"No Exit" kicks off with the epic clang of "Louise Tonight", which merges dive-bombing guitar licks and bombastic drumming, hinting at the controlled chaos of a modern day Townshend/Moon. Elsewhere, "The Man Who Does Nothing" evokes the shimmering harmonies of The Hollies atop a persistent backbeat, and tunes like "Before You're Gone" "Beagle Theory" sidle up to a dreamy kiwi-jangle strong enough to make Martin Phillips jealous. Conversely, tunes like side two's "All Those Hats" rages with an amphetamine-laced melodic tension reminiscent of The Buzzcocks or The Undertones. Rendon has consistently proven to have a knack for an everyman style of songwriting that doesn't seem rote or tired, lacing his melodic vocal harmonies with that melancholic joy omnipresent in the best numbers by bands like The Beach Boys, Big Star or even Simon & Garfunkel's pop hits.
Rendon typically handles all aspects of Resonars albums from the recording & engineering (at his own Midtown Island Studios) to the performance of every instrument, but for "No Exit" he employs the help of some friends & colleagues; Resonars live drummer Johnnie Rinehart plays on half the tunes, while sometimes live members Ricky Shimo & Travis Spillers play bass & sing (respectively) on two numbers. Despite being the first Resonars album in 5 years, Rendon shows no signs of stopping; He's a rock & roll lifer, having been raised in a musical environment & osmosis thru older sibling's rock fandom. Once it's inside you there's no escape. "No Exit", if you will.
RIYL: The Who, The Chills, The Hollies, Lemon Twigs, Tame Impala, Big Star, Buzzcocks, Soft Boys, Guided By Voices.