Sex Mex is an abnormal band. Clark Gray’s one-man Texas synth-punk operation has only been around for about five years, yet I’m fairly certain he’s already crossed the 100-song mark. Take one look at his discography and you’ll find no fewer than eight compilation albums. That’s not normal, right?
Then, this week, Gray dropped a record that’s being presented as the official Sex Mex debut. Can he do that? Apparently he can, because 21:12 is the first proper full-length release, arriving via Candy-O Records. And no, the title doesn’t refer to a Bible verse. It’s simply the album’s running time. Ten songs. Twenty-one minutes and twelve seconds. That sounds about right.
If you’re familiar with Sex Mex, you already know what you’re getting: buzzsaw guitars, robotic drumming, the occasional gloriously cheap synth melody, and hooks that arrive at a frightening rate. You could argue that if you’ve heard one Sex Mex song, you’ve heard them all. Fine. But what if that one song absolutely ruled? Then hearing ten variations on the theme suddenly sounds like a great idea.
The difference is that Gray keeps getting better at writing them. His hooks are sharper than ever, and Ride Or Die, Need Ya Til I Don’t, and Hot As Hell form one of the strongest runs he’s put to tape. Reaction is impossible to shake, with its staccato verses exploding into an aggro chorus, while At The End proves, once again, that a slightly corny synth line can elevate a great punk song. Then there’s I Like It, where Gray finally answers the question nobody should have to ask: “Why is your music so damn loud?” Because I like it!
After years of singles, EPs, and compilations, 21:12 proves that Sex Mex can deliver a front-to-back killer just as easily. It’s uncomplicated fun, a welcome escape from an overactive mind, and twenty-one minutes you’ll almost certainly want to spend twice.
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