Album Review: Catch My Shoe by The Ex

After 30 years and 123 releases, Dutch art punks the Ex parted ways with singer G.W. Sok and replaced him with Arnold de Boer. While it's rarely a good idea for a band to continue after the departure of such an important member, the change has not proved detrimental. Continually developing and evolving, the Ex sound as vibrant as ever, and Catch My Shoe has an enviably timeless feel.

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Dutch punk legends The Ex have notched up over three decades of performing and recording. During this time, they’ve managed to stay politically and musically relevant, making a mockery of any attempt to divide these adverbs. They are a rare example of a band who have kept going without becoming the least bit dull or repetitive. The longstanding core of the group — vocalist G.W.

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Netherlands-based The Ex have been around for over 30 years now, changing lineups and genres at whim. Sometimes they’re bashing out anarcho-punk, sometimes they’re collaborating with everyone from Tortoise and Sonic Youth to legends of the free jazz scene and traditional African musicians. Despite all that fluctuation, it was a surprise when founding vocalist G.W.

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Talk about a collective effort: How many bands can weather the loss of a founding member who’s been a mainstay for 30 years, then come out on the other side like they haven’t missed a beat? Well, there aren’t many groups like the Ex, who have 25 adventurous albums to their name, incorporating avant-jazz, traditional African music, European folk forms, and much more to keep their under-the-radar post-punk reliably durable and always inventive. Three decades down the line with a revamped lineup, the Dutch anarcho-punks are still as vital and relevant as ever on their latest album Catch My Shoe, the first since original singer/guitarist G.W. Sok left the band last year.

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Across three decades, Dutch punks the Ex have released 25 consistent albums while staying radical, never breaking up, and trotting the globe in search of inspiration. Arnold de Boer replaced agitator G.W. Sok in 2009, and though his delivery never matches the founder's artful rasp, on "Cold Weather Is Back" he rages against technology like it's something new, the blast of brass saving it from caricature.

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