The Ex
Dizzy Spells
(Touch and Go)
Agitprop is alive and well in the
Netherlands. The Ex have recently released the latest in a long line of their art-punk
(think Fugazi meets Sonic Youth) on Chicago's Touch And Go. Of course, this means Albini is
behind the boards and thankfully he doesn't get in the way of the scraping guitars --
occasionally attacked with non-plectrum objéts -- nontraditional rock beats and spoken-sung
lyrics (all in English -- no cheers for globalization). There's not much left to doubt with song titles like "Walt's Dizzyland" and "Fistful of Feed,"
liner notes informing the listener of the client roster of crisis PR monolith Burson Marsteller
(taken to task in "Burnsome") and thought-provoking koans such as "they should stop thinking for
myself" (from "Karaoke Blackout"). If not the strongest release in a discography that stretches
to double digit titles over fifteen-plus years, Dizzy Spells will more than tide you over
until the next WTO meeting.
Rating: 7
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