'Fire' a Clause worth fighting for

English art rockers the Cooper Temple Clause will likely overwhelm listeners with its eclectic and all together heady mix of pop, jazz, metal and electronica, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.\nKick Up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose follows the band's critically acclaimed UK debut See This Through and Leave with a sound that can best be described as Pink Floyd by way of Nirvana by way of Radiohead only far less accessible. Evidence of this can be seen most clearly in the album's closer, "Written Apology," an epic 10 minute number driven by the odd trio of lilting piano, progressively aggressive guitar and sci-fi synthesizer.\nThe Cooper Temple Clause shines most brightly in its flirtations with the mainstream and intermittent instances when instrumental tinkering takes a backseat to lead singer Ben Gautrey's vocals (think Thom Yorke fronting an emo band). "Blind Pilots" is most indicative of this trend. Therefore, it's my favorite cut off the record, and most likely to achieve crossover success. That title would likely have been occupied by "Into My Arms," a song tailor-made for the most passionate of make out sessions, that is, until it degenerates unexpectedly and more so unnecessarily into a Nine Inch Nails-lite exercise in Industrial. Sadly, excessive tinkering of this sort permeates the otherwise stellar album.