Ex Hex will issue their first LP in five years, It’s Real, on March 22nd via Merge Records. The indie-rock trio teased the album – which follows their acclaimed debut, 2014’s Rips – with its surging lead single, “Cosmic Cave.” The group offer a psychedelic edge to the jangly power-pop track, pairing shimmering guitar riffs and hammering drums with wordless “whoa-oh” vocals and blasts of vintage phaser. “Baby, come on and dance with me,” guitarist Mary Timony sings. “Come out of your cave; let’s ride on the waves.”
The band will promote It’s Real with a 29-date North American tour launching April 2nd in Richmond, Virginia and wrapping May 10th in their native Washington D.C. After a break, they will launch a brief U.K. leg on May 24th in Leeds. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, January 11th at 10 a.m. local time.
Timony, a veteran of alt-rock/post-punk acts Wild Flag and Helium, spoke to Rolling Stone in 2017 about the challenges of writing in a more pop-oriented style.
“I always kind of wanted to,” she said. “You know, like most people do, I go through a lot of different phases – as in, what you’re into and what influences you and stuff. And I think for the first time, I just wanted to try making music that I wanted. Just really trying to write pop songs more than I had ever done, just trying to see if I could do it, you know? It’s really so much harder for me. Like, I’m just not a natural pop person. It either happens or it doesn’t. Most of the time it doesn’t. Like, trying to force yourself to do a certain thing, because it’s really hard creatively I think. That last Ex Hex record was a real challenge.”
Ex Hex Tour Dates
April 2 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
April 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
April 4 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
April 5 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Press Room
April 6 – Montreal, QC @ l’Escogriffe
April 7 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
April 9 – Ferndale, MI @ Loving Touch
April 10 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
April 11 – Madison, WI @ High Noon
April 12 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
April 13 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb
April 15 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
April 17 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
April 18 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin
April 19 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore
April 20 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
April 23 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
April 24 – Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s
April 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
April 26 – Tustin, CA @ Marty’s on Newport
April 27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
April 28 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
April 30 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda
May 1 – Dallas, TX @ Curtain Club
May 3 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
May 4 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
May 5 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
May 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
May 10 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
May 24 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social
May 25 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
May 27 – Bristol, UK @ The Exchange
May 28 – London, UK @ Village Underground