The Temperance Movement: White Bear Review

White Bear is the highly anticipated follow up to 2014’sThe Temperance Movement. There has been a bit of a buzz about this record being a departure from their debut. The best way to describe it is that White Bear is a little more Faces-Stones-Black Crowes, and slightly less Zeppelin-Free than their debut. The real difference is simply a natural growth that we come to expect from truly great bands and The Temperance Movement delivers in spades.

All twelve jams are very memorable, rock and roll affairs.White Bear kicks off hard with “Three Bulleits” and the call to battle “Get Yourself Free.” The latter has a groove in the verses that is absolutely infectious and erupts into a blistering anthem in the chorus.  “A Pleasant Peace I Feel” touches on something reminiscent of more psychedelic Beatles. It builds to a chaotic yet very satisfying roar. The opening power chords of “Modern Massacre” will have you thinking that someone slipped in a lost High Voltage era AC/DC track in there. It’s bold and beautiful and completely filthy, like real rock and roll is supposed to be.

Phil Campbell is the embodiment of rock roll abandon in the tradition of Chris Robinson, Steve Marriott and early Paul Rodgers. The guitar work of Paul Sayer and Luke Postashnick provides all the textures that you would expect of a great rock band. Their massive crunching is simply devastating and when combined with Damon Wilson’s bass and Nick Fyfe’s drums it generates enough menace to make you want to turn it up loud enough to piss off your parents.

White Bear is the answer to all those naysayers who proclaim “Rock is dead.” The Temperance Movement is proof that rock is not only alive but it’s as nasty and in-your-face as ever. The only criticism that I can offer is that White Bear should come with a label that says “For Best Results, Play At Full Volume!”

The Review: 9.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– A Pleasant Peace I Feel
– Get Yourself Free
– Oh Lorraine
– Modern Massacre
– Do The Revelation
– Three Bulleits

The Big Hit

– Three Bulleits