Spectreview: ex Licks – ex Licks

-DARK ORANGE-

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There’s a strange spirit that comes out of the right combination of noise and voice and inexplicably pulls you in, and ex Licks’ self-titled debut has it spilling out of the seams. Produced expertly by Aaron Schroder, the first release from the new Seattle dance-punk trio morphs Gang of Four’s classic post-punk razor-wire guitar, The Men’s country-influenced rock and TV On The Radio’s wolf-throated declarations into something unpretentious and entirely listenable. It’s also a good example of how thoughtful production and sequencing can completely enliven a collection of songs. The siren call of opener “Old Baby” is both a blueprint and a strange attractor, sucking you into the record’s brisk runtime, and the band changes up the formula enough to retain attention with tracks like “Receiver” running right into the barreling “Night Drive” and the moonshine-soaked “Ringo’s Outhouse” proving a critical rest stop. Alex Noble’s bass playing is a particular highlight; it’s consistently taut and intelligent, able to situationally both match the lead and provide countermelody. The band’s propulsive rhythms are sometimes undercut by fluctuating tempos, which occasionally robs the band of a tightness crucial to this form of rock. For a band with only one release under their belts though, it’s a searing, impressive debut and hopefully a sign of things to come. 

Recommended for the bar crowds of New York.