The XX

Time for another band that's been tipped by many as tops for the year, The XX.

Lots of folks lump these Londonites with The Big Pink, but I think that does a disservice to both. There may be some similarities, but they are somewhat limited. Where The BP are pop songs under a sludge of effects, or harder edged codeine-fueled anthems, The XX are, in a word, "sparse." Yes they are dreamy and have spacey ethereal moments, but what they have really brought to the table is a discreet sense of emptiness. And while this sensibility is very "post-punk," coming from The XX, in 2009, there is also a sense of freshness. The three-piece leave well enough alone, and don't overstretch things, just to create a false sense of earnestness.

But as they live by the sword, they also die by the sword. At times, the emptiness leaves the listener a bit cold, and often, even after repeat listens, it's hard to remember hooks are moments that you want to bask in again. It's not forgettable, but it's not memorable either. At first, I couldn't understand why the record left me a bit colder than I thought it would, but then I saw them live. The problem live, which I think may also have to do with the record, is that there is very little behind the songs in terms of emotion, fear, anger, loss or destruction. Even with the bands they were inspired by (Portishead, Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Mazzy Star) there was a front of stage sense of something. The XX have not found their thing yet, but hopefully, in time, they will.

The Big Pink

In a recent interview, The Big Pink were asked about the bands that influenced their debut. All of their choices were respectable, but that they gave a nod to Ministry really stood out for me. This is mainly because it showed me the difference between them and most of the other neo-shoegazer bands of late. What they, and Ministry (and other bands of which The Big Pink is reminiscent, like the Verve, Chapterhouse, Love And Rockets, or Curve) understood was that no matter what the tempo of the music, there has to be a sense of danger making it compelling, especially if you are making somewhat dark music. The sense of the ominous and a sense of urgency seem to be what many new bands are missing. Not so with The Big Pink.

And that's why I love this record. It's underlying melodies make it extremely listenable and require repeats, but that's not to say it's a simple record. A Brief History of Love is also paced well, which accents the moodiness of the record, without sacrificing the darkness and gothic nature of the whole work. There are enough symphonic moments to make the debut seem grand and festival ready, but there's enough texture and space to justify a long focused headphone listen as well. But it all comes down to the songwriting, and this is where The Big Pink excels. The songs are big, catchy, dark and simply rock and roll the way it was meant to be. This might be a contender for my record of the year.

Grab "Dominoes" and "Too Young To Love" at:
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