Day 0985 - XX

The XX "XX" (2010)

The band was formed by school friends Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft as a duo but later fleshed out by a couple of extra members.   Oliver and Romy would message each other lyric ideas and the band would work out their song ideas at night, trying not to wake the other people in the household.  Perhaps this approach led to the gentle, stripped down approach.

The band stated they were influenced by some American RnB including the production of Neptunes.  Their sound to me is almost more like stripped-down new-wave.  Some electronic beats, clean guitar and subtle synth parts.  The band have a male and female vocalist which helps provide some variety to their sound, with one or the other taking on lead vocals, or both trading lines back and forth.

The first time I listened to this album was back in 2017; I enjoyed it then and have enjoyed it on this re-listen.  Back then (and it hasn't changed) my favourite track was "Infinity" with its sultry groove and tremolo guitar, bearing some resemblance to Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game".  

Day 0970 - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Arctic Monkeys “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” (2006)

I remember first encountering Arctic Monkeys via their video for “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” and not being impressed.  From vocalists Alex Turner’s intro “Arctic Monkeys... don’t believe the hype” (it just seemed like a humble brag, like ‘yeah there’s hype around us, but we’re like whatever’) to the throwback 1970s garage-rock style they were playing and the accompanying lo-fi late 70s/early-80s retro look to their Strokes-esque performance video.  It all smacked of effort masquerading as ‘we don’t care’.  

The songs worked their way under my skin though, and the song “Teddy Picker” from their second album really turned my opinion of them around, and I eventually embraced this album.

While it is less diverse than their later releases, and is definitely in that retro, garage-revival vein, with guitar ranging from trebly-and-jangly to distorted-and-raucous; there’s lots to recommend the album.   Whether it’s the propulsive punky energy of “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”, the lazy funky groove of “Fake Tales of San Francisco” or the speedy, tight arrangement and zingy lyrics of “You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me”.   Alex Turner would improve in leaps and bounds as a lyricist but "When the Sun Goes Down" was already a great narrative and some good word-smithing.

Day 0592 - Electric

The Cult "Electric" (1987)

The Cult had started work on their third album but, unhappy with the results, they asked Rick Rubin to remix one of the tracks.   Rubin agreed to work with them, but only if they'd re-record the track with him.  They ended up re-recording the whole album and delving into a more straight-ahead rock sound than on their previous, more gothic and melodic releases.

This is definitely a rock album.  Wall to wall riffs that seem to draw equally from the gene-pools of AC/DC and Led Zep.  I'd have to say too, this the most "Yeahs" I've ever heard in an album.  Obviously we're not just talking about a standard 1 syllable "Yeah"; we're talking about an all caps, 2-3 syllable "YEE-EE-AH"