The Exies
Head for the Door
Maverick

Grade: C-

After the release of 2003’s Inertia, the Los Angeles quartet known as The Exies are back with the release of a second album on Virgin Records entitled Head For The Door.

The Exies were pushed into the mainstream rock scene with their breakthrough hit, “My Goddess,” which received critical acclaim, heavy video and radio airplay and helped them land a headlining spot on the 2003 MTV Campus Invasion Tour. The band toured the United States for a full year promoting Inertia. That was two years ago.

Even though Head For The Door has its moments as a solid rock record, the band might get lost in the mix with other acts such as Three Days Grace, Crossfade, Papa Roach and Breaking Benjamin. “Ugly,” the first single off Head For The Door, has been getting heavy radio and video play, however, it may be the weakest song on the album. With lyrics including “We are dirt, we are alone, we are far from sober, look closer at me, are you ugly,” the band shows its shallow lyrical content throughout the album.

The song “Hey You” also has some lyrics that seem to be thrown in, only because they rhyme, “Your life / Mislaid / Spoon-fed / Well raised / Hey you you’re nodding out / What’s this all about.” The discs opener, “Slow Drain” is one of the heavier songs on the album, but singer/guitarist Scott Stevens’ voice is too similar to Puddle of Mudd’s Wesley Scantlin so much so that it is possible to forget which band’s album one is actually listening. On “Normal,” guitarist David Walsh breaks the predicable song structures of intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus by throwing in a tasteful guitar solo that brings a much needed breath of fresh air to the song. Perhaps the best song on the CD is “Tired of You,” a slower pop/rock ballad. The chorus is extra catchy with lyrics such as, “I’m tired of running / Tired of searching / Tired of trying / But I’m not tired of you.” This one should be released as the band’s second single. Head For The Door is The Exies attempt to jump on the hard rock/alt metal bandwagon currently clogging rock radio. With the force of a major label behind them, The Exies will sell some copies of Head For the Door, but it won’t be enough to keep The Exies career going for the next five years.  

Contact Joe Cannizzaro at oracletunes@yahoo.com