much as to what these guys are all about, but their music speaks volumes. If you are into cyberpunk, synth-infused rock, or just want a nice album to listen or drive to, then you will probably want to pick up a copy of Kick Up The Fire and Let The Flames Break Loose.