The XX – The XX
October 5th, 2009 | Published in Reviews
As one of the most-blogged bands in the indie music world, The XX is expected to live up to some serious hype; yet at first listen, their highly anticipated debut is not quite what you would expect. The album has many high points—the band effectively expresses their unique sound and vision from the outset: a moody, shadowy pop music paired with an R&B influence that manages not to overwhelm the tracks. And their sound is uncomplicated, clean and effortless, and quite captivating thanks to the strong, smooth bass lines. But one major problem is that most of the tracks feel restless and repetitive, and really don’t pick up until the listener is already bored with the past three minutes. When the songs do intensify, the signature R&B influence is much more apparent, and this alone makes the album memorable for the listener. So despite a few flaws, The XX gets points for being innovative and immediately accessible; nothing about the album sounds at all labored-over, which is hard to pull off as a new indie pop band. It’s safe to say their next release will definitely be something to look forward to.
Review by Emily Farra
