2010's Best Releases and Gigs...by The Ex

One of the more surprising gigs I got to see this year was catching the inimitable The Ex as a part of Upset The Rhythm's brilliant gig roster back in October. Not that its strange to see these Dutch post punk pioneers - they have been touring incessantly since the late 70s, and have just released their umpteenth album Catch My Shoe which is also pretty damn rad - just that I wasnt expecting to really catch them. They have been a band that has informed the blueprint of my musical tapestry since hearing their In The Fishtank session with Tortoise some time ago (I know, a weird starting point, but I started with Washing Machine as my Sonic Youth genesis, so there you go...)

Anyway, it was a blistering gig, so I spoke to Andy Moor after the show about his current tastes in modern music. As is widely known The Ex subscribe wholeheartedly to a worldview when it comes to musical inspirations, so it comes as no surprise that their selection is highly travelled - as are their favourite gigs of the year, spanning all over the globe. The Ex show no sign of slowing down then...

2010 - best of:

-Live gigs-

Chelachew Ashenafi / Illilta Band - Centre Urbain Kultur Kino Siska ,Ljublijana 17.07.10

Ab Baars - Tilburg, Incubate Festival 13.09.10

Appy Wizz - The Croft Bristol 23.10.10

Chocolat Billy - Krakatoa Bordeaux 18.11.10

Lithurgy - Knoxville,big ears fest USA 27.03.10

Dj Rupture - OT301, Amsterdam 16.09.10

Anne james Chaton - La cave Dimiere Argenteuil France 15.10.10

Han Bennink - Vera Groningen 30.09.10

Trash Kit - London Th eDome 19.10.10

Jackdaw with Crowbar - Islington Mill Manchester 20.10.10

The Thing XL - Nickelsdorf konfrontationen fest 16.07.10

Ab Baars, Ken Vandemark, Paal Nilssen-Love - Bateau Ivre Addis Abeba jan 2010

Xavier Charles Office Culturel Gignac 21.11.10

Agustí Fernandez & Ingebrigt Haker Flaten & Paul Lovens Nickelsdorf konfrontationen fest 16.07.10

-Albums-

AB Baars - Time To Do My Lions

Paal Niellssen Love - Miro

Tessema Eshete - Ethiopiques 27

Shangaan Electro - New Wave Dance Music From South Africa

Youssef en Kamal - compilation

Kanipchen-Fit - Multibenefit

Fanajana - A Collection Of Recordings And Photography From Madagasikara
ICP - 50!

Xavier Charles - solitude

The Ex's latest release Catch My Shoe is out now.

The Ex - Cold Weather Is Back

The Ex - Maybe I Was The Pilot