The Exies
Head For The Door

THE REVIEW

Line-up

Vocals - Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

Guitar - Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)

Bass - Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)

Drums - Sean Kinney (Alice In Chains)

Four representatives of the most important grunge bands simultaneously on an album. Between Mad Season and Temple Of The Dog (but with a definitely inferior outcome) there are The Exies. They associate components from their respective original groups: dirty and immediate like Nirvana, melodic and edgy like Pearl Jam, aggressive and melancholic like Alice In Chains. Each member puts their mark in service of a work that is indeed grunge, but with a nod to today's post-grunge.

Neither is manifest the intro of "Slow Drain", a piece in Nirvana style mainly in the vocals, but with that catchy refrain so dear to modern bands like Seether or Puddle Of Mudd. "Splinter" will vaguely remind you of "Heart Shaped Box", due to the presence of that hey hey... typical of Kurt Cobain, a nice track, aggressive and melodic just right. The following "Ugly" slightly softens the pace, initial arpeggios like a post-grunge ballad, but it is only a moment, "What You Deserve" resumes with force, at least in the attack, but successful reflective pauses are not lacking before the final solo. "Hey You" instead exudes Alice In Chains, with a drum intro similar to "Angry Chair", trivial guitar accompanying the subtly melancholic chorus, perhaps the best track. And there it is, the typical modern ballad, "Baptize Me", has a scent of Staind, intriguing and well made. The following "F.S.O.S." is a great natural and explicit punk rock, two minutes of adrenaline. "My Opinion" seems to have flowed from some Pearl Jam session, while "Dear Enemy" recalls the more melodic Soundgarden. Next is "Tired You", acoustic guitar and a chorus that lodges in your heart on the first listen, splendid. The last tracks are "Normal", pleasant groove though tiresome in the long run, and "Don't Push The River" in full Alice In Chains style.

Have you stopped racking your brains and searching everywhere for news about this supergroup?? Come on, a joke is funny when it lasts a little.. hehehehehehehe.. it was a prank!

The real band members are: Scott Stevens (vocals), Chris Skane (guitar), Freddy Herrera (bass), and Dennis Wolfe (drums). They are from Los Angeles, and not Seattle. They don't wear flannel shirts and the album is much more recent, in fact from 2004.

Erase the charade and believe the rest. By listening to the album, you will notice the similarities of our guys with the sacred monsters "used" for the joke. Cobain's way of singing is revived, especially in the shouted parts, though the timbre is quite different. The others' reflective approach is present, though naturally at lower levels.

Nevertheless, a truly accomplished album, just over forty minutes of grunge revival.

"You never appreciate what you have until you lose it" - Kurt Cobain.