Ex Hex – ‘Rips’

Washington DC’s Ex Hex – aka Mary Timony, Laura Harris and Betsy Wright – are firm believers in and lifelong beneficiaries of the ecstatic potential of rock’n’roll, and they’ve produced a debut that restores transcendence to a faded idiom. ‘Rips’ draws skilfully from the twang of CBGB-era punk, glam’s robust swagger and Go-Gos pop-punk, imbuing the likes of small-town howl ‘New Kid’ with the assurance that comes from two decades spent playing in bands (Wild Flag, Helium, The Aquarium, Benjy Ferree). That these three 30-something women write rollicking songs in an ostensibly teenaged realm – trouncing shitty summer jobs, mean kids and juvenile boyfriends – may seem odd, but it’s a mark of Ex Hex’s generosity that they transmit their unshakeable confidence through a world that’s accessible to (especially younger) listeners. “I just wanna be your mirror”, Mary Timony implores on ‘Waste Your Time’. That’s it exactly: ‘Rips’ is a reminder of rock’s glorious communal potential.