There are a number of notable sophomore albums which manage to have greater mojo than their predecessors. These aren’t merely good follow-up efforts after a flop of a first album. It’s the sequel which is released in the shadow of a very strong, critically-acclaimed initial album and manages to surpass the debut. Expectations are always high in these cases. Was it a fluke? Have fickle tastes changed such that a band has worn out their welcome? Is the message or sound still relevant? Does the band, in fact, have more gas in the tank to challenge their own success?
Examples of these successes include Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin II, Sigur Rós’ Ágætis byrjun, Nirvana’s Nevermind and Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. In each of these cases, a very good or even groundbreaking debut was followed by something even better. Simon and Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence was better than Wednesday Morning, 3AM and, as good as Gish was, Pumpkins outshined it with the follow-up Siamese Dream. Sometimes (as these records prove) the path to sophomore success isn't just a matter of pushing the envelope, it's one re-imagining the package completely; think of it as an imaginative “two” in a “one-two punch.”
In the case of Coexist, the new release from The xx, bar had already been set extremely high. The band's stunning 2009 self-titled debut was released in a flurry of excitement and was followed by a meteoric rise and nearly universal praise. Xx reached platinum in the U.S. and won the coveted Mercury Prize in the U.K. Their music was featured in no less than a dozen movies and television shows and the band played in a half-dozen music festivals in the U.S. and abroad. A more impressive way to arrive on the scene would be hard to imagine. There was also an exhaustive tour; I was able to see the trio of Romy Madley Croft, Jamie Smith and Oliver Sim on four separate occasions without even breaking a sweat. There was also a great deal of time spent by the band on remixing projects for Adele, Radiohead and Florence and the Machine. “Busy” doesn’t even begin to describe the last three years for The xx.
For a clue to comparing xx and Coexist, you need to look no further than the two album covers. Both adorned with a simple “X,” the black and white form on the debut album has been augmented with just a bit of color from a vague oil and water prism. Not much, just enough to suggest that things may have changed a bit. Coexist is, in fact, colorful and vibrant in an xx sort of way. The minimalism still takes top billing, set behind the shimmering beats and syncopation of Oliver and the dueling vocals of Jamie and Romy. What works so well is that their voices are really very similar and are pitched such that they fit together like a key in a lock. Most notably are the carefully placed spaces of quiet – absolute voids in sound rather than simple silences – which can be as loud and intense as any bombastic explosions.
The sound of The xx works so well because it is completely absent of any novelty or pretense. Sure, there are other bands who manage to evoke a similar mood and who deliver melancholy really well. Costa Music, How to Dress Well, Laetitia Sadler, L’Altra and even bits of Foals’ music all succeed in creating a similar character and an assemblage of incongruous sounds that work together. Somehow, The xx manages to continue to keep their despair from becoming a pointless, rocking back and forth exercise in self-pity.
Two singles, “Angels” and “Chained,” preceded the release of the album and cover familiar themes such as love, loss and the depths of devotion. There is no new thematic ground being covered here but the tracks work as a strong continuation of what The xx explores best: the dark corners which still remain in a seemingly well-lit room; the unspoken thoughts in the silences and gaps of a profoundly intimate conversation. While less meditative than “Angels,” “Chained” feels conversational and vaguely voyeuristic as the listener overhears a personal and dramatic exchange between Jamie and Romy. Other tracks continue the dance of melancholy, regret and despair but somehow avoids being laborious and heavy. There are flourishes of R&B throughout, some church organ with Jamie’s hallelujah-esque sing-song response on “Missing” and even a little steel-drum peeking through on “Reunion.” “Swept Away” is propelled by a clubby backing track and other stand-outs include the groovy and melodic bass of “Sunset” and the shimmering, smoky-vocals and rainy-day vibe of “Unfold.” Warm but platonic lyrics such as “All I have, I will give to you / And at times when no one wants to / I will give you me / And we’ll be us” are simple and universal.
So where does Coexist fit in as a sophomore album? The album is everything we already know about The xx: it’s unpretentious, honest, reflective, mysterious, romantic and unabashedly reveals personal bruises and blemishes. Coexist does require a bit more patience than the band's first release, mostly because the recipe seems so familiar now. The trajectory of The xx will slowly unfold, just as a bent and ghosted guitar note slides its way through their music. While it may not be an album for the instant-gratification crowd, time will reveal how it fits into the path they are creating. may see it as a failure to deliver that certain spark that was a part of their debut and just leaves the listener wanting more. The xx have created a subtle evolution; an album which is more of a continuation than innovation but also a reminder of why their music is adored in the first place.
Artist:
www.thexx.info/
www.myspace.com/thexx
www.facebook.com/thexx
www.twitter.com/thexxfans
Album:
Coexist is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
