A Review of the Debut Album XX by the Band - Article Example

? A Review of the Debut Album “XX” by the XX band A Review of the Debut Album “XX” by the Band Introduction The XX band is made up of four 20 year olds from South London. The band member comprises of Romy Madley Croft (vocals, lead guitar), Oliver Sim (vocals, bass guitar), Jamie Smith (producer, beats) and Baria Qureishi, who left the band in 2009 after their debut album. The paper sets out to critique the band’s debut album, “The xx.” It will cover the history of the band and how the first album was produced. The uniqueness of their music has been influenced by each member in their love of R&B and pop. Their style is unique in the sound of the music and on how they use the instruments. The album received positive reviews and has just released a second album, “The Co- Exist.” (Rodgers). History of the XX band The xx band is an indie pop band formed in 2008 based in London. It released their debut album in 2009. The band has four members, Romey Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith better known as Jamie xx and Baria Qureshi who left the band in 2009 after the first album. The band members studied music together at the Elliot School and have known each other for years. The band was ranked highly in the best of 2009 lists. It was number 1 on the Guardian list and 2nd on the NME. In 2010 the band won the Mercury prize for their debut album. They have just released their second album “Co-Exist” on 10th September 2012. The name of the band XX is not the chromosomes or kisses but more seen as mysterious marks. Their eponymous debut album in term of music and lyrics has traces of Pixies and Aaliyah. Caius Pawson founder of the Young Turks label an imprint of XL signed them up after listening to them perform at various gigs and became their manager. Creativity Making of the Album XX Romney Madley Croft is the singer cum guitarist of the band. She is sweet natured and soft spoken. She is incapable of uttering a line that does not have a ‘come on’. She adores Mariah Carey. In the songs “Islands” and Basis Space” her voice is pleasant and has a soft vibe. She is reflective about a subject that is something not often associated with teenagers. Oliver Sim, the bassist, feels up through his responsive vocals and ever present bass. His voice is papery and has a sticking point. Oliver is obsessed by Aaliyah and this can be seen in their music. Romy and Sim may not have the best voices but they sing together because they have something to say. They provide plenty of friction to their music and bring a lot of excitement to the music. Baria Qureishi was the guitarist cum keyboard player and responsible for drums, but left the band after the band’s debut album under unclear circumstances (Rodgers). Jamie Smith known as “Jamie xx” is the band’s producer. He created a sound world where the simplest chord change was full of emotion. The first production acquainted listeners to music that expressed the guitar. He is a producer who is adventurous and open minded compared to other young producers. He is hungry to incorporate all manners of sounds and approaches to music. The band’s music is pop music about sex and interpersonal relationships. They are not fashionistas but definitely their influence is potent. They are strongly influenced by R&B. The XX band makes electronic edged music that is ghostly, low key and enigmatic as their curious name. The connections to the different types of music they adore gives their music an atmosphere of simplicity. The group caused a stir during their gigs in London before being signed up by Young Turks (Rodgers). The debut album “XX” The eponymous debut album was self titled “xx”. The first album filled a void that most music lovers did not know exist. Their music was new where several currents of music flowed. xx the song was like a whispered secret. It incorporated hushed voices through the process of subtraction with a daring sense of space. Croft’s voice in the first album used gently picked lines that were ultra clean and tasteful, unique in their own way connecting with indie rock. Jamie’s careful programming with bass music put different parts together that sounded great and made the album a landmark. The sound channeled the spirit of the softer R&B and not a precise sound. The music encompassed the spirit of Sade and the holy ghost of Aaliyah, mixed with a pinch of guitar music and a smart underpinning of rhythm.UK copies of the xx album came packed with the band’s version of Aaliyah’s “Hot like Fire”. The album uses a drum machine to complement the band’s tidy compositions and incorporates more abstract elements of a genre that has an unwavering focus on sex and interpersonal relationships (Rodgers). XX created music rich with lots of possibilities. The band did not change how music was made but instead changed the way it was heard. This gave them a unique signature and when producing the second album it was refining what they had started in the first album. The XX album was brilliant and different. The album had a subtle and effective sense of dynamics. “Islands” a number in the first album has a halling beat with an indie pop. The album makes you think about different sounds that come from outside and feel closed off. During their shows the group sprinkles them with Womack & Womacck’s “Teardrops” and Aaliyah’s “Hot like You” empasising how their music is influenced by them. By being rated in most of the best of 2009 lists the album was rated highly and created a new world that gave them a chance at a second album. “Co-Exist”. The sounds of the first album were a melange of post punk and R&B. The music was used as soundtracks from “Greece’s Next Top Model” and Newsnight. Their music was even sampled by Rihanna. This led to pressure to come up with a follow-up album, “Co- Exist” The first time you listen to the album it is interesting and the more you listen to it the more you find it better with each subsequent play. Their music uses the precision of all the instruments to their best capacity with nothing extra added. The music is appreciated through realizing every beat. This is significant and this gives it power and an overwhelming sound (Rodgers). The xx album sounds spacious and uncomplicated because when they started writing music they did not know their instruments well. The songs have been compared to C86 but definitely have more meaning in them. Crystallized one of the single on the album has a twee pop far from the over produced indie pop. When the group was signed up by Young Turks, they dealt with many producers. However the music always came out like it belonged to the producers. In the end Jamie produced the album himself. Their songs are romantic about interpersonal relationships seen in their songs. “Crystallized” is about a couple finding what they are looking for, “Islands” is about a break up, “Basic Space” is about two people longing for each other and “Infinity” is about emotional entanglement. Comparisons with the second album “Co-Exist” The second album “Co-Exist” was released in September 2012. The album is different from the debut album with it’s sh vocals, unique guitar patterns and lyrics that detail the most essential aspects of yearning and eliminates virtually everything else. This in essence is what makes the XX band stand out. Titles like “Angel” with and austere beauty, “Tides2 that is breathtaking and “Swept” that has nice wrinkle to it. XX Album Reviews Reviews of the debut album xx received an average of 85% from 24 professionals. The album was well received and garnered critical acclaim. For a new band, the success of the debut album brought immense pressure for a follow up album. The album was brilliant with a unique signature not know of many teen groups. The album has a mixture of indie pop and R&B. All the reviews of the debut album were positive. Audiences have been entranced by the band’s intimate shows. The melodies are childlike and very different from your typical British pop band. The band released four singles; Crystallized, Basic Space, Islands and VCR before the release of the whole album. Crystallized is miles away from an over produced indie pop song. The band has come a long way from bedroom pop experiments to having soundtracks and appearing on major music magazines all because of the strength of their music. One of the favorite lyrics is the dancy chorus from “Crystallized” .Anybody listening to XX Band will be sold by their lyrics and unique style which is a mixture of R&B and indie pop. Conclusion XX band has excited its listeners and audiences with its unique style. Its influence from Aaliyah is clear and the lyrics and melodies can entrance an audience. The band came fro performing live gigs and produced their first album in a garage to having two albums and an exciting following. The band is distinct from other British groups and has been acclaimed with Mercury Prize and use of its songs as soundtracks in programmes such as Newnight. Their music gets more interest as you listen to it more and more. Their use of instruments is also unique. They now have released a second album “Co- Exist” following the success of their debut album. Works Cited Rodgers, Jude. “xx – A teen band with a difference: The minimalist four-piece band from a Notting Hill garage are equally awed by Pixies and Aaliyah.” The Gurdian, 2009. Web. Dec. 15, 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/aug/13/xx-teen-band. Read More

 

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