The Trouble With Templeton

Australian indie rock quintet the Trouble with Templeton (named after an episode of The Twilight Zone) began in 2011 as the recording project of then 20-year-old Brisbane-based singer/songwriter Thomas Calder. With a cache of quiet, introspective songs already written, Calder borrowed mikes and recording gear from friends, cobbling together a temporary home studio where he recorded the mostly acoustic mini-album Bleeders in just two and half weeks. After self-releasing the album in 2011, he spent the rest of that year assembling the rest of the band, joining forces with guitarist Hugh Middleton, keyboardist Betty Yeowart, bassist Sam Pankhurst, and drummer Ritchie Daniell. With the lineup firmly established, the group set about recording their proper full-length debut with producer Matt Redlich at his Brisbane studio. Released in Australia in 2013, Rookie dramatically expanded Calder's sound, venturing ambitiously around synth-heavy pop, indie folk, and straight-ahead indie rock styles. The group spent most of 2013 touring nationally and playing Australia's festival circuit, sharing stages with bands like Of Monsters and Men and Father John Misty. The following year they signed with British label Bella Union, which released Rookie worldwide in May 2014.