Exit Clov - Respond Respond

It may be unfair to say that Exit Clov’s gimmick is that they're fronted by two cute Asian sisters. Whether gimmick is the correct word or not, however, it is certainly beyond debate that the Hsu (pronounced shoe) sisters are the most noticeable and appealing element of the band. Their vocals are sweet, cool and unaffected---which has drawn comparisons to Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier. Unfortunately, their synthy-pop confections, though solid, are somewhat dull and uninspired, which could leave casual listeners bored. It's a shame, really, since the band does have its charms. Their lyrics can be clever and their interests stray way off the beaten path. For example, one wouldn’t expect Exit Clov (which, by the way, gets its name from a stage direction in Samuel Beckett’s 1957 play, Endgame) to use their unassuming ditties to ruminate on issues of the Cold War. But ruminate they do, as on the band’s catchiest song, “MK Ultra”---the code name for the CIA’s program to use mind control. On “Violent Berries”, the girls sing of post-Cold War malaise, and on “Communist BBQ” they sing of the neo-socialist poster-boy, Hugo Chavez: “50 years have brought us to this commie BBQ so quit yer Stalin, you know the time is Mao”. Other songs innocuously dabble with the Middle East and Israel (“Moving Gaza”), local music scenes (“D.I.Y.”), and (“Beast Simone”), a song which may or may not be about Simone de Beavoir. If Exit Clov’s music was as interesting as their lyrics are, the band could easily fill an entire LP: Respond Respond” is just shy of twenty-two minutes (not counting the self-indulgent reprise of “Beast Simone” that appears minutes after the record’s end) ---- almost short enough to keep the cracks from showing. [www.exitclov.com]