Rexx is the one-man-band project of Rex Osterkamp, formerly of the band MHV. Although loop/FX-driven solo acts have long been something difficult for me to mesh with, I've enjoyed his live sets when I've seen him play. He always at least appears to be having a good time with his songs, in contrast to many overly-sullen (or just sucky) loopers.
He was booked for a set at The Dial last night with Puzzle and The Aquadolls that I was unsure whether I would go to or not. The Chargers were playing The Colts on Monday Night Football as well, so that pretty much took precedent over any other plan that could be introduced. Come around 6:30 I was still somewhat considering heading to the warehouse when the game was over, however, so I streamed his new album "My Last Moment Of Teenage Angst" from Bandcamp during commercials and injury breaks.
Rexx's songs, not too short or simplistic but not overreaching or confounded either, actually worked very well in the disjointed fashion that I listened to them in; much like commercials they are each well-encaspulated and well-proportioned. Although sonically it fits into a general indie-wave mold, there is enough variance
in vibe to make the whole thing not feel tiresome. Most of the tracks are upbeat and indie-danceable but others find a more brooding - yet somehow still slightly playful - middle ground.
The only minor flaws are that the drum programming (while much better-sounding than a large majority of programmed drums people pass off in this mixed-up lofi-for-lofi's-sake world) really puts a one-dimensional feel across the album that becomes almost distracting as it moves along. Also, the vocals are at times (perhaps intentionally) a bit weak/washy, although again, not nearly so much as many of the singular-project people in Rexx's 'genre'. On the whole it's a cool listen, though; catchy stuff.
My buddy David came over and watched the second half of the Chargers game with me and I continued to play songs during commercials because I have an OCD complex about finishing albums once I'm a certain length of the way through. David is more into melodic death metal and old school punk than anything else, but he has a fairly open mind and partway through one of the tracks - I think during the deceptively-upbeat "Going Blind" - he asked me "who is this?" I basically recited the first paragraph of this review to him and he was like "Cool. My dog's name is Rex."
A few moments later he just randomly laughed and said "My dog made an album!!!!!"
I never did go to the show because MNF ran until about 8:40, The Aquadolls dropped off the show at the last minute (again), and I was just kinda over the idea of going out at that point. When David left I decided to just go on a walk and write this review to get my mind tired. I haven't been sleeping well for a good long while now, and I think a big part of that is vegging out on football and online albums all day instead of getting my blood flowing or ever using my mind.
By the way, The Chargers won!! It was fucking awesome, we were making play after play all night and then at the end we were up by 10 points...but The Colts got the ball back with 2 minutes left to play, and we all know how The Chargers like to give up sizable leads at the last second. It's like, a fetish of theirs or something. THIS TIME, however, Andrew Luck threw an interception at the last goddamn minute and my dogs got scared from my dad and I screaming victory screams from both ends of the house.
Like I said, fucking awesome.
http://rexxagain.bandcamp.com/album/my-last-moment-of-teenage-angst
- This was written in an hour while listening to "A Universal Plague" by Abiotic and the Greylife/Otis "Epidemic of the Forked Tongue" split
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