Nearly twenty-five years after their inception, these Dutch anarcho-postpunks are still kicking, and 2004's TURN proves that they are still capable of making edgy, urgent, and relevant music. A two-disc set chock full of lengthy epics and oddball, atonal grooves, The Ex create a dense racket with lyrical content that is both inspirational and accusatory. Kat's African-influenced drumming works alongside newcomer Rozemarie's upright bass to lay a groove behind Terry and Andy's skronky guitars, while G.W. Sok alternately sings, shouts, or speaks over the din. The band sounds as anachronistic as it is anarchic; in their world, it's still 1982, and bands like the Pop Group, Wire, and Gang of 4 are their peers. While many younger bands at the time of this album's release were updating that past era's sound, TURN bolsters the argument that those who did it first are, in fact, those that do it best.
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