Ex-Vid – In Love Again LP

Description

LP version.Ex-Vid— featuringLan McArdle(Joanna Gruesome,Lanny) andOwen Williams(The Tubs) — return with their second LP:In Love Again. Joined byLaurie Foster(bass) andGeorge Rothman(drums), the record sees the band flourish from a chaotic power punk group into a fully-fledged pop behemoth. Taking in elements of shoegaze (“Pinhead”), country (“Outline”), ’90s indie rock (“In Love Again”) and pretty much the entire history of guitar music,In Love Againreveals McArdle and Williams to be true students of perfect pop. The pair have been collaborating for a decade now, having played in Joanna Gruesome as teenagers, andIn Love Againsees them both building on the sound they’ve honed together and embracing a new, unapologetic attitude towards songcraft. Backed by the tight-yet-raucous rhythm section of Foster and Rothman,In Love Againdelivers as a huge pop album without sacrificing any of the hardcore propulsion that characterized the band’s first album. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Ex-Vid sound is the sublime blend of McArdle and Williams’ vocals: close, folk-indebted harmonies which guide the listener through an onslaught of hooks. And while this is utilized to full effect onIn Love Again, the album also sees McArdle make full use of their vocal range. In keeping with their new sound, McArdle and Williams have taken a more autobiographical, nuanced approach to lyric writing this time around, a move influenced by touring withWaxahatchee. The hints of folk and country embedded in the tunes also stretch to this new lyrical approach — storytelling and heartbreak abound. The band’s first LP,Bigger Than Before, received positive coverage inPitchfork,SPIN,Stereogum, and others. It received airtime onBBC Radio 6, and saw the band support/tour with acts such as Waxahatchee,Speedy OrtizandAlvvays. Williams also fronts The Tubs — whose 2023 debut saw them touring internationally and receiving plaudits from Pitchfork, The Guardian andIggy Pop.