The ever-present guitars and tight, unpredictable rhythms on the Exit Strategy's latest cover familiar ground, to be sure, but the band play it as if they're not only excited, but also privileged to have the chance to nod to their heroes. As soon as one pushes play, a forceful drumroll paves the way for a fade in of cascading quick strums, but it's a fake-out for the beefier, syncopated strut of "X-Rays". Its lyrics are vague ("performing research, performing X-rays from A to Z"), but the hook is broad and quickly ingratiating, and the ominous full-band patter of the bridge is where the Exit Strategy flash a little instrumental muscle. More manic Muppet Show drums bring in "Addition by Subtraction", along with a properly snaky guitar line and a breathless tempo throughout.
There are some obvious references in the songs on Fear of Microphones, but the Exit Strategy, rather than revive any one band or scene's particular sound, nod to any band that they likely grew up on. There's a line between staying varied trying to sound like more than a few bands at once, and it's that balancing act that here keeps the Exit Strategy from asserting any real personality of their own. Take the first few moments of "Motorcade", which is essentially what the opening of Jawbox's "Savory" would sound like if sped up from 33 to 45 rpm-- bear in mind that J. Robbins actually recorded this album, so playing it in front of him must have taken, as the Brits say, considerable cheek. Still, "Motorcade" is the track where the band lays all it's cards on the table: working up a tense and furious rhythm in the verses, alternating quickly between clipped octaves and wide-armed strums, and soon adding whole new counterpoint from the guitar, they pile on the changes and make three minutes feel a whole lot longer.
But while the Exit Strategy take a bite off of Jawbox or name one of their songs after a familiar XTC lyric (turn your monitor upside down at the end of this review to read the answer!), they make these offhand references without bringing the same studiousness to their own sound. Despite the energy of the first three tracks, "System of Youth" aims for the woozy lurch that bands like the Jesus Lizard were so good at, and makes an awkward fit for the Exit Strategy. Elsewhere, the full stops in "What the Fuck is Low Art?" nod to Fugazi's "Repeater", though you may be distracted by the singer's strange accents on every other syllable, getting higher each time, like singing can stave off his narcolepsy. Singer Mark Constantino has a brighter, almost cheerful voice that suits songs like the opener just fine, and adds a youthful, spirited feel to many of these tracks. But his refrains can be just silly ("X-Rays"; "The First The Finest The Future"), and it's awkward to hear him adopt a neurotic talk/sing style on "Judas Kiss".
The band keeps things interesting, the rhythm section especially-- while the punk discipline and dub-leaning ear of Fugazi is a clear influence, they actually do a fair impersonation, adding double-time on the early songs like "Addition by Subtraction" or a global flavor to the bridge of "Judas Kiss". There's really no need to mimic or steal when your band is clearly capable of subtlety. "All Circuits Are Dead" features some of the same spring-like guitar work as Don Caballero, but in this song and in the the album's best moments, the band has the momentum to make up any lack of originality. The Exit Strategy aren't really concerned with changing the face of the musical landscape, and that's fine. But as a group of flexible and talented players, they should be more worried about finding their own voice.
