Talking Heads-inspired band Ex Norwegian comes to the Tin Roof

The band Ex Norwegian will be visiting the Tin Roof in West Ashley on July 17th for their first show in Charleston. A three-piece ensemble from Miami Beach, FL, Ex Norwegian is made up of Roger Houdaille (vocals, guitar); Nina Souto (backup vocals, bass); and Arturo Garcia (backup vocals, drums). The band is quite new, yet they are already making a name among Indie Rock circles with their debut album, Standby, which was just released in the spring.

Ex Norwegian began their musical journey a year ago, with four original members. Unfortunately the band's fourth member left before the tour began, and no plans have been established for a new addition as of yet. "We are comfortable with three in the band—and we all sing," says Houdaille.

The members are all original Floridians, and in fact, Houdaille and Souto attended the same high school. "We all come from musical backgrounds," says Houdaille. "Nina and I were both part of a high school rock ensemble. And most of the musicians that we've toured with have also been from this general area in Florida. It's a network."

"My dad also played in a jazz group my whole life," says Souto. "I've been playing instruments since I was small."

The style of Ex Norwegian is very difficult to label. The band generally goes under "Indie Rock," but Houdaille says "we think of that as a varied term. I don't listen to a lot of new music, but that's what fits us best." The band's actual sound is reminiscent of pop, yet the lyrics are thoughtful, with lines such as "dance, dance, dance on your motor car."

"We like quirky subject matter," says Houdaille. "We try to stay away from love songs as much as possible, and come up with lines that we've never heard of before."

Ex Norwegian's influences include classic artists like The Kinks and The Talking Heads. "We all have our own musical tastes," says Houdaille. "Our IPODS that we bring on the road have their common ground but definitely particulars too."

As for the band's interesting name, it is actually taken from a Monty Python sketch. "We were looking for a band name, and I had just spent like a week watching Monty Python," laughs Houdaille. "We like to have fun with words in our music, and we needed something different. The ironic thing, of course, is that none of us are Norwegian!"

The show at the Tin Roof is the band's first Charleston show, although not their first time in the Carolinas. "We played in Columbia back in March," says Houdaille. "Everyone suggested that we should come to Charleston, so here we are."

Bandmember Nina Souto is the only one of the three who has visited the Lowcountry. "I came here a couple of weeks ago," she says. "I even had the chance to check out the Tin Roof, and I love the venue. Plus, the town is awesome and I think a lot of people will enjoy our show."