Some albums tackle political theories with valor and talent, their music forever stuck in the memories of listeners. However, "Respond Respond" by Exit Clov misses the bull's eye.
With song titles like "Moving Gaza" and "Communist BBQ," this album is overtly political, but instead of being intelligently written and thought provoking, the songs sound like disillusioned ramblings.
The album boasts only six short tracks, which isn't a bad thing. Ordinarily artists record a mass of material and then pick the best songs to appear on the final cut. If that were the case with Exit Clov, then this album would end up with only one track.
"MK Ultra" is monotonous and reminiscent of Blondie, but does not compare favorably. The lyrics are at times so ridiculous that it's grueling to listen to, especially when phrases like "committee artichoke" and "in brain Washington" pop up.
"Violent Berries" becomes the stand out track by default, simply because it is the only one that differentiates itself from the other tracks. The lyrics that make sense are clich?(c)s drawn from a countless number of other well-known songs.
One of the most maddening aspects of the album is the band's sound. There are five members, all of them playing various instruments and two of them taking on singing duties. Despite this, the sound that comes across is thin and weak. Unfortunately, because there is no richness or depth in the music, all of the attention is drawn to the two female vocalists, neither of which is anything special.
Bringing politics and music together can often bring about fantastic results, but Exit Clov does not have any substance to support their ideologies, causing "Respond Respond" to suffer in a big way.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
