Exene Cervenka & The Original Sinners

Exene Cervenka & The Original Sinners

Sev7en

[3/5] Even though her seminal band X stopped writing original material in 1993, Exene Cervenka hasn’t stopped making music, and her distinctive voice as a solo artist has been both a blessing and a curse. If you’ve never heard X, you might think she’s got a coy, playful singing style that stands well on its own. Otherwise, you’re likely to miss her counterpoint with X’s John Doe, whose gruff, direct delivery always offset Cervenka’s artiness. The good news with Sev7en is that the supporting band–comprising alumni of various stalwart L.A. punk bands–clearly know their roots. Though the record isn’t an immediate winner, the playing is sparse and tasteful throughout, moving effortlessly from surf to country to classic West Coast punk, and conjuring ghosts of X’s original contemporaries the Plugz and the Gears.
(NITRO) Todd Taylor

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