In the sleepy town of Beth Page, New Jersey, THE XCERTS may as well have been The Beatles – British AND in a band?! It's true what they say: Americans LOVE that kind of thing.
Staying in a dorm-like hotel room with a cosy kitchenette for two weeks and recording in a basement studio, The Xcerts' second album had been coming together for around nine months. But a mere four weeks had passed since the band found out they'd be recording it with the mighty Mike Sapone (Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Public Enemy).
Their debut, 'In The Cold Wind We Smile', was recorded with Dave Eringa (Idlewild – '100 Broken Windows') in Wales, and secured the band supports with Funeral For A Friend, My Vitriol, Fightstar, Feeder and Idlewild, and was greeted as warmly by indie-pop fans as fans of heavy rock. Labeling themselves 'distorted pop', they had a combination of sweetness and angst akin to a colder, darker, cosier Jimmy Eat World. This time around, though, The Xcerts are a much more ferocious beast – and they're happy to admit that not everyone's going to like it.
“If we didn't sound different, I'd be worried,” frontman Murray Macleod explains. The first album was – as for most new bands – something of a 'greatest hits' from the band's early years, when they were still finding their feet. This time, the album was almost entirely written in a six-week break between tours and as a result paints a much more vibrant picture; a single body of work that makes sense; a proper album that it would seem blasphemous to shuffle.
The influences have changed too. “There are certain records that we're all really in to that have a similar sound – a balance of raw emotion and good production. ‘In Utero’ by Nirvana, ‘Pinkerton’ by Weezer, 'Either/Or' by Elliot Smith, ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’ by Brand New, ‘Nebraska’ by Bruce Springsteen and ‘For Emma Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver. That's pretty much exactly how we wanted this record to sound.”
The result is something certainly more akin to the louder of the aforementioned bands. In fact, The Xcerts had to cancel shows scheduled for the week of their return from NY on account of Murray having screamed his throat to pieces in the studio. There are quieter, more tender moments – which 'Aberdeen 1987' from the first album showed they can do brilliantly – but this record is no soft touch. And the Springsteen curveball comes in to play on the big sing-along chorus of 'Belane' – a song that miraculously makes sense on an otherwise unconventional record.
“There's a lot of experimentation on this album,” says Macleod, who credits Sapone for encouraging and cultivating the creative process. “He came up with crazy ideas, and watching him come out with them, I didn't feel worried about throwing an idea into the hat. It was almost like Mike was the fourth member of the band – there's parts that would never happened, had we not worked with Mike.”
Lead single, 'Slackerpop' is a prime example. The original demo was a mere ninety seconds long until Sapone insisted The Xcerts “find the middle eight”. What they found was an intense and unforgiving middle eight that makes the song.
“We'll be more suited for a slightly heavier bill now,” Murray says, unsure of where exactly 'Scatterbrain' fits in the current musical landscape. “It's really 90s influenced, but Mike's made it a really forward thinking album, which is something we definitely needed.”
Murray sums up the record as “the sweet sound of a young man losing his mind”. It's a bit bewildering, overwhelming and even a little unsettling, becoming more clear and clearly troubled with every listen.
“This is an album lover’s album for the fans of the band. It’s not about a particular track or single and should be listened too as an entire body of work with an open mind. We hope everyone falls in love with it like we have.”
The Xcerts debut album ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings! Here’s what the press had to say:
“Charged with youthful hope and exuberance, every riff and anthemic chorus points to a bright future for these talented lads." - Kerrang! 4/5
“...this debut is inch-perfect, merging heartstring-tugging delicacy with buoyant distortion... If you're searching for pop with balls but no bullshit, look no further.” - Rock Sound 8/10
"'In The Cold Wind We Smile' is a triumphant, life-affirming classic" - Big Cheese 5/5
I Don't Care
The Xcerts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Begging to come on home
Can you hear my voice?
Begging to be left alone
As we sinking to ourselves
...And highly ... and I am...
So can you hear my voice
...Jealousy it ages skin...
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
I can hear your voice
But I ain't never coming home
'Cause I can hear your voice
Repeating like a joke told wrong
And these words you sing don't mean a thing to me and I am
'Cause I can hear your voice
Devouring the misery
So it goes goes goes
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
Now I know what you're thinking
And I know that you care
But your selfish attempt
...To be break by your past is to finish this ...
If you've got something to say then just say it
If you've got something to say
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
If you've got something to say then just say it, oh just say it
Ohhh
Just say it
Ohhh
Just say it
Ohhh
Just say it
If you've got something to say just say it
The opening lines of The Xcerts's song I Don't Care sets the tone of the song. The singer is pleading to be heard, begging to come home, but also asking to be left alone at the same time. The song is about the internal struggle of letting go of a relationship that has turned sour. The lyrics suggest that both parties are suffering and drowning in their own emotions. The singer acknowledges their feelings of jealousy and misery, but ultimately decides they do not care anymore. They encourage the other person to speak their mind, an attempt to get closure and move on.
The second half of the song directly addresses the other person, stating that they know what the other person is thinking and that they care but accuses them of being selfish in their attempt to hold on to the past. The song's impetus for ending the relationship is the other person's refusal to let go of the past, and move on with their lives. The repetition of the chorus signifies the singer's determination to no longer care and suggests the desire for closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you hear my voice?
The singer is asking if the listener can hear what they are saying.
Begging to come on home
The singer wants to return home and is pleading for someone to allow them to come back.
Begging to be left alone
On the other hand, the singer wants to be left alone and not bothered by others.
As we sinking to ourselves
The artist and the others around them are feeling low and sinking into their thoughts.
...And highly ... and I am...
This line is unclear and difficult to understand, so it may represent how confused the artist is feeling.
Jealousy it ages skin
Jealousy can make someone appear older and more tired, as it takes a toll on their mental health.
So it goes goes goes
This phrase implies that life goes on, whether good or bad.
I can hear your voice
The artist can hear the other person's voice and what they are saying.
But I ain't never coming home
Despite being able to hear the person, the artist has no intentions of returning home.
Repeating like a joke told wrong
The other person's words are bothersome and repeating, like a bad and poorly-delivered joke.
And these words you sing don't mean a thing to me and I am
The other person's words are falling on deaf ears and not resonating with the singer.
Devouring the misery
The other person's voice and words are making the artist feel even worse and more miserable.
Now I know what you're thinking
The singer contends to know what the other person is thinking.
And I know that you care
The singer acknowledges the other person's caring nature.
But your selfish attempt
The singer thinks the other person's actions are selfish.
...To be break by your past is to finish this ...
This line is also unclear and difficult to understand, but may suggest that dwelling on the past can be harmful to the present relationship.
If you've got something to say then just say it
The artist is encouraging the other person to speak their mind directly and not beat around the bush.
I don't care no more
The singer has reached a point where they don't care about the other person's words or opinions anymore.
Ohhh
An exclamation expressing strong emotion or emphasis.
Just say it
The artist wants the other person to speak openly and honestly.
Writer(s): Jason Perry, Murray Macleod, Jordan Smith, Thomas Heron
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marshall Clifton
Excellent album. This may be the catchiest song <3