The XX

I would not recommend "Say Something Loving" after a couple of cocktails.

Suspect the degree of enjoyment you get from this album is proportional to the extent you're prepared to surrender to it.

I will say this is the first time I've heard Jamie XX do his Jamie XX thing and not been incredibly irritated

I summon Turrican

why

The tension between the arena-sized dynamics, which get yanked at key moments, and the reticent vocals is thrilling.

why

― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Friday, January 13, 2017 11:14 PM (seventeen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tension between arena-sized discontentment, which gets zinged at key moments, and chill approval is thrilling iirc

I've generally found this band dull and unengaging, so I won't be listening to this. A very easy band to ignore, IMO.

see

As you were...

This is already on Spotify, very excited to hear this.

this is fantastic, i already like this better than Coexist. the songs are more immediate on first listen.

Seasons Run from the deluxe edition really should have been on the album proper, it's great

revisiting Coexist it's better than i remember, though having less energy than the debut means the weaker tracks really drag it down, the new one is definitely much better

"Lips" is like a really good Jessie Ware track. Loving this album

there is a cheesiness in their duets which i find difficult to appreciate. This sounds nice but it lacks in space, the arrangements aren't as spare as on the excellent first album. I don't think i will revisit this very often on my own but i fear the public sphere will make me listen to this more often than i'd prefer to. After one listen I am not convinced.

actually, take away their precious space and they're nothing

lips so great

maybe inflected by reading profiles but it's v touching to hear the guy kinda going through a thing lyrically

I have not heard this album but I am emotionally ready to share a crush with Lex. This better not let me down.

― Tim F, Thursday, January 12, 2017 9:02 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's really soppy and obvious and sounds a bit, in places, like they might want to be years & years

― lex pretend, Thursday, January 12, 2017 9:04 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I wound up loving "On Hold" when these people had merely grabbed my mild interest. Would I like it?

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, January 12, 2017 9:57 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's really soppy and obvious and sounds a bit, in places, like they might want to be years & years

― lex pretend, Thursday, January 12, 2017 7:04 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

http://i.imgur.com/cRV2qwE.gif

― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Thursday, January 12, 2017 12:08 PM (three days ago)

squad

"say something loving" .......

"on hold" almost sounds like it could be a stars song at points

god this is so good

really like this album. at first i thought it sagged a little after "performance" (an instant classic, gorgeously affecting vocal) up until "on hold", but a few listens in and pretty much all the tracks have revealed much to appreciate now. not sure it's sequenced as well as it could have been but that's really my only gripe.

cool album
keep getting benoit + sergio tracks in my head for one reason or another

Yeah, this album is so good. I really did not see it coming after how bland Coexist and Jameie's solo albums were.

quite an improvement. the tracks have more energy and they learned how to sing.

Not sure about the sequencing - I like the last half of the album better. Really love the keyboards on "Replica" chorus which remind me of 'American Dream' by CSNY.

I still need to listen to this more (it's basically been on replay since Sunday...) but so far it's so good !
Agreed that "Performance" is an instant classic. It had that great and rare thing : when I first heard it, it already seemed familiar, as if it was an old forgotten favourite...
"Say Something Loving" is fantastic. greatest pop song in a while.
I already liked "On Hold" when it was released and it's still fun and catchy.
Actually, at this point I don't think there's a dud.
I almost think the album is too short, which is rare for me !

Highlights for me: On Hold, Replica, Dangerous, Lips.

I liked Say Something Loving the first times but the more I listen to it the less I like it. It's sort of awkward.

Performance bores me not sure what you guys are hearing in it. The violin work is nice but it's not enough for me... I'd be great if it were only 1 minute long.

It's good that people are hearing different highlights though... reminds me to the debut in that aspect. Coexist had very obvious highlights.

yeah I've cooled on "Performrance." Too on-the-nose.

"Performance" is a mood-killer on this album, feels out of place, like it's roped in from Co-exist

Although I really like this I have to say I find "Brave For You" just too precious, it's like yeah I get it, but frankly being brave is getting on with it and not singing about it in a heartbroken whisper.

i think "performance" is kinda really bad, the vocal phrasing in the chorus is so awkward

ah ! lot's of hating on "performance".
actually, the thing I love about it is the melody not the... performance (or arrangements) !
I can totally understand why one would dislike it, though.

Performance is the only real dud on this. Surprising how this band, who used to excel at slow burners, seems now incapable of writing an interesting ballad. On this, the best bits are generally those where they stray the furthest from the initial formula.

y'all are insane

"performance" is gorgeous imo

Surprising how this band, who used to excel at slow burners, seems now incapable of writing an interesting ballad. On this, the best bits are generally those where they stray the furthest from the initial formula.

but

I mean, I do like this album but large chunks of it are cloying nonsense. Mind you, it's enjoyable cloying nonsense but it's not really what I would point to if I was trying to get someone into the band.

really? Their consistency is such that I have no problem if this neophyte purchased any of'em.

I would go chronologically; the first album is the foundation and the 2nd and 3rd are extremes swinging in either direction from it; I feel like you get more out of the choices made on the later albums if you contrast them with how the first was put together.

latest favourites are : "Lips", "Violent Noise" and "Replica".
I think by the end of the week I'll love the whole album !
So far, there's only "Test Me" that's unclear to me.
And "Dangerous" is OK but doesn't seem to have a big potential to grow on me.

I get the feeling that Romy has been listening a lot to The Studio and to Robert Smith's guitar playing - I hear a lot of familiar six-string bass riffs

You're right, but he's used those tunings since the debut.

this is extremely corny wow

first ilm event album of 2017

i've had the chorus to "say something loving" stuck in my head for a week

feelings abt coexist itt so confused

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=222iz7UY_6E

Sunset (Jamie XX remix) is tops as well

reunion, sunset, missing, & swept away from coexist are all great

brave for you & performance are definitely the weaker tracks on the new one