The Sex @ Red House Pub

Beaten down by lineup changes, shitty opening slots on five-band bills, and an indefinable lack of forward momentum, The Sex could have easily — like countless lesser bands — unplugged their Marshalls long ago. But this scrappy local punk act may just be getting started. This month, The Sex birthed...

By Jay Bennett

May 8, 2014

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Beaten down by lineup changes, shitty opening slots on five-band bills, and an indefinable lack of forward momentum, The Sex could have easily — like countless lesser bands — unplugged their Marshalls long ago. But this scrappy local punk act may just be getting started. This month, The Sex birthed a physical release (a six-song vinyl EP titled Wet Brain) six years after playing its first gig. Granted, there was that three-year period when band leader Casey O'Brien split town to live in Chicago before the desert and its (slightly) more cohesive rock scene beckoned him home to relaunch the band. A convincing adaptation of late-'70s British street punk, Wet Brain puts The Sex's pile-driving rhythm section (led by the acrobatic drumming of Chadd Curry) and crunchy riffing and melodic flair of guitarist O'Brien on full display. Of course, each band's debut platter has one surprising revelation, and this record's belongs to singer Kate Mexal. A blue-chip barker in a live setting, Mexal delivers a set of more refined, but no less intense, vocals on Wet Brain, somewhat reminiscent of the Avengers' Penelope Houston. Now, with a stable lineup and an exemplary recording, The Sex appears ready to finally get on the radar.

Jay Bennett

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