The Exies
Head For The Door
Virgin
With their third album, Head For The Door, The Exies take a more raw, harder-edged sound than demonstrated on their previous effort, Inertia. Hooking up with producer Nick Raskuliecz has toughened up the band’s approach, and it’s clearly evident on the hard-hitting opening duo of “Slow Drain” and “Splinter.” Both songs really set the tone for the rest of the album. The melodic strains of “Tired of You” aside, there’s a real low-down, grungy scuzz to the album, with the likes of the belting “My Opinion” and “Ugly” particularly impressive. Vocalist Scott Stevens’s raspy delivery recalls Kurt Cobain, especially on the pre-chorus to “Dear Enemy” and the frantic “You Get What You Deserve.”
Head For The Door needs a few listens to really appreciate its nuances, but The Exies’ attempts to get back to basics seem to have paid off, with an album made totally on their own terms.
The Exies: http://www.theexies.com
