THIS IS NOT A LADDER: An Ex-Optimist Record Review

Although The Ex-Optimists have a distinct sound and stage presence, I never know what to expect from their new music. And I love this about The Ex-Optimists. For instance, 2012's Bee Corpse Collector, nearly a decade old and half a different band ago, pays homage to swimmy-guitar college-rock radio, while 2015's Phantom Freight opens with a 15 minute chime-infested soundscape of "True Evil" only to be followed by 2018's angry AF full-fist, shoe-gaze rocker Drowned In Moonlight. Various splits and 7" releases along the way feature Ex-Ops playing post-punk thumpers (Bee Corpse Thousand), sweaty-stadium stompers (Save Your Love), and summer-love crooners (Reruns from the '60s). Listening through their catalogue is like reading a musical memoir of the band's influences and ideas. Life reveals itself in the progression of their recordings (2012 - poppy; 2015 - experimental; 2018 - pissed off), often telling their collective stories more through instrumentation than Minnis' relationally poetic lyrics. For all these reasons, I was tickled pickled-ginger pink when Wonko Zuckerberg handed over a copy of The Ex-Ops newest 7" offering, This Is Not A Ladder, earlier this week. Per usual, I found nothing usual here. Surprises abound with delights aplenty as The Ex-Ops, in the only move I've come to expect from them, defy expectations once more. 

Before diving into the songs, a word directly from vocalist, guitarist, synthesizer fondler and lyricist Kelly Minnis about the title and cover: "When I was in town in October, we went to play music in Galveston. We stayed at a place Katie secured through Airbnb, an amazing historic register house.  In what was the dining room there was a ladder with artsy stuff draped on it.  On it was a sign that said 'This Is Not A Ladder'.  In fact, that post-it thing that's on top of the cover is a replica of that sign. (Colin stole the sign)." While I did not ask, and Kelly did not say, I wondered if This Is Not A Ladder is a tribute of sorts to the adventure of live music before the COVID shut-down, before the cancellation of Loud!Fest and the refunds of all our summer festival tickets. The raucous energy of the album would suggest as much.

This Is Not A Ladder packs six-songs onto a 7", 33 1/3 speed vinyl. Two tracks here -- "Song For Lou" (rerecorded with a bit more chutzpah from the Bee Sides Collector box-set) and "Walk Drunker" (a re-vamped Scarborough string-bendy cover of Minnis' Invasion Boys "Drunk Walker", from the Almost Lynnwood album) -- feel like quintessential Ex-Ops. The steady pacing, the dark space opening in the rhythm section past the four-minute crest for a live feedback breakdown, and the dank-streetlight over a slow-drive or long-beer swig vibe from both songs remind me of nights that the whole of Revs and Rudyards swayed and hollered past last-call. Yes, that's the distinct sound of The Ex-Ops as I would describe it. Or as I've experienced it. Or both. (Enter sigh of nostalgia.)

Otherwise, The Ex-Ops squeezed in four voicemail message length bangers, a pair on each vinyl side. From Side A, "Supersonic Robots" blasts through a whiplash flicker of cymbal-encrusted head-bopper riffs, followed by the tender blush and rhythmic pluck of "Black Sabbath Towncar Driver", featuring a haunting background vocal that I could float on repeat till the needle nubs thin. It's a strong close to Side A.

Side B opens with "Straight To Hell", another Bee Sides Collector re-vamp and a psychobilly punk chunker done right with Scarborough's engine revving guitar riffs throttled by Katie Killer's thickest bass lines to date. It's a loud Side opener, a fine side-flip balance act to "Black Sabbath Towncar Driver" and one that's easy to throw the needle back for instant sing-along replay. Album closer, "DeSoto Down", reminds me of a Ramones-ish lick that I cannot name. If you find yourself plagued by the same tip-of-the-tongue trouble, don't fault yourself. I asked Minnis about it. He said the Ramones-y spirit was intentional. "I wrote it the day I learned of Tommy Ramone's passage from the planet." Bingo. Do you like bananas?

Overall, my one and only complaint with This Is Not A Ladder is that it's not longer. Except, hark and oh wait! The Bandcamp download features a NINE track bonus EP. What was that? Yes, NINE tracks on top of the six from This Is Not A Ladder. You can dig into the bonus tracks per a name-your-price Bandcamp purchase on your own. I'll just say that if "Good Night Sweet Sparrow" was eleven minutes longer, I would gladly make it the soundtrack for my nightly bowl of Rice Krispies ritual. It's ASMR from a very un-ASMR-esque band. But, hey, like I said, The Ex-Ops never cease to amaze me. That's why they're so much fun to listen to. Thanks to each of them for that.

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