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The Ex-Boyfriends
I'll just be really up front about this -- I first heard about The Ex-Boyfriends the other day -- no, not from an mp3 blog, you cynics (but it's totally okay that you're hearing about them in one, of course!). No, it was even worse. Not only did I hear about them from an email directly from the owner of their label (Hi, Cory!) -- they were also Spin's Band of the Day. I'm patiently waiting for someone to come take my indie cred card away as we speak.
But seriously, all kidding aside -- The Ex-Boyfriends are one of those bands where from the moment I first heard them, I thought, "Where has this band been all my life?" (see also: The Baptist Generals, The National, and Ex-BF labelmates, The Wrens -- apparently, I like 'the' bands as well.) Thing one: power pop. We've covered my feelings on that one. Thing two: The band is 2/3 pretty rockin' gay boys with tattoos and glasses. Another weakness -- but I mean, it's okay to objectify pretty boys when they're gay, right? Isn't it?
But, anyway, yes, The Ex-Boyfriends are 2 queens and a straight boy from San Francisco, but don't dismiss them just because they're queer. Though it's true that their sound kind of lives in the gay ghetto of pop-punk with Team Dresch and Pansy Division, there's a dash of Weezer or The Cars rattling around in there too, and an occasional nod to men who are undeniable influences as well -- Morrissey and Bob Mould.
Which is just a roundabout way of saying that The Ex-Boyfriends play the best kind of power pop -- the doomed relationship, let's break up, it's better this way, we're better apart kind of power pop. In a genderless kind of way -- so you know, if you need to put "Him For Me" on a mix CD (because you'll want to, I promise), you'll find it applicable to to any number of sexual orientation and relationship configuration combinations. Which, you know, is always handy.
The Ex-Boyfriends - Him For Me
The Ex-Boyfriends - Willingly
The Ex-Boyfriends' official site. Buy their debut album, Dear John, from Amazon or the iTunes Music Store.
Shadows tags:exboyfriends.
Posted by Little Miss Rock'n'Roll at 02.24.06 at 2:52 AM
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