Ex Friends – Animal Needs

Over the past couple years I’ve written several news stories about Ex Friends, the new band formed by former Plow United bassist Joel Tannenbaum.  With a few seven inches and one full length under their belt, they were always on the periphery of my mind – who’s snippets of songs continually impressed me but I never truly dove into any of their actual releases.

Animal Needs changed all that – and what a way to dive straight in.

The four song EP propels forward with Don’t Do It Like This (Do It Like This) and immediately sets the tone that this will be a band to be reckoned with.  Bouncy harmonies, upbeat tempo and a chorus that only needs one play through before you’re singing along, this is easily one of the catchier punk tunes in a while. That’s not saying it’s too poppy, far from it – the raspy females vocals are delivered with a crisp edge that suits the sweaty hole-in-the-wall clubs this music was made for.  It’s RVIVR meets The Measure [SA] with a harsher cut, a youthful exuberant that simply can’t be denied.

And this is just the first song.

They switch it up yet keep it going on Real Life, another scorcher of a track that sees Tannebaum take lead vocal duties. Offering a nice male/female exchange in vocals keeps the listener on their toes and while Real Life doesn’t have as straight out punk edge (the start reminds me of a less-ska version of little known Edmonton band Feast or Famine momentarily), it still completely entices.

Then comes the knockout punch with Word Police, a minute-long anthem of balls-to-the-walls punk. It’s Bad Religion’s Fuck You if it was sung by Banner Pilot. It’s simplistic and straightforward – and in some ways repetitive – but my god that song rules.

The three songs leave you wanting more, pleading for more from your former-friends and the weird thing is that they give you one more track in the form of Fadeage (City Inspector). Sadly, unlike the rest of the EP, Fadeage is unbelievably forgettable. At two minutes long, it’s by far the longest track on the album and the slowed down, Leatherface-esque tempo bogs the momentum down. Even though the classical saxophone sounds quite good, it doesn’t have the same emotional pull. After such a powerhouse trio, the final song slips painfully into the background; so much so that I always forget there’s actually four songs on the EP.

But one slight tumble does not discount three solid game winners, and Ex Friends are now fully on my radar and in my ear canals.