The xx- xx

I must shamefully admit that I do not like *almost all* British music. Whether it be The Who, The Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, or even The freakin' Clash, I have never felt a connection to music from across the pond for some unknown reason.

That being said, I am extremely impressed with The xx. This quartet of 20 year old Brits' debut album, xx, is reminiscent of Depeche Mode in their prime, harrowing back to the fledgling synth-pop scene of the 80's. The music is very low key; xx is a perfect album to throw on the iPod for late night writing sessions or some sensual love making. The album's composition is very smooth and settling, a dire contrast to the displacing "noise" movement that is currently sweeping indie pop with reckless abandon.

Co-vocalists Oliver Sim and Romy Madley lead the band with their harmonic, healing voices, elevating the music to a near supernatural aura. Since the band's emphasis is definitely focused on the vocals, the slow paced electronic beats on xx could not be more appropriate.

Singles from xx include "Heart Skipped a Beat," "Crystalised," and "Basic Space." My personal favorite, "Heart Skipped a Beat," is arguably the catchiest song on the album. Sim and Madley's voices contrast subtly in this track then sensually harmonize on the chorus, metaphoric of virgin sex- the theme of the song. "Crystalised" opens with alternating verses from Sim and Madley that create a conversational feel for the track. "Basic Space" is a bit more staccato than the rest of the album, yet it still feels completely in place. This goes to show the strength of xx- every track has an extremely unique sound, yet they all compliment one another perfectly. Not a single track comes off as misplaced or confused, quite an extraordinary accomplishment for a few 20 year olds that produced their own album with little guidance from music gurus.

xx has been received phenomenally well by music critics world wide since its August 17th release on Turk Records (October 20th in the states). The xx is amassing hype like the first snowball of winter, and have begin planning their first North America tour, which will assuredly feature performances on late night television shows. xx is a great album, from a young band with no where to go but up. There is a lot of opportunity to burst to stardom in indie pop, and I believe The xx will ride the coat tails of electro-centric bands like She Wants Revenge and The Postal Service to mainstream success.

Review score: 7.8 out of 10

Here's the music video for "Crystalised."

Media Goodies 10/06/2009

Here's a taste of what I've been listening to the past few weeks. This is just a hold over until I decide which album I want to review next. Talk to me in the comments sections, I want to know what you guys would like to see featured on the blog. More media? More reviews? More artist profiles? Also, I'd like to thank you guys for your support. This week I had 1,000 hits and 650 unique site visitors. That amount of traffic simply blew me away, you guys are awesome. Enjoy!

Why?- "The Vowels Pt. 2"

This experimental hip-hop is disturbing, nasty, dark, catchy and oh-so-good. Check it out.



Dear and the Headlights- "Bad News"



Vampire Weekend- "Horchata"

From their upcoming release, "Contra," this single displays Vampire Weekend's growth. I am personally hyped for "Contra" and I was NOT a fan of their first album.



Sleepercar- "West Texas"

Sleepercar is Jim Ward's alt-country experiment band. "West Texas" captured the atmosphere of the region Ward grew up in, which is something I love seeing from artists. I've been listening to this song this week, trying to lull myself to sleep.



Wale- "Chillin' ft. Lady Gaga"

Wale and Lady Gage. Does it get better? I think not.



Frank Turner- "I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous"

One of my favorite British song writers.

fun. "Aim and Ignite"

Can anyone think of a band that fulfills their name as well as fun. does? This electric trio makes indie pop music with one goal in mind: Have fun! Led by Nate Ruess, formerly of The Format, fun. released their debut album named "Aim and Ignite" on August 25, 2009. This album is a real charmer. While fairly light in content, "Aim and Ignite" is capable of lifting spirits and putting a smile on faces.

fun. is an extremely unique, yet talented group. Musical comparisons can span from 70's pop to swing to Weezer, proving the band with an extremely specified sound. What differentiates fun. from other indie pop bands (Miniature Tigers, Phoenix) is their sheer instrumental skill.Their music is outstandingly well composed and feels fresh, innovative and inspired. It would be negligent to not praise Ruess' vocal performance on the album. While his voice is notably high, he possesses astonishing range which lends itself well to his soulful presentation.

Although "Aim and Ignite" is a very exciting release, it is not without flaws. While the musical composition is superb, the album's production fails to provide the instrumentation with its proper due, instead focusing on Ruess' similarly impressive vocal performance. The only problem with this seemingly permissible flaw is that it is fun.'s music that provides it flair and style, not Ruess' singing.

While every track on the album is worth a listen, "Aim and Ignite" feels more like a glorified EP than a truly fleshed out album.

Review Score: 6.5 out of 10



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