Tense, wiry, and somewhat
Wire
-like, the tightly wound
post-punk
music on
Dizzy Spells
should appeal to fans of this Dutch band's previous work, as well as newcomers who enjoy
Fugazi
,
Gang of Four
, or some of the projects by this album's producer,
Steve Albini
. Granted, the songs are too long and deliberately paced to convey the adrenaline rush of standard
punk
music; the herky-jerky rhythms created by the rolling drums and thundering double-string and chords bass playing aren't exactly funky, and the melodies aren't catchy enough for crossover
pop
appeal. But the music is still compelling because of the simmering and sometimes humorously expressed anger that boils beneath the tightly constructed evocations of chaos. The frequently sarcastic lyrics draw on texts by
Galeano
and
Lucebert
and attack targets ranging from
Disney
, which represents the elements of consumerism and
culture that particularly irk these anarchist
punks
, to the PR firm Burson Marsteller, which defended Union Carbide after the Bhopal tragedy. Meanwhile, the fierce vocals, dissonant guitar interplay, and jagged rhythms gradually build intensity over the course of the songs, and there are even some interesting quirks to lend variety to the album, such as the vocals that seem to channel
Sandy Denny
through
Bjoerk
over the random guitar lines and maracas of
"Oskar Beck."
Many years of experience have enabled the members of
the Ex
to perfect their particular brand of agitprop; even if you don't always agree with their anger, you may still enjoy the musical conviction with which they express it. ~ Todd Kristel