The xx have made their mark!

Until just recently, The xx was a four piece band consisting of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith and keyboardist Baria Qureshi who only just left the band citing exhaustion as the reason for her departure. They formed a band in 2005 in Wandsworth, south west London, when the four met at Elliott School. Romy and Oliver, lead vocalists, have known each other since they were 3-years-old and started creating music together at 15-years-old. The female vocals and guitar are delicately delivered by Romy with Oliver pouring deep vocals and bass in for the balance. Jamie is the master beat maker on the MPC and he is absolutely brilliant to watch live. Some people say beat machines have no soul, but arguably Jamie truly does bring The xx songs to life.

Croft and Sim’s voices are like crushed velvet and cashmere together while they envelope and caress you with each word. And slow driving bass lines that drip into your ears like warm honey. The backbone is in the MPC with the beats cleverly arranged to give a little toe tap. I close my eyes and listen to her and then to him and get a warm fuzzy feeling that pours through my entire body. The breakdowns and the build ups lead into a full sonic island of melodic sound. The lyrics that sound like something Thom Yorke may have written in his journal when he was 19. On the song Crystalised lyrics like “…I’ll forgive and forget before I’m paralyzed…” hook straight into a dark place that exists in all of us. Helping us find and heal some buried hurt from a long lost love ages ago with each tender tone. Each song leads perfectly into the next for a body shaking ear-gasm.



The xx songs are brooding and mellow with some introspective rhythms. There is a modern goth feeling that oozes from this band while they don all black attire and new wave haircuts. If you could imagine New Order and The Pixies having a baby band…this would be it! Their debut album, xx, was released on Young Turks Records on 17 August 2009 and ranked #9 on Rolling Stones “best of the year” list. They have quickly become one of my favorites and I know I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of The xx from the looks of their healthy tour schedule. They will be at Coachella on April 17, 2010 so if you get the chance, catch this British wave of electro-goth goodness.

Who knew Broken Bells could sound so good?

Broken Bells eponymous debut album was released in the U.S. and Canada on March 9, to the delight of many. Brian Burton, a.k.a. Danger Mouse, and James Mercer of The Shins are the connoisseurs of this fine project. Each man a powerhouse in his own right, they found out that they were fans of each other’s work after a fated meeting at a Danish music festival in 2004. Thus spawn the inception of Broken Bells.

Mercer and Burton began laying the foundation for the album in secret at Burton’s Los Angeles based studio in March of 2008. When asked they described their new material as “melodic, but experimental.” I believe it was early in January when I heard the song “The High Road” played on KCRW and about lost my little mind. Immediately following the song I looked up Broken Bells and was just tickled to find out who was involved. Pretty much anything involving Danger Mouse is going to be at least good…if not mind-blowing!

Listening to a full album is not a common occurrence anymore, but when played from start to finish the album tells a wonderfully melodic and inspired story. Like fine wine, each taste has new notes and slowly developing undertones that resonate within. Broken Bells presents a rich and robust resonance that makes you want to come back for seconds…thirds even! The influence of The Beatles and folk music in general is apparent in their sound, while there is also a deep affection for synth-pop laced throughout the album.



In an interview on KCRW, Danger Mouse mentioned that he drew inspiration from 80’s music in producing this album. This is particularly evident on songs like “The Ghost Inside” and “Trap Doors” where the bond to the beat is in the clapping. In the song “Mongrel Heart” the composition is extremely evocative and when you least expect it, it breaks into this epic lingering spaghetti western type solo that is simply marvelous.

Mercer’s distinct vocals almost serve as an instrument on their own while Danger Mouse’s wealth of knowledge from instrumental to production automatically put this album near top of the pops. The album is masterfully composed and I would expect nothing less from Burton who has worked with artists ranging from Sage Francis, The Black Keys, Beck, and Bright Eyes. You really must check it out!