I was a bit late in getting into The XX.
At the tail end of last year you couldn't pick up a music mag or surf the net without the South West London band being mentioned. I had decided, in a rather reactionary way without even the merest evidence that they were just another bunch of teenagers from London hyped up to be the next big thing and duly made the decision not to even listen to them. All the talk of "music to listen to on night buses in London" didn't help. Could someone please tell me what is so fucking special about buses after dark there opposed to anywhere else? Or is it just something that music journalists, too middle class or too frightened to actually get on a bus after dark, think is the epitome of cool.
Anyway, when I did actually get round to listening to the band, I realised what people were going on about and after buying the cd and flogging it to death have come to the conclusion that most of the hype is justified. It sounds as good to these provincial ears in either the car, aeroplane or else where as I presume it does on the night bus, having never, ever been on one I must admit that the joy that you get while listening to this album on one is mere speculation on my behalf.
I have been listening to the cd heavily for the past month or so and today became the proud owner of the album on 200gram vinyl, which comes with a bonus single sided. 12" remix of current single VCR. As this vinyl is strictly limited and the mix allegedly, exclusive, I have no qualms about posting it here.I should point out that the remix is not a patch on the original, I think that they should get a certain Mr Weatherall in next time, not that they need him, as all of the tracks on the album are excellent as they are.
If you don't own the album already you should go out and buy a copy immediately, as it is the best thing that I have heard since the last best thing that I heard, which was probably the Withered Hand album, although there are absolutely no similarities other than they are both brilliant.
The XX - VCR (Mathew Dear mix)
Here is the video for the album mix
7 comments:
London nightbuses run after the normal day service finishes around midnight-ish.
They're normally rammed full of people pissed up from the pub, or drugged up heading out for the clubs. Inbetween that lot are tourists, people going home from late shifts and it's all abnormally bright, because the driver turns the lights on full. Even when you're absolutely stone cold sober it's a bit of a trippy experience.
Have you ever seen the Scorsese film After Hours? The London nightbus is probably the closest I've seen to something like that.
Night buses in Glasgow are just the same, in fact Billy Conolly did a routine about waiting for one way back in the 70s, very funny. I suspect it is probably the same in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, every big city, I think that what I'm trying to say is that you don't have to be a London scenester to like or find The XX rellevant.
That should have been relevant.
What do you think of them, Simon?
They probably are the same but I'm just being territorial!
I haven't gotten around to this lot yet. They are next on my list once I can stop listening to Saint Etienne's Foxbase Beta. If you liked the original then track down Beta. It's superb...
"think is the epitome of cool"
lol, as an ex bus driver, i had so much fun on the last bus from brum to worcester at 1230 every sat night. charged folk like 3 times the fare, theyde chuck a 20 at you, showing off in front of the birds, i'd give 'em a quid change and say thanks very much thats my beer paid for as i reached in2 my bag for the spliff i'd rolled earlier...
night buses, love 'em :-)
ah for me the best album of 2009:
along with Chromeo's Fancy Footwork:
^_*
I went through exactly the same process as you with this lot- got a copy recently and like it, although havn't had a chance to really get into yet. Good though. Night bus out of central Mnachester is either a godsend or a total fucking nightmare.
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