While millions of bands migrate west in search of the golden ticket to the music industry, other bands are perfectly content to avoid daylight and hang back in the shadows. Judging from one listen to its self-titled debut, the members of Temper Temper are proud residents of the latter bracket.

Lurking up from the frozen tundra of the upper Midwest, the Milwaukee five-piece has taken the local scene by storm and is threatening to infect the national consciousness with its brooding, goth-inspired brand of emo-flavored new wave. The timing couldn't be more perfect for the band, with acts such as Hot Hot Heat and the Killers digging their heels in the '80s sounds of yesteryear. But you'd be foolish to lump a band like Temper Temper in too closely with their peers. With their theatrically somber image and sound that lends itself as much to the likes of the Misfits and the Cure as it does New Order and Duran Duran, the band's music, while catchy and, dare I say, danceable, clearly has its allegiances to the dark side.

Kicking things off is "Trust Me," a synth-driven rock track that slices and dices between mid tempo punk rock and retro chic a la Interpol. Singer Pat Fuller's Cure-esque vocals quiver and shake over guitarist James Neumeyer's chugga-chugga guitar twinge, while the bass and drum combo of Andrew Menchal and Keith Stendler hold down the rhythm. The song quickly segues into "Terror Tongue and Cheek," which opens up again behind an intro from keyboardist T. Jay Christensen that echoes the B 52's "Private Idaho." Most of the record's remaining nine tracks cover similar territory, a campy hybrid of Rocky Horror, Thompson Twins and the Ramones that gets by mainly on its drive and energy if nothing else.

Admittedly, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking happening here. These guys aren't reinventing the wheel by any stretch, but that's not to say there isn't any fun to be had on the record. Temper Temper has provided a twist in the new wave genre, applying a macabre sensibility towards a typically upbeat and pop friendly musical form. They may lean heavily on their influences, but they've distanced themselves enough from their revivalist counterparts to avoid tedium and triteness, and that alone will likely give them an upper hand.

The real challenge facing a band of Temper Temper's disposition is breaking through the mainstream with enough force to turn some heads. Few bands of the goth persuasion have been able to spark a legitimate interest above ground, whereas most others hit the ceiling at the "cult favorite level." But Temper Temper's debut record speaks of a band that may have the chops to give it a run at the big leagues, proving sometimes even night dwelling creatures can earn their day in the sun.

Grade B

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 14 2005.