I'm gonna go with Icona Pop. Both albums had some cool sounds and some fun moments, and both got on my nerves at times, but I think Icona got on my nerves less overall.
I forgot to say when votes are due. How about by tomorrow morning? I'm going with the Ex. I enjoyed Icona Pop, but I think I would tire of them more quickly. I've been meaning to check out the Ex for some time because of Joe's love for them and I have heard snippets here and there, but they never caught me. But here...wow. One of the guy's voices gets a little irritating after a while, but overall, I really liked this record. Plus, it has horns---LOTS of horns, and they all sounded pretty great to me (did I mention I like horns?). I want to hear Joe's take on this record and how he thinks it compares to the rest of their stuff.
Icona Pop- This album is, like, totally the PERRRRFECT album to put on, like, a Friday night, when I’m getting together with some of the other girls from junior high, and just want to get, like Craaazy and just be weird, cos me and my friends are, like, totally weirdos and stuff but I luff it and they’re so awesome. OMG guys, this is seriously, like, such ,like, pump me up music.
In closing, this album is perfect for listening to while…….hair teasing, texting boys, practicing dance moves in the mirror, being crazy, riding in my friend Trisha’s Cabriolet on a Friday night while driving to the football game, which is, like, totally lame I know, but I like going with my friends who are like, SOOOOO AWESOME and fun and weird…….and that’s where all the cute boys are, so –duh.
So anyway, why I like The Ex- Yes indeed Eric. Although not a proper Ex show, that show in Haarlem was one or two members of the Ex playing with an Ethiopian guy named Jimmy Mohammed. I was confused by the advertisement and I thought it would be a full on Ex show but it wasn’t- so I think I advised against us going as well. Anyway, I heard a Jimmy Mohammad record with Ex members years later and turns out it was pretty cool. OH WELL.
So yes Andrew, The Ex has been one of my favorites for years now. In all honesty I had not even listened to this entire record when I put it on my list. I had just seen that this record came out and was looking forward to buying an actual physical copy of it and letting that be my first listen. Sometimes I like to do that, just like back in the old days. Anyways the Ex are a bunch of old Dutch anarchist punks who have been around in some form since the late seventies, but polite Dutch anarchists who never litter, keep their squat tidy and make sure that they don’t practice during Dutch babies nap times. They are a core of around 4 to 5 members playing regular guitar, bass and drums, but often, as with this album, they collaborate with others (those anarcho punks and their collaborations), and these collaborations are some of their best stuff. Two of my favorite albums are the ones they made with cellist Tom Cora around the early 90’s.
I track their website from time to time to make sure I don’t miss when they come stateside, and I noticed a while back that they were playing with this bunch of horn players called Brass Unbound and this sounded like it could be a pretty great pairing. Upon hearing this album it mostly lives up to my expectations, and has a lot of great interplay between those jaggedy Ex guitars and the jazz horns and really exciting sounds to my ears. The Ex got a new lead singer a few years back, and while I like him, he doesn’t quite do it for like the old guy GW Sok. I liked new guy’s vocals on the previous album more than on this album I think, and I would say that the instruments are the focal points for me more than the vocals on this record. However, one of the highlights of every Ex record is the one or two songs that the drummer Katrina sings, and she delivers a good one on this record as well.
(Actually, I do kind of like some of that Icona Pop record. Especially after the first couple tracks, the later songs have a lot of cool hooks. But, the song has been stuck in my head all day is that “ready for the weekend” song which is clearly my LEAST favorite song on the record. What’s up with that?? Stupid brain chemistry.)
I vote the Ex, although while revisiting this I went back to re-listen to Icona Pop because it's awesome. I'm going to have to download a track or two for my "Family Dance" mix (shameless poppy dance stuff for dancing around with a 2 and 4 year old).
VS.
I choose the Ex.
ReplyDeleteI can handle some pop and some punk, but punk with horns definitely comes out ahead here.
I choose the Ex as well.
ReplyDeleteThey both had their positives and negatives, and I don't have anything else to say about either. If I could steal Karl's abstain, I would.
I haven't decided yet, but I'm enjoying both of these tremendously.
ReplyDeleteYes to also The Ex. Really original stuff. Kind of sounds like something Steve Zahn's character on Treme might put together.
DeleteI'm going with Icona Pop because I like it better. Both of these are good, though.
ReplyDeleteIcona Pop, but both rule.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna go with Icona Pop. Both albums had some cool sounds and some fun moments, and both got on my nerves at times, but I think Icona got on my nerves less overall.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say when votes are due. How about by tomorrow morning? I'm going with the Ex. I enjoyed Icona Pop, but I think I would tire of them more quickly. I've been meaning to check out the Ex for some time because of Joe's love for them and I have heard snippets here and there, but they never caught me. But here...wow. One of the guy's voices gets a little irritating after a while, but overall, I really liked this record. Plus, it has horns---LOTS of horns, and they all sounded pretty great to me (did I mention I like horns?). I want to hear Joe's take on this record and how he thinks it compares to the rest of their stuff.
ReplyDeleteWait...Joe, is this the band that we tried to see in Haarlem back in 2006, but Anne and I wimped out?
ReplyDeleteI vote Icona Pop buuut I love on The Ex.
ReplyDeleteIcona Pop- This album is, like, totally the PERRRRFECT album to put on, like, a Friday night, when I’m getting together with some of the other girls from junior high, and just want to get, like Craaazy and just be weird, cos me and my friends are, like, totally weirdos and stuff but I luff it and they’re so awesome. OMG guys, this is seriously, like, such ,like, pump me up music.
ReplyDeleteIn closing, this album is perfect for listening to while…….hair teasing, texting boys, practicing dance moves in the mirror, being crazy, riding in my friend Trisha’s Cabriolet on a Friday night while driving to the football game, which is, like, totally lame I know, but I like going with my friends who are like, SOOOOO AWESOME and fun and weird…….and that’s where all the cute boys are, so –duh.
I vote for the EX.
voted best comment.
Deletelike
DeleteSo anyway, why I like The Ex-
ReplyDeleteYes indeed Eric. Although not a proper Ex show, that show in Haarlem was one or two members of the Ex playing with an Ethiopian guy named Jimmy Mohammed. I was confused by the advertisement and I thought it would be a full on Ex show but it wasn’t- so I think I advised against us going as well. Anyway, I heard a Jimmy Mohammad record with Ex members years later and turns out it was pretty cool. OH WELL.
So yes Andrew, The Ex has been one of my favorites for years now. In all honesty I had not even listened to this entire record when I put it on my list. I had just seen that this record came out and was looking forward to buying an actual physical copy of it and letting that be my first listen. Sometimes I like to do that, just like back in the old days. Anyways the Ex are a bunch of old Dutch anarchist punks who have been around in some form since the late seventies, but polite Dutch anarchists who never litter, keep their squat tidy and make sure that they don’t practice during Dutch babies nap times. They are a core of around 4 to 5 members playing regular guitar, bass and drums, but often, as with this album, they collaborate with others (those anarcho punks and their collaborations), and these collaborations are some of their best stuff. Two of my favorite albums are the ones they made with cellist Tom Cora around the early 90’s.
I track their website from time to time to make sure I don’t miss when they come stateside, and I noticed a while back that they were playing with this bunch of horn players called Brass Unbound and this sounded like it could be a pretty great pairing. Upon hearing this album it mostly lives up to my expectations, and has a lot of great interplay between those jaggedy Ex guitars and the jazz horns and really exciting sounds to my ears. The Ex got a new lead singer a few years back, and while I like him, he doesn’t quite do it for like the old guy GW Sok. I liked new guy’s vocals on the previous album more than on this album I think, and I would say that the instruments are the focal points for me more than the vocals on this record. However, one of the highlights of every Ex record is the one or two songs that the drummer Katrina sings, and she delivers a good one on this record as well.
(Actually, I do kind of like some of that Icona Pop record. Especially after the first couple tracks, the later songs have a lot of cool hooks. But, the song has been stuck in my head all day is that “ready for the weekend” song which is clearly my LEAST favorite song on the record. What’s up with that?? Stupid brain chemistry.)
I vote the Ex, although while revisiting this I went back to re-listen to Icona Pop because it's awesome. I'm going to have to download a track or two for my "Family Dance" mix (shameless poppy dance stuff for dancing around with a 2 and 4 year old).
ReplyDelete