Brisbane five-piece The Trouble With Templeton emerge from what began as a solo effort from frontman Thomas Calder with the eclectic sophomore album Rookie.
If you were looking for another album like Calder’s debut effort Bleeders, you’ve come to the wrong place.
Rookie marks the arrival of a more mature and refined sound, while also battling the pressure of being pigeon-holed into a specific genre.
The transformation brings forth rocking tracks such as “Like A Kid” and the slow burning “Lint”, whilst also giving a nod to the previous release with the stripped back lullaby “Secret Pastures”.
Dynamically, Rookie has much more room to stretch than the debut record. Having a full band supporting Calder’s profound songwriting adds a level of immersive depth that allows each song to grow and become an entity in its own, living and breathing a story based on lyrics, but supported by music.
One of the big standouts of the album as a whole is Calder’s capacity to write from the perspective of another person in such a believable and relatable manner.
In particular, the final track “Lint” begins from the perspective of a patient in a psychiatric hospital named Sebastian, and seamlessly morphs into the perspective of his mother on the outside.
This ability to write with such empathetic emotion is what makes Calder one of the most promising up and coming songwriters.
Rookie is an outstanding step forward for The Trouble With Templeton, and one that will surely bring you back again and again for more.
