Double Negative | Tempo No Tempo is a Bay Area trio comprised of guitarist/lead vocalist Tyler McCauley, drummer Alex Kaiser, and Jason Wexler on keys and bass. Their bio claims that they have the “fierce dynamic shifts of early Fugazi,” and while that may be a bit off base, their sound is unabashedly dissonant and erratic. It just doesn’t remind me much of 13 Songs or Repeater, which are disheveled in their own endearing way but more melodic as sprawling, post-punk anthems. Then again, Fugazi still carries its cult following and could be a bit high as far as the bar is set; Tempo No Tempo might work to tide their fans over in the meantime while they wait for McKaye and Co. to get back together.
The good news is that TNT’s progressed from the rawer production of The Get Down and seem to be well on their way to finding themselves. “Kilometer,” off of their Waking Heat, shows a band with great potential, and one with a refreshing take on an often insipid indie music scene.
Words by Jeff Nau
