The Ex — 30
This set offers up: A double disc collection (available in either cd or vinyl form) of the projects work from their beginnings in the early 80’s up until 2006. A 12 page booklet which features the bands history, album covers, several list relating to the band including: line-up changers, list of concerts & number of concerts(a whopping 1371 in Holland & abroad), Sound people, guest band members, ect- yes there’s a lot of info stuffed into 12 pages!.
The start of the first disc(the first 6 or so tracks) takes in the bands early straight Anarcho-punk sound which I guess can be compared to similar 2nd wave 80’s punk bands like Crass & The Subhuman's- it’s all doomy yet spiteful bass lines, barbwire guitar chugs & anti- government or break the system English vocals. Theses tracks are enjoyable enough & show enough interesting edges to set them above pure copies of their English counterparts. As the disc goes on their punk sound starts to get more edgy, experimental & infected by other genres with elements like: discordant classical meets jazz wails, xylophone runs, sudden Spanish classical guitar solos, eastern snake charmer pipes, female vocals and all manner of creative/ edgy touches. A few tracks sound quite like the Fall with their wavy, wiry discordant guitars, off –kilter other sonic elements & surreal yet still government bashing vocals; but right to the end of disc one there’s still a keen punk moving to post-punk feel about the tracks.
Disc two sees the sound continue to change & alter; sure the sound still offten has the punked like guitar elements present but these become less central. Take the first track ‘State of Shock’ which sound like GodSpeed You! black Emperor with vocals- the track mixes together building dramatic string violin saws, noise guitar post-rock swirls- with later female vocals appearing & quirky percussive elements appearing. As the disc goes on it dips into mixers of: punk, folk, jazz, world music elements, emotive & dramatic classical string swoons. There are also quite a few tracks that cut out vocals altogether and go alot more experimental going from jazzy & doomy improv, over to dramatic wind instrumental work-outs & beyond.
So in finishing off this set is a wonderful celebration & introduction to this highly creative, inventive & constantly morphing sonic collective who have influenced many other bands & projects over the years. A must have item for anyone into gitar lined & based experimental music really