Release Date: January 7, 2003
Reviewed by Vin Cherubino
The Exies major label debut brings forth a rock filled schizophrenic split in music personality. Is it something to look forward to, or does it leave much to be desired?
There is a definite STP influence amongst the band, an influence that is very good to work off of. They aren’t very heavy though, and they tend to lean on the pop-rock side of the spectrum. In some ways, they sound similar to the newer Our Lady Peace. “My Goddess” is an absolute tribute to the STP sound, showing the somewhat heavier side of the band, but never becoming too extreme.
The album is somewhat unbalanced in its approach, seeming hard rock at one point and kind of easy listening through much of the rest of it. In an effort that seems like it looked to extend the album’s appeal to a wider audience, in some ways it hurts the album as after a few songs satisfy the listener, they hear a much different melody and tend to skip the others. The band definitely knows how to rock though, and their talent and composure is comparable to any band with plenty of stage presence. The non acoustical heavier pieces are “My Goddess”, “Can’t Relate”, “Kickout”, “Without”, and “No Secrets”. Those tracks are the strong point behind the album, and provide a foundation to build off of. On their next album, they should think about sticking with either just heavy or just soft rock tracks. It would help balance out what the band has to offer, and provide more of a CD you could listen to all the way through. The vast amount of programming, instruments, and solid rock sound establish that The Exies can have plenty of public appeal to them.
Inertia is a good pickup for the average rock listener. There is no pushing the envelope here, so anyone looking for some standard no-nonsense rock should take a chance and pick up the CD.
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