Album Review :: Ex Friends :: Rules For Making Up Words

Written by: Andrea Janov, CC2K Music Editor

Ex Friends :: Rules For Making Up Words :: Paper + Plastick

Rules For Making Up Words by Ex Friends is a fast paced hooky punk rock explosion, with a  gruff edge. It is the solid classic punk sound that we have come to expect from Ex Friends. The robust vocals and pounding  music it will get you up and moving. Every sing one of these tracks has an underlying element of dissatisfaction and urgency that will get you riled up. That said, there are a few slower tracks on this album that somehow feel totally natural. Maybe it’s because that though they are a bit slower they are still full layered tracks that address issues like police brutality or maybe it is because they just fucking rock.

There are so many solid songs on this album, I can’t pick a favorite. Going Dark is a cool song but there is a small moment near the end where I swear I hear a laugh, and man, that makes the song that much better. This album will no doubt be one to turn on a new generation of punks. And I can’t fail to mention how much I totally adore Joel Tannenbaum’s voice.

Also, though I don’t talk about it much (probably because most of these promos that I get are via download) packaging design is so fucking important. Album covers and the overall design concept always sets the stage for an album. I don’t care how much space my record/cd/tape collection takes, I want to hold music in my hands. I love that Ex Friends’ packaging embraces the feel of real paper and gives a nod to the times when cut and paste and newsprint designs were what punk rock used to look like while totally adding flare and bringing it into the digital age.