Exit Clov - Respond Respond Review
by Kevin Wierzbicki
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Exit Clov is a five-piece that has two girl singers at center stage, Emily and Susan. Their vocal work is sweet, sweet, sweet candy-coated pop like the kind that worked nicely for Susanna Hoffs and the Bangles. But listen closely and you'll find that there's a little strychnine under the cherry topping. "DIY" takes a stab right away with its second line addressing critics and know-it-alls; "Mr. Music Police, is my art ok?" The fact that the line is delivered in such a casual way makes it all the more potent (and a lot nicer to sing along to than "Eat *@%!, major label!" A similar venom-bubbling-under attitude informs "Beast Simone;" the song is lyrically more vague than "DIY" but if you happen to be Simone you will get the very sharp point. The disc's highlight comes midway through Respond Respond when harmony-laden vocals take "Violent Berries" on a kite ride aided by ethereal violin work. "Moving Gaza" and "Communist BBQ" both make political statements but that fact is likely to be lost on the listener who is not following along with the lyric sheet---the singing is so mesmerizingly pretty that it's hard to react to lines about Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Leave this one spinning when you think its over and you'll be treated to a hidden track that is a nice reworking of part of "Beast Simone."
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Exit Clov - Respond Respond Label:Livewire
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