Zoo Psychology
With 15 songs clocking in at just more than 20 minutes, the Ex Models’ latest release is the perfect soundtrack to eating a bunch of diet pills and spazzing out. Although this New York quartet has been around for only a short time, these self-appointed guardians of the current wave of spazz-core bands aim for the hip as much as the psyche. Imagine Devo’s first releases after a couple pots of strong Colombian coffee, or any of Alice Donut’s fare, mixed up with the vibe of Liars or Sonic Youth’s Goo, and you’ll start to understand Ex Models’ sound. From “Pink Noise” to “The Mystery of Brine,” the juxtaposing rhythms and off-kilter vocal arrangements owe as many nods to punk’s forefathers as they do to bad disco and 1970s acid rock. Pass the, uh, coffee.
(SN&R)