Temporary Pleasure

Rate It! Avg: 3.5 (113 ratings)
ALBUM INFORMATION
EXPLICIT

Total Tracks: 10   Total Length: 41:32

eMusic Review

Avatar Image
Peter Shapiro

eMusic Contributor

09.15.09
Beth Ditto, Jamie Lidell, Gruff Rhys and Yeasayer join in on what might be the electropop album of the year
2009 | Label: Wichita Records

You'd be justified in feeling a good degree of skepticism toward what must be the 7,000th electropop revival album since the end of the '80s — particularly after learning that it includes cameos from the likes of The Gossip's Beth Ditto, Super Furry Animal's Gruff Rhys, Jamie Lidell, Telepathe, Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip and Yeasayer's Chris Keating. However, it is rare for such an album to be more than merely an exercise in half-remembered nostalgia, and rarer still for it to be done with the unabashed pop panache of Temporary Pleasure.

For all the glitter of the guest stars, it's the pitch-perfect production of James Ford and Jas Shaw that shines the brightest: from the Trevor-Horn-meets-Yello synth fantasia of opener "Cream Dream" to "Cruel Intentions," which sounds like the rapprochement between Yazoo and Rozalla that Vince Clarke always dreamed Erasure would be, Temporary Pleasure is all brilliantly shiny surfaces with no reason to peer underneath. There are a couple of missteps — "Audacity of Huge," an attempt at LCD Soundsystem satire that ends up sounding like an unholy combination of Daft Punk and Backstreet Boys, and "Turn Up the Dial", and ill-advised venture into… read more »

Write a Review8 Member Reviews

Please log in before you review a release. Log in

user avatar

We've been here before

IvanEbbinghaus

James Ford apparently can't help himself. Simian developed a sizeable following after their debut album, but disappointed their electroclash disciple fans with their stunning pop sophomore effort. Their "fans" revolted and Simian dissolved. I hear similar lamentations now that SMD has opted for another go at perfect pop (although this time maintaining the electronic backbone from Attack, Decay...). Stop treating every stylistic change like a betrayal and you might enjoy it.

user avatar

Solid

dj_riviera

One or two tracks fall a little flat, but I find this album very listenable from beginning to end. "Audacity of Huge" is an epic track, immediate dance-floor sensation.

user avatar

Any Track with the Title "Audacity of Huge"...

Sabbadoo32

must be listened to. And it 's a good track. Some of the others are hit and miss. IF anything, download "Huge"

user avatar

Crap!

alexkaplandoc

is this SMD? No, it's an imposter band posing as Simian Mobile Disco. They won't get away with it!

user avatar

WHY!?

t3amBrian

This album is nothing like their last album and I'm kind of surprised that it was created by such a talented group. Temporary pleasure offers very temporary bits of pleasure that are later ruined by bubble gum formulaic pop vocals. Why did such a talented group make such an obvious cash in record filled with shallow collaborations... much like todays hip hop market.

user avatar

Give it a few listens

tquinto

At first I wasn't thrilled with the new SMD album, having loved their previous dance-trance discography. But I dig it now after a few listens and appreciate that they're experimenting with other genres and are not afraid to dance outside of the box.

user avatar

Trash

imokyrok2

Major Major Disappointment from their previous record. They reached for something and found nothing

user avatar

Audacity of Huge is great...

Handlelikeeggs

...the rest is... pretty decent. But Audacity of Huge sounds like the best song Lonely Island never wrote.

Recommended Albums

They Say All Media Guide

Simian Mobile Disco’s debut Attack Decay Sustain Release was admirable not only for the strength and energy of its productions, but also for its back-to-basics blueprint. With second albums that follow debut breakouts, however, come various hangers-on, which in the case of a dance act, take the form of copious vocal features. (Granted, the duo could have easily snagged these earlier as well, thanks to their pedigrees as rock producers.) Temporary Pleasure opens with a familiar voice, Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, and in an instant the setting dissolves from a glittery London club to the pastoral Welsh countryside. Yet to come are six more vocal features from various indie heroes or up-and-comers, but it’s to Simian Mobile Disco’s credit that they shape each vocalist to the track and emerge with a unified, exciting sound. Each vocal turn — whether it’s the Gossip’s Beth Ditto or Yeasayer’s Chris Keating or Diplo acquaintances Telepathe or Jamie Lidell or Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor — becomes yet another angle on the dark end of ’80s clubland, from synth pop of the Soft Cell or Shannon variety to future-shock electro to acid house paranoia. James Shaw and James Ford are still enforcing limitations on their sound, and while they may be smoothing out a few of the rough patches that would make a more interesting record, their sophomore follow-up is a worthy heir to the original. – John Bush

more »