In the sleepy town of Beth Page, New Jersey, THE XCERTS may as well have been The Beatles โ 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 โ '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 โ and they're happy to admit that not everyone's going to like it.
โIf we didn't sound different, I'd be worried,โ frontman Murray Macleod explains. The first album was โ as for most new bands โ 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. โThere are certain records that we're all really in to that have a similar sound โ a balance of raw emotion and good production. โIn Uteroโ by Nirvana, โPinkertonโ by Weezer, 'Either/Or' by Elliot Smith, โThe Devil And God Are Raging Inside Meโ by Brand New, โNebraskaโ by Bruce Springsteen and โFor Emma Forever Agoโ by Bon Iver. That's pretty much exactly how we wanted this record to sound.โ
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 โ which 'Aberdeen 1987' from the first album showed they can do brilliantly โ but this record is no soft touch. And the Springsteen curveball comes in to play on the big sing-along chorus of 'Belane' โ a song that miraculously makes sense on an otherwise unconventional record.
โThere's a lot of experimentation on this album,โ says Macleod, who credits Sapone for encouraging and cultivating the creative process. โHe 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 โ there's parts that would never happened, had we not worked with Mike.โ
Lead single, 'Slackerpop' is a prime example. The original demo was a mere ninety seconds long until Sapone insisted The Xcerts โfind the middle eightโ. What they found was an intense and unforgiving middle eight that makes the song.
โWe'll be more suited for a slightly heavier bill now,โ Murray says, unsure of where exactly 'Scatterbrain' fits in the current musical landscape. โIt's really 90s influenced, but Mike's made it a really forward thinking album, which is something we definitely needed.โ
Murray sums up the record as โthe sweet sound of a young man losing his mindโ. It's a bit bewildering, overwhelming and even a little unsettling, becoming more clear and clearly troubled with every listen.
โThis is an album loverโs album for the fans of the band. Itโs 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.โ
The Xcerts debut album โIn The Cold Wind We Smileโ is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings! Hereโs what the press had to say:
โCharged with youthful hope and exuberance, every riff and anthemic chorus points to a bright future for these talented lads." - Kerrang! 4/5
โ...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.โ - Rock Sound 8/10
"'In The Cold Wind We Smile' is a triumphant, life-affirming classic" - Big Cheese 5/5
Live Like This
The Xcerts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody bring me back to life
I'm wide awake and I feel ... shaking out the night
Somebody stop the clock
Somebody stop the clock and see
...We're good and rotten into the dark...
Your shadow, your mistakes
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
You don't have to live like this
You know you don't have to live like this
Cut the cord, I'll be fine
It's solving my head this time
Yeah I swear, Yeah I swear
Somebody bring me back
Somebody bring me back to life
I'm wide awake and I feel ... still shaking out the night
Somebody stop the clock
Somebody stop the clock and see
...We're good and rotten into the dark...
To hide your love away
Oh but I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
I just want my crowd
You don't have to live like this
You know you don't have to live like this
Cut the cord, I'll be fine
It's solving my head this time
Yeah I swear, Yeah I swear
You don't have to live like this
You know you don't have to live like this
Shake it off, breathing time
Find the sun and you'll be fine
Yeah I swear, Yeah I swear
In your save place we will hide
In my selfish heart we will die
In your save place we will hide
In my selfish heart we will die
We will die
I said
You don't have to live like this
You know you don't have to live like this
Cut the cord, I'll be fine
It's solving my head this time
Yeah I swear, Yeah I swear
4x Ahhh Uhhh
The Xcerts's song "Live Like This" deals with the theme of self-doubt and the desire to belong. The lyrics express a longing for someone to bring the singer back to life, to stop the clock and see that they are good and not rotten. The line "your shadow, your mistakes" suggests that the singer is haunted by their past and struggling to move forward. The chorus of "I just want my crowd" is a cry for validation, a reminder that we all want to feel like we belong somewhere. The repetition of "you don't have to live like this" is a reminder that we have control over our lives and don't have to continue living in a negative situation.
The second verse of the song carries on with the same longing for someone to rescue the singer from their current state, and the lyrics "cut the cord, I'll be fine" suggest a willingness to let go of past traumas or negative habits. The bridge of the song, "In your safe place we will hide, in my selfish heart we will die" reveals a sense of isolation and an unwillingness to let others get too close. The final chorus concludes with repeating the earlier message of "you don't have to live like this" and a call to action to "shake it off" and find the sun.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody bring me back
The singer wants someone to help them recover
Somebody bring me back to life
The singer wants someone to help them feel alive again
I'm wide awake and I feel ... shaking out the night
The singer is fully conscious, and trying to shake off the darkness or negativity surrounding them
Somebody stop the clock
The artist wants time to stop, perhaps because they are not ready to face the future
Somebody stop the clock and see
The artist might want someone to acknowledge or appreciate their struggles
...We're good and rotten into the dark...
The singer and their surroundings have both good and bad attributes, like every other aspect of life
Your shadow, your mistakes
The negative actions or events in the past are still affecting the singer
Oh but I just want my crowd
The artist craves the support and understanding of their group
You don't have to live like this
The artist encourages others to make a change
Cut the cord, I'll be fine
The artist will be okay if they break away from their current situation
It's solving my head this time
Making a change will clear the singer's mind and benefit them
Somebody bring me back to life
Repetition of their desire for assistance shows urgency
I'm wide awake and I feel ... still shaking out the night
Despite being awake, the singer is still trying to shake off negativity
To hide your love away
The negative aspects of life sometimes make it difficult to appreciate or express love
Oh but I just want my crowd
Repetition of the line shows the importance of the singer's support system
Shake it off, breathing time
The best way to release negativity is by taking time to breathe and reset
Find the sun and you'll be fine
Focusing on a positive mindset can improve your mood and wellbeing
In your save place we will hide
The singer is willing to depend on the understanding and support of others
In my selfish heart we will die
The singer's negative state of mind might prevent them from accepting help
We will die
Repeating the line might show that if the negative state of mind continues, the artist might not fully recover
You don't have to live like this
Repeating the line emphasizes the importance of change
Ahhh Uhhh
These sounds are likely meant to be emotional responses to the message of the song
Writer(s): Murray Macleod, Jordan Smith, Thomas Heron
Contributed by Luke I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lamarque Rock
Such a great album!
Scott McKenzie
I discovered this band when they opened up for Deaf Havana in Liverpool and I fell in love instantly. They're soooo good ๐๐ปโ๐ป๐ค๐ป
Sarah Hsu
You guys are so great! Please continue making good music!
TimorD
GREAT BAND, GREAT ALBUM!
Sam J Lance
Saw you guys open for MCS on Friday. Loving your music so far.
Albert Pavelin
What a beautiful band. #realmusic
webelievee
i love this so much
Trent Macleod
Seen you guys on tour with Mallory Knox, Such a good band!
Gemma Harris
man, I love you guys ๐
Ebselon Naught
I discovered this band trough OfficalGATG series: The Great American Demise, and I'm so glad I did!