It's official: The Exbats are the best band in the world. Two years on from their wonderful pandemic-inspired release Now Where Were We, daughter/dad duo Inez and Kenny McLain (joined by Bobby Carlson and Matt Rendon) have topped themselves once again. Out on Goner Records, new album Song Machine finds the McLains steering their musical time machine into the early 1970s. Palpable on this release is their affection for that often-overlooked post-'60s, pre-punk era of popular music. Yet their style remains more timeless than retro — truly a sound for all ages. The album's title suggests a goldmine of hit singles, and that's exactly what it delivers. Inspired by the walls of 45s that adorned record stores in Kenny McLain's youth, Song Machine finds The Exbats writing new pop anthems for the 21st century.
While Song Machine continues The Exbats' progression towards more sophisticated songwriting and production, it retains the charm, energy, and sense of fun that made the band such a breath of fresh air in the late 2010s garage punk scene. With their exquisite harmonies and easygoing, hummable melodies, tracks like "Riding With Paul," "Singalong Tonight," "What a Song Can Do," and "The Happy Castaway" hearken back to the glory days of AM radio pop. When it comes to pure pop songs, nobody does it better than The Exbats. But while The Exbats have expanded from their punk rock roots, they certainly haven't abandoned them. "To All The Mothers That I'd Like To Forgive" is a searing rocket of punky '60s girl group goodness. "Food Fight" brings to mind early-period Ramones — hardly a surprise considering the two bands' shared musical DNA. The moment I heard "Like It Like I Do," I jotted the words "vintage Exbats" in my notes. In my daydreams, I envision "Cry About Me" topping the charts as stadiums full of humans joyfully scream the words "I'm overdue to fuck off outta here!" Elsewhere, the band flirts with styles as varied as orchestral pop, country rock, garage rock, and doo wop. Song Machine manages to be all over the place stylistically yet sound definitively like The Exbats. And that's a beautiful thing.
The genius of The Exbats is that they create music that's steeped in reverence for the past yet find a way to make it new. From the songs to the production to the packaging of the record, Song Machine has the appeal of an artifact from an era that seemingly no longer exists — a reminder of how great music "used to be." In truth, though, this album announces how great music can still be and actually is. While so many of The Exbats' influences are obvious, they don't merely rehash them. They write remarkable songs about life and love in the modern world — many of which could very well influence future generations of rock 'n' roll. If you're a parent, you'd want to inspire your kid to be the next Inez McLain. If you're a kid, you'd want to inspire your parent to be the next Kenny McLain. It's never too late or too early in life to pick up a guitar or pair of drumsticks and find your passion. As Song Machine's extraordinary middle cuts "Singalong Tonight" and "What a Song Can Do" make clear, The Exbats are music lovers above all else. Song Machine, which ought to open older fans' minds to newer bands and lead younger fans to seek out some of the inspirations behind these song, spreads that love in a massive way.
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