By Megan Riordan
Staff Writer
After the release of the xx’s debut album, “XX,” the band left its new fans eagerly anticipating the arrival of a second album. Finally, after a long, three-year wait, the band has come out with a new release quite similar to that of their premier album.
Although “Coexist” includes peaceful vocals and a properly slow tempo, the songs are repetitive and the album lacks any variety and differentiation compared to “XX.”
This mellow, electro-pop band was formed in 2008 in London and is composed of Jamie xx (Jamie Smith) on drums, Romy Madley-Croft on guitar and vocals and Oliver Sim on bass guitar and vocals. The xx worked hard to get its music out into the public, self-producing its first album and recording 11 songs in a garage at the XL recording studio.
“Coexist” was finally released on Sept. 11, with hit singles such as “Angels” and “Chained.” Although the former second guitarist and keyboardist Baria Qureshi was not featured, there was not a noticeable difference in the group’s sound.
The band claims its new album is heavily influenced by “club music.” However, the music does not differ too much from the calm, soothing sound featured in the previous album.
“Coexist” entrances listeners with its dream-like melodies and soothing vocals. Every song on the album successfully reels in the listener by repeating catchy instruments and lyrics. The soothing voices of Sim and Madley-Croft work well together, magnifying the emotions put forth by the songs.
The tone of the album is best described as serene. The combination of swirly guitar, the heavy bass and almost-whispered vocals produces a completely ambient atmosphere. It is truly peaceful and is a surefire way to alleviate any built-up stress.
Through the lyrics, the new album successfully portrays a consistent theme of the breaking and mending of love. “Coexist” features songs like “Missing,” which relays a message of longing and heartbreak, and “Try,” a song of past mistakes in love. The new album’s lyrics, combined with the aforementioned tone, successfully encompass the struggles of love in one’s life.
Despite the cohesiveness of the album, it lacks ingenuity. Not only do the songs within the album sound similar to each other, but they also sound much like those of the xx’s first album, “XX.” Songs such as “Fiction” and “Reunion,” although embedded with intriguing instrument use, sound all too alike the songs “Shelter” and “Stars” from their debut album.
Although the album’s sound can be pleasing to the ears at first, it quickly gets redundant and repetitive. The xx has a very distinct sound: calm, soothing and melodic but without too much energy or force. When this sound is utilized in every track, the album becomes boring.
However, diehard xx fans will probably be pleased with “Coexist,” as it exemplifies the band’s nature as a whole. The album perfectly captures the tranquility and serenity set forth in the band’s previous album.
Unfortunately, the album’s lack of divergence from its previous tracks shows an inability to evolve. This brings into question the band’s potential in the future.
Overall, the time and effort the xx put into creating this new release is noticeable, and the meaning behind the lyrics is clearly portrayed. However, this new album lacks the variety that listeners are expecting. “Coexist,” although very pleasing, is basically a repeat of the xx’s first album.
“Coexist” is available on iTunes for $9.99 and in most musical retail stores.
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