More ambitious than accomplished at the start, this British rock trio reveals some serious problems on Out of the Dark. The lack of a drummer in the lineup results in stiff rhythms that do nothing for the material; the failure to locate a key in which bassist Ashton Liburd (whose voice actually has a nice quality) can sing the amateurish we-wanna-be-pop-stars lyrics caps off the downwardly mobile effort. The playing is fine and the melodies are functional, but this is hopeless.
Wild! is a lot better, although still not great. Now a quintet, Exposure plays invigorating, tightly packed guitar rock with a powerful rhythm section (bassist Paul Gold’s arrival is a big plus). Although the music’s thick textures are effectively intense and exciting, Liburd’s shaky grip on melody and clumsy lyrics keep Wild! from being a big deal.