Twice the Talent: A Review of Exit Clov

Even your average self-respecting garage band will tell you, one of the keys to musical success is blending well musically with your bandmates. To that end, who else could you possibly blend better with than a beloved sibling? I know what you’re thinking – tell that to the Gallagher brothers in Oasis. My rebuttal? Exit Clov.

The ladies providing an angelic vocal prowess to Exit Clov aren’t only just sisters, they’re twins. Their interweaving voices gel and swirl through almost every song in such a cohesive manner that you’d think they were….well….twins. With that advantage, who needs overdubbing? Emily and Susan Hsu share not only vocal duties (and genes), but also keys, violin and other assorted tools. Just like their voices, they tend to share those tools simultaneously to construct a unique brand of music that is eclectic and sometimes dreamy, a little political, but mostly always dance inducing indie pop.

The sisters are fantastic with their refreshing delivery and together they don’t overshadow the rest of the band with their performance. Aaron Leeder’s guitar licks provide a beautifully balanced amount of distortion and edge, which almost convince the often applied “dance” and “pop” labels to peek around the corner and call themselves “rock.” The rhythm section is the core foundation for this entire collection. John Thayer’s beats start that spark under your toes to get them tapping – if they weren’t before. The bass line from Brett Niederman applies the finishing touches to your listening experience and shatters any possibility of resistance.

Exit Clov is already established and familiar within venues around the District that they are prone to sing about. Inspired by the nature and life of DC, they’ve already released 3 EPs. Sure the girls’ voices are sweet and they’re cute, but they’re also are not afraid to hit you in the face with some reality. Songs like “Strippers and Politicians,” “Moving Gaza,” “My Congressman is a Space Alien,” and “My Country’s at War” along with their newest single “District Menagerie” showcase their unique material. You’ll find songs sprinkled with wit and clever phrases on everything ranging from political issues to brainwashing. Some might say the two are not too distantly related in Exit Clov’s world (the word “Brainwashington” is repeated throughout the chorus on their song “MK Ultra”).

Speaking of “MK Ultra”, arguably one of the strongest tracks from Exit Clov, it has one of the craziest videos…ever. There’s mind control happening around the Washington Monument, jumping jacks, hazmat suits, and what looks like kinetic lightning (a la the Emperor) and a freeze frame high five at the end. I mean, come on! What more could you ask for?

The music, as it should be, is easily accessible not only from a musical standpoint, but also from a consumer perspective. Buy their CDs off their Web site and it quickly directs you to a link to immediately download the album. But wait, there’s more! A short while later you’ll also receive the CD via mail.

So sure, there are twin sisters in the band, but don’t let that trick you into thinking this group doesn’t have the ability to deliver a message to your brain and to your toes. As for the sibling thing, I can’t quite speak to that, but let’s just say you should watch one stab the other in the video for “Violent Berries.” Trust me, just like the band itself, in the end it all makes sense.

If you’re up in NYC this weekend, catch them @ Drom, 85 Avenue A (b/w 5th & 6th), New York, NY, 8:30pm.