Music Magazine Review - Neon City EP by The Exits

My first published review for The Music Magazine is Neon City EP by The Exits :)

The Exits are a new band from Portsmouth. Check them out if you like bands like Kasabian, Primal Scream etc.

The review:

The Exits are a four piece from Portsmouth (UK), formed in 2005 and making their recording debut with the four track EP, 'Neon City'.

'Neon City' opens with the title track, a pulsating wave of oscillating synths introducing singer Ray Charlton, part Ian Brown, part Tom Meighan (Kasabian). It is clear that the early days of playing Oasis covers in pubs is still present in his vocal delivery as he howls through the distorted microphone. The song takes shape as the rest emerge, guitarist Mike Keating adding a simple effective loop through frantic electronic beats, driving bass and drums. Charlton does very little with sparse lyrics, more style than substance. The line: "Neon City does sound pretty, got my friends, got my lover, come out at night you better run for cover" will not win many awards. The song then descends into emo-metal shouting and some very lazy guitars.

'Three Minute Warning' starts predictably with a chorus of wailing sirens leading into some great stomping electronica and crashing drums. There are more echoes of Kasabian in Charlton's opening vocals, this time the lyrics are a more dense stream of consciousness with lines like: "She cuts me down with her poison tongue as I try to run, it's far too tough and I will lie down but I won't die young but then all I've done is never good enough". At the three minute point, when by rights the song should be over, a brief respite (more sirens and some very laboured drumming) brings back more electro-bass and synthesisers. What would have been a promising climactic instrumental outro ends up a mess of vocals and lost ideas.

The start of 'You Gotta Help Me Out' is a misleading mess of fuzzy synths, quickly forming into a wonderful fusion of guitars and beats. Charlton is much more controlled and focused in his vocals, a steady force amid the frantic instrumentation. After an unsteady start, the band finally deliver a fine pop song. The final track 'Fever' is just as accomplished. Keating's guitars are sublime and Charlton shows more of his great voice. The lyrics are much more personal: "Wake up in the morning and I can't move. I get tired of thinking but what can I do? Take a look in the mirror, what do I see? Twenty five years old - what's wrong with me?". Youthful angst or anti-emo irony?

'Neon City' plays like a chronology of a band trying to find their own distinctive sound. The second half proves that The Exits can mix confident style with a blend of indie guitars and dance based electronic beats. A promising start.

-- CS (for The Music Magazine 2008)