X
Smoke & Fiction
(Fat Possum Records)
Smoke & Fiction was one of the most important records of 2024. How? Let me count the ways. For one it was, just plainly on the surface, a record that did many things and did them well. Compared to both rock and punk music it sounded fresh, yet undeniably familiar. It also managed to be both fun and urgent, and musically it was catchy as hell. Blame that on guitarist Billy Zoom’s rockabilly tendencies matched with the harmonies of Exene Cervenka and John Doe. This is a style of music that can easily appeal to the masses if they tried it. Everything on Smoke & Fiction sounds like a comfortable old shoe you don’t want to take off.
You wouldn’t have guessed an album as good as Smoke & Fiction to be a final chapter of sorts, but this is, apparently, X’s last record since reuniting with their old lineup for their previous, and great, Alphabetland. Coming as a complete surprise, the songs on this record sound like they were written by punk kids in the Eighties, and fit perfectly within X’s catalogue. It will take two listens to get the verses of opener “Ruby Church” stuck in your head, which goes on to serve as a perfect appetizer for the more haunting “The Way it is,” the slow sizzler “Big Black X,” and fast and furious sound of “Flipside.” Even the closer “Baby and All” which is a final statement of sorts for the band. This album is only 30-odd minutes and packs a punch, but it’s almost a shame it’s so short.
As far as vinyl is concerned, this one is quite a beauty. For one thing, the artwork needs to be big to truly be appreciated, even though it’s just a big X. It’s printed on heavy matted card stock, which might be a reason it stands out so much. This is one of those exceptions where a record actually would look good displayed on the wall. Another thing is that it turned out that the color vinyls of this record would be highly sought-after collectibles. If you got one, great, but Fat Possum has you covered on the standard blue vinyl which looks as slick as you can imagine.
Smoke & Fiction is a truly fine record that shows there are a lot of tricks left in this old dog. What a shame they’re calling it quits. It’s also a testament of how to do a comeback right. One of the best of 2024.
