Over the last couple of
years I’ve fallen hard for all-women rock bands that pump out guitar rock that
reminds me of late-seventies artists like Joan Jett. This next band is one of
those.
Disc 1332 is… Rips
Artist:
Ex Hex
Year of Release: 2014
What’s up with the
Cover?
This design kind of reminds me of a clubbing shirt from the late eighties. The
kind of clubbing shirt I would not buy. Not that I wouldn’t buy a loud clubbing
shirt – I’ve bought plenty – just that I wouldn’t buy this one.
How I Came to Know
It: I got into Ex Hex through
their 2019 album “It’s Real” and dug backward through their discography from
there. They only had one other record, and “Rips” was it.
How It Stacks Up: If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know
that I have two Ex Hex albums. It’s hard to say which one is better, but I’ll
give the edge to “Rips” by a narrow margin.
Ratings: 4 stars
If the Ramones had dated the Shangri-Las the
resulting love children would have been Mary Timony, Betsy Wright and Laura
Harris.
Collectively, these three women make up Ex
Hex, a straight ahead, balls-out rock band that write three-minute long riff-heavy
tracks that combine the punk simplicity of the Ramones with the edgy leather-clad
pop of the Shangri-Las. “Rips” lives up to its name, with punchy songs that
start with thick driving guitar riffs, ride those riffs hard, and then wrap them
up neat and move on to the next song, featuring more of the same. It is a lot
of the same idea, but the idea is so bitchin’ you won’t want it any other way.
Mary Timony is the principal songwriter and driving
force behind the band. The crunch and growl of her guitar is the star of the
show, and her fuzzed out vocals are just the right match for that sound. The overall
effect gives you a forward-leaning energy that makes you want to drive too fast
and play air guitar at every traffic light. I listened to it on foot, but still
felt pretty badass just walking around. Did my strum hand flip back and forth
aggressively at red lights? Did my fret hand form chord shapes that I fancied I
was hearing? You’re damn right they did.
While Timony is the main contributor, her band
mates bring a lot to the experience. Drummer Laura Harris plays with a solid thump
and a reliable, aggressive timing that is critical to music like this, which relies
on the rhythm of the guitar over the wail. Bassist Betsy Wright is the glue
that holds everything together and gives Timony’s guitar riffs that extra oomph
at the lower end.
Wright also pens a couple of songs, including
the excellent “Radio On” a song about a booty call gone wrong, where the
next day the guy just drives by with his radio on and ignores you. The radio
makes it bearable though because…rock and roll! “Radio On” is like a lot
of the songs on “Rips”; they have something to say, but they also want to rock
out. Dude’s not just dissing his friend-with-benefits with that drive-by, he’s
also playing tunes.
Both of Ex Hex’s records are filled with chunky
guitar rock, but “Rips” is by far the more no-frills of the two. While it won’t
treat you to any innovative melodic structures, you can expect to hear timeless
riffs played with grit and enthusiasm. This is music for finding a place on the
dance floor and letting your hair fall in your eyes while you mosh until your
neck is sore. For all that, it still manages a melodic sway that makes you
think of sixties pop. It’s the marriage of the two concepts that make it all so
delicious.
Ex Hex is part of an exciting rebirth of Camaro
rock going on right now. Other bands embracing the sound include Tacocat,
Thunderpussy and Bleached, all of which are worth your time and hard-earned
dollars.
Best tracks: Don’t Wanna Lose, Beast, You Fell Apart, Waterfall,
Hot and Cold, Radio On, War Paint
No comments:
Post a Comment