Today Dark Entries re-unleashes the debut album from New Jersey’s all synthesizer band: xex.
I’m proud to say I also hail from New Jersey and attended Rutgers College just like the members of xex, 25 years later, of course. This release is very close to my heart!
xex were an all-synthesizer band from South River, New Jersey who recorded their debut album group:xex in 1980. Formed when a trio of high school misfits with funny names (Waw Pierogi, Thumbalina Gugielmo and Alex Zander) teamed up with some friends from Rutgers College
Performed entirely on then-state-of-the-art Arps, synths and electronic drums - no guitars anywhere - group: xex aims for the future, but comes across now like a time capsule from the deepest, darkest Reagan years. Each song burrows its way into your head with repetitive, undeniably catchy synth lines and vocal chants. “SNGA” (“Soviet Nerve Gas Attack”), “Cops” and “Delta Five” are doomy evocations of Cold War tension not far removed from very early Devo. But they were also capable of being quirky and whimsical. On “Fashion Hurts,” “Svetlana” and “St. Vitus Dance,” Waw and Thumbalina come across like a primitive B-52s, replacing the dance/party vibe with resignation and cynical humor. group: xex doesn’t sound like it’s from New Jersey. It barely sounds like it’s from Earth. However, there’s a certain residual murkiness that subliminally evokes the Central Jersey working-class suburbs.
group: xex was all but forgotten until 1998, when radio DJ Tom Smith discovered it in the WFMU music library and tracked down the band members, which lead to a CD reissue in 2004 on Smack Shire Records. Just in time for the 30th anniversary of group:xex Dark Entries tracked down Waw Pierogi and restored the original master tapes with George Horn who remastered the tracks for vinyl at Fantasy Studios. All copies include a 16 page zine with never before seen photos, lyrics, bios, press releases as well as an original concert invitation from 1980!
Sound clips of all songs here: http://soundcloud.com/darkentriesrecords/sets/xex-group-xex-lp/
Tracklist:
1. Fashion Hurts
2. You Think
3. SNGA
4. Rome On $5 A Day
5. Party
6. Saint Vitus’ Dance
7. Svetlana
8. Don’t Blame Me
9. Holland Tunnel
10. Cops
11. Kitty
12. Delta Five
$18
I’d like to personally thank Mike Applestein for being a key player in locating the band members and providing the album description above. Read his interview with waw pierogi of xex here: http://www.appelstein.com/xex/
If you are interested in a wholesale quantity, send me an EMAIL requesting exact quantity and shipping location.
Also there are many new distributed titles including: Club Moral, Pesteg Dred/SS-Say CD, Martin Hall CD/DVD, Kepeslap, Demontré, Dolina, Ruth, The Metronemes and many many more!in the SHOP:
http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/?page_id=47
The next few Dark Entries Records releases are in the works!
Various Artists – BART (Bay Area Retrograde) LP
Vita Noctis – Against the Rule 2xLP (co-release with Daft Records)
Jane & Jeff Hudson – Flesh 2xLP (co-release with Captured Tracks)
Xymox - Subsequent Pleasures (+ 4AD demos) LP
Starter - Starter LP
Thank you for your support always!
Josh