The Ex - Maybe I Was the Pilot

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Customer reviews
Press release

4...according to our Brett on Thu 18 Mar, 2010.

Losing their singer of thirty years ain't shit to The Ex. Out goes G.W. Sok, in comes Arnold de Boer and on, seamlessly, goes the wiry post-punk fusion which has served them so well these past few decades. They've often been compared with The Fall (largely for their longevity, no doubt), often with Fugazi (largely for their ethics, no doubt) but for my money their sound has generally fallen somewhere between the two, with curveballs thrown by prolonged periods spent under the influence of Eastern European folk, Ethiopian music and various other colourful forms. Here they'e playing it pretty straight with 'Maybe I Was the Pilot', a growly mid-tempo grower built on an insistent groove which provides a platform for the three guitars trading jabs above. 'Our Leaky Homes' is less controlled, more immediate and equally as solid with its trebly soloing and cutting chords. Bring on a new LP, says I.. But buy the 30 Years of The Ex compilation in the meantime!

In a decade when everyone from the Incredible String Band to the Jesus Lizard has staged a comeback, the Ex top them all; not only are they still together thirty years after they first came together as a punk quartet playing gigs in Amsterdam squats, they've never compromised their values, and their music has never sucked. Key to their success is a commitment to constant change and improvisational acumen. The most recent change is the departure of singer and co-founder G.W. Sok, whose departure has not only opened the door for a new member, Arnold de Boer (samples, beats, guitar, vocals, etc.), but for he and the rest of the Ex - percussionist-vocalist Katherina Bornefeld and guitarists Andy Moor and Terrie Hessels - to develop a whole new set of music. They have already done two European tours, including one again with the great Ethiopian saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria. A new record and more touring are in the planning.

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