Spin Ex Hex's Gnarly 'Rainbow Shiner,' Catch Them at Exit/In

Way back in January 2015, the kickass trio of Ex Hex (Mary Timony, Betsy Wright and Laura Harris) came through Music City in support of their appropriately titled debut album Rips. They’ve been releasing new music since the beginning of this year in preparation for the follow-up LP It’s Real, which hits stores March 22. “Cosmic Cave” came first, followed by “Tough Enough” earlier this month. The latter track was accompanied by a music video that packs a lot into four-and-a-half minutes: A DIY music video shoot turns into a story of survival as the band and crew run to a fallout shelter to escape a nuclear blast, get buff bench-pressing guitars and re-emerge to take on the post-apocalyptic world. 

Tuesday, they gave fans another treat in the form of the track “Rainbow Shiner.” Chunky, distorted guitars define the tune and prove Ex Hex’s forte is in big, dramatic compositions like this one. “Rainbow Shiner” is also a showcase for Wright’s vocals. She sings with such conviction and power on this song, which she describes as “a victory song about the power and love of music,” delivering a sense of relatable edginess that reminds me of rockin’ women before her like Ann Wilson, Pat Benatar and Joan Jett. 

You can check out all three tracks released so far from It’s Real below, and you can do one better and catch the band in person at Exit/In on Friday, May 3. Advance tickets are $16 and available right here. Theirs is the kind of music that seems as though it’ll sound even better when you’ve got some company to head-bang with, and they’ll have some company, too: Feels, a lo-fi indie punk group based out of Los Angeles, will open.