Punk • Exene
Cervenka, lead singer of the Original Sinners
and the ’70s punk band X. Lisa Johnson
Exene moves past X to the Original Sinners
By
Sara Chinchilla
and Lizbeth Mendez
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writers
She probably wouldn’t win “American Idol,” but her loud,
fierce voice and lyrically charged music has made Exene Cervenka an idol of
Los Angeles’ punk-rock scene.
Cervenka, 50, is best known as the vocalist and founding member of one of America’s
finest punk-rock bands of the ’70s, X.
While X no longer produces any new material, Cervenka continues to build her
legacy. Her new album “SEV7VEN,” recorded in summer 2005, with
her new band, the Original Sinners, is the follow-up to the Sinners self-titled
debut of 2002 with Nitro Records.
SEV7EN’s bluesy, rockabilly sound, which adds to Cervenka’s punk
rock roots, features guitarists Jason Edge and Dan Sabella, bass player Chris
Powers and drummer Kevin O’Conner.
O’Conner, Powers and Sabella are new to the band. The trio are moonlighting
from their longtime day job as the 7 Shot Screamers, hence the title of this
new record, a band based in St. Louis. Edge was a key contributor to the Sinners’ debut
album and continues to provide backing vocals to Cervenka’s fierce voice.
With the Screamers along for the ride, Cervenka leans heavily on her musical
strengths. According to the NiPP music Web site, Exene’s creative interest
moves in several directions, which is why she is excited about the Sinners.
“
This is the perfect band for me because it allows me to do all the different
kinds of music I love with the same musicians,” she told NiPP. “It
combines aspects of X, the Knitters, the country stuff, the love songs and
the music I have wanted to do. Everything is mixed in together.”
Cervenka’s blend of street-level poetry and pointed social commentary
is as present in this album as in her past X material.
Track 1 “It Ain’t Supposed to Be” is one of the album’s
most energetic compositions and features some of Cervenka’s finest lyrics,
such as “All tomorrow’s parties have not invited you.” Songs
like “Last Dance” and “Tavern,” an ode to one-night
stands as Cervenka calls it, with lyrics like “if it ain’t
too much to ask, could I just have one last dance with you” and “but
something was shiny and pretty and loud, someone was happy, lost and found” to
show off her well-known depressed love song style.
There also generous helpings of grief and anger. “Down Where It’s
Down” and “Lonesome War” bring back the legendary fury of
X, and “Long Distance” is a mournful reflection of the loss of
a beloved friend. During an interview with skratmagazine.com Cervenka exposed
the inspiration for this song.
“
That’s about my friend who died and [my getting] the phone call that
he died really suddenly down in Texas,” Cervenka said.
“
And it’s that feeling of you really don’t want that phone call
and you know sometimes when the phone rings, you get that feeling and sure
enough, something really bad has happened. That’s what it’s about,
kinda like protesting against it really happening.”
“
Last Dance” keeps the punk energy in high gear. The fine cover of the
Gun Club’s “Ghost on the Highway” stampedes in with rollicking
guitars.
Unfortunately, the album is back-loaded. Its finest songs don’t roll
in until past mid-album.
“
History Now” is a crowd pleaser and, according to critics, winner of
the Most Likely to Be an X Song Award. It’s punched up with punk-rock
guitars and jarring duet vocals. “Good at Being Bad” is a picture
perfect swing song. “Lonesome War” is a somber country death song
and is followed by a pair of great up-tempo songs, “Down Where It’s
Down” and “Long Distance.”
Following all these fine songs is a mish-mash of songs that either don’t
sink in, like “Sky Blue Pink,” or border on annoying, like “Born
Yesterday.” The album ends with “Hollywood Signs,” the weakest
song compared to the others. Overall this album has great energy. Song after
song Cervenka stays true to her punk-rock roots.
On Nitro Records’ Artist Page, Cervenka said, “I’ll always
write sad love songs because those are the songs that move me the most, but
my life is really great now so I don’t feel like writing them at the
moment. But there’s plenty of bad stuff in my past I can draw on if I
ever need to come up with one of those songs.”
X hit the Los Angeles Scene in the late ’70s, tackling issues beyond
teen angst and frustration. According to furious.com, “Cervenka
and Doe sang like they were either fighting or making love, and the band, which
also included guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D.J. Bonebrake could actually
play their instruments.”
X recorded multiple records. Its first album “Los Angeles” put
it on the map and according to VH1, earned the band stature as California’s
first punk band when the record earned across-the-board raves by critics and
fans alike. The group’s last record, released in 2005, “Live in
Los Angeles” is a compilation of songs performed during a pair of 2004
Los Angeles Concerts. To the dismay of X fans, the band has not written any
new material but continues to trot out their hits on the occasional mortgage-paying
tour.
And while X fans have given up hope for any new material, Cervenka’s
fans continue to rock out to her loud wailing voice and sense of fashion.
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