Luke Temple, he of proud amounts of hype and press from his outfit, Here We Go Magic, has released a side of a side project in Don't Act Like You Don't Care. In reality, Temple had originally started work on this album before HWGM's 2009 debut. After the release of the self titled album, Temple shelved this one until well, now.
Originally called The Country Record, Temple's latest album has a lot of the usual singer/songwriter effects you see with new bands/artists who want to go into folk. It feels like a drive on a country road, and you immediately picture the singer sitting on something out in the open, guitar in hand while the open road lies before him.
Now that I got the visual out of the way, it's very Neutral Milk Hotel-ish. Just a lot of simplicity going on, with a snare drum, acoustic guitar and some light accouterment like a tambourine. The idea of this being so stripped down would probably lead fans of Here We Go Magic (this album includes HWGM member Michael Bloch) to turn their nose at it, but it's nice to hear someone go simple and not try to make a grandiose statement about it. Temple is very very skilled at just writing a song; great hooks and verses. Song like "More Than Muscle" almost sounds like Roy Orbison in how it grooves.
There is an issue in the track arrangements. Being that this began as a side effort, the album is almost split in two, with the lighter, happier tracks at the front and the slower, sadder ones at the back. It really kills the effect of the album, when you go from the rootsy folk of "Ophelia" and then head on over to the unsettling morose of "Weekend Warrior". This however, is never an issue on shuffle, which is probably the best movement for an album like this. You're in your car, or running and your diverse mix of music will eventually spit out something so simple and delicate like this and it will all make sense.
Track List
01. In the Open
02. More than Muscle
03. How Could I Lie
04. Weekend Warrior
05. Ophelia
06. Ballad for Dick George
07. So Long, So Long
08. You Belong to Heaven
09. Luck Part
