Video Jam of the Week: The XX - “Islands” (Live)
October 9th, 2009 | 6:00 pm est |
The XX are getting loads and loads of hype. All justified, truly. If you still aren’t sure, check this breathtaking (yeah, yeah…people are always using that word but I really, really mean it this time!!) version of “Islands” from their self-titled debut album. It’s live from Jools Holland’s TV program and it’s simply staggering how much raw soul they pour into the sparse and precise arrangement.
You’re pulling my leg, right? Boring, mechanical, totally lacking soul. Or did you mean sole (dead fish)
I think we must’ve been recommended the wrong song. The one you pointed us to was pedestrian, as if it were a throwaway from Dirty Dancing or something.
Kind of like Kings Of Convenience meets The Sea & Cake
Brilliant!
Durango & Rustman seem to be tone deaf or something
When the hell did Kelly Osbourne & Eminem join forces? Sadly have to concur with the concise criticism of Durango and Rustman. “Simply staggering”?? Are you effin’ serious? Staggeringly simplistic and mediocre, perhaps.
Subtle
i’ve been surprised by how great the xx’s album is, particularly on headphones. it’s fresh. thanks for the clip.
I don’t know about that song. Boring, a little, huh? Nothing about that could be considered “breathtaking”. Just more Euro cool, playing it ironic, being detached. No emotion.
Dull.
Great song.
Eh. There were a fair number of adjectives thrown about in that intro…all of them inaccurate.
Reminiscent of the 80s (as everything is nowadays), but nice. Understated. Junior Boys with guitars.
That is a pretty lifeless song. Nothing special at all, midtempo and boring; why would allmusic post such a ridiculous link on their main page (claiming this is breathtaking)?
I love the xx album for its restraint and simplicity. Any musician knows how hard it is to resist using the ability to add track after track after track. It shows a real musical maturity to make simplicity work. I’d recommend listening to the album because this is not the best song and hearing a group of songs all with the same restraint makes sense of the production.
Now I see why Tim Sendra slammed the new MUTEMATH CD…
This stuff is too monotonous and bland for me.
wait…i slammed what?
i can totally see why many of you find this song bland. it’s because you are all tin-eared. just kidding. actually it *is* the kind of song and band that could leave people cold if they don’t get hooked right away. i feel that way about plenty of bands other people find fascinating( Radiohead, TV on the Radio, Rilo Kiley, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell….email me for the full list) so I totally get it. I was just struck the band’s intense simplicity and the way the emotions seem ready to burst out but never do. It hit me like the dull end of the axe and I wanted to let you all know about them if you didn’t already. One listener’s loss of breath is another’s shrug.
Oh well….thanks for reading and commenting. Let me know what bands we should feature next - knock my socks off!
Actually, I really liked this band. Well, maybe I’m the kind of person that like “boring” bands(i.e. Radiohead, Interpol, Björk, Massive Attack) anyway. And I’d never heard about XX before… Guess I’m not so hype. Glad you post this one, I’m probably gonna buy this album.
It’s always cool to watch this kind of band playing live, ’cause sometimes when I listen to eletronic/dream pop/trip-hop albums, it seems a little synthetic, you know, it’s like a answering machine jamming with old Nitendo games MIDI…It’s nice to actually see a real person playing instruments… Even if it’s sampler…
that sucked.
Definitely not breathtaking, but different and interesting.
thank you
Rather lackluster performance. I dunno, listening to it, there just seemed to be something missing. Basically, I just didn’t enjoy it.
overhyped dribble, this is nothing but hyperbole created by the press. “raw soul”?? what??
typical of any new english band with marketable haircuts in 6 months nobody will hear from them again.
the state of music is in a sad state if this is what we are supposed to swallow as breathtaking, staggering, intense….
Tim,
I understand your reply completely and I have newfound respect for you, as I feel the same way about Radiohead AND Bob Dylan. Thank you for commenting back and helping me understand your perspective. Sorry to sound brash in my previous post.
Boring. Sounds like 15 year olds learning their way through the their first band’s first song. Staggering? Maybe for the high school gym… girls on one side, boys on the other and nothing ever happens…
I really enjoy this group’s work, but their videos really sap the energy from the music. This is the second XX video I’ve seen and the second time I’ve been left unimpressed. Their studio work without visual accompaniment is much, much better.
This really sucks. i am always amazed at the bands that recieve the most hype. I am not sure what everyone else is listening to but this is truely terrible.
Hey thanks for this. Right up my alley and I would’ve missed this otherwise. A solid mix of Cure/New Order-era minimal alternative rock with some of the breathy atmospherics of the quieter TV On The Radio and even Bloc Party that I quite enjoy.
Hmmm… can’t say that it equals their studio sound. This song is much better (imo) in the studio, which is a shame. Hopefully it was an off night for them.
Some bands are made for the studio sound. This is one of them. Grab some headphones and try this band again if you think it’s boring.
This shizz is effing brilliant.
i really like this band, the xx. they are teeny tiny babies. I also like Aaliyah.The one thing i remember about Aaliyah from her interviews was she liked Nine Inch Nails. It would have been interesting to hear her on a Trent Reznor produced track.
Brilliant!
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