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
There Is Only You
The Xcerts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be by your side
Her voice was shaking she could barely even talk
Sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose the plot
But you just float
There is only you
And I know that it's true
We must stick before we float?
There is only you
And I know that it's true
I can see it when we're alone
We must stick before we float?
Float
If it takes all night
I'm yours the morning light
Her face and her funeral
We just can't believe
Is this happening
Nightmares could bring relief
So we just float
There is only you
And I know that it's true
I can feel it in my bones
We must stick before we float?
There is only you
And I know that it's true
I can see it when We're alone
We must stick before we float?
Float
Float
Float
Float
There is only you
There is only you
There is only you
There is only you
There is only you
There is only you
The lyrics to The Xcerts' song "There Is Only You" speak to the power of emotional connection and the importance of being together even in difficult times. The singer promises to stand by his partner's side through thick and thin, even if it takes all night. The line "sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose the plot" suggests that relationships have their ups and downs, but ultimately what matters is the connection between two people. The repeated refrain of "there is only you" emphasizes the singular importance of the loved one in question and the commitment to sticking together.
The image of "floating" suggests a kind of weightlessness and freedom that comes from being in a caring and supportive relationship. The line "we must stick before we float" implies that the foundation of a strong relationship is trust and loyalty, and that without those things, the joy and freedom of being together could be easily lost.
Overall, "There Is Only You" is a powerful love song that reminds us of the importance of connection, particularly during hard times. It suggests that the promise of being there for someone, no matter what, can provide a kind of freedom and joy that is hard to find in any other way.
Line by Line Meaning
If it takes all night
Even if it takes all night, I will be there for you
I'll be by your side
I will support you through anything
Her voice was shaking she could barely even talk
She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she could barely speak
Sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose the plot
Sometimes life will be good and sometimes it will be difficult
But you just float
Despite everything, you are still able to move forward
There is only you
You are the most important thing to me
And I know that it's true
I am certain of this fact
I can feel it in my bones
I feel it deeply and instinctively
We must stick before we float?
We must hold on to each other before we can move forward
If it takes all night
Even if it takes all night, I am yours
I'm yours the morning light
I belong to you from sunrise to sunset
Her face and her funeral
The loss of her is still so painful
We just can't believe
We are in disbelief and shock
Is this happening
We can't comprehend what is going on
Nightmares could bring relief
Even nightmares seem better than this reality
So we just float
We keep moving forward despite the pain
Float
Keep going, keep moving forward
There is only you
You are the most important person to me, always
And I know that it's true
I am certain of this fact
I can see it when We're alone
I feel it most strongly when it's just us together
We must stick before we float?
We must hold on to each other before we can move forward
Float
Keep going, keep moving forward
Float
Keep going, keep moving forward
Float
Keep going, keep moving forward
Float
Keep going, keep moving forward
There is only you
No matter what happens, you are the most important person to me
Writer(s): Murray Macleod, Jordan Smith, Thomas Heron
Contributed by Alaina E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stefan Praml
Along with Kevin Costner, this is their best song off this record. I just can't wait for their new stuff, loved everything they did until today, such a shame they are so underrated :(
jamesclifford1994
Please play this live on the 10th December at the Dome, it would be incredible :D
penicks
best song on an otherwise disappointing album
really missed the experimental, moodier side.
TruthSikher
You didn't like She or Pop Song? That physically hurts me.
Alex Laing
Someone find me the bloody piano chords to this 😱
MazzyRima
I miss him
Ederlyn Levine
Jamie Campbell Bower brought me here. 🎧😄😎
Lotte van den Noort
Jamie Campbell Bower brought me here
Mariane Shanthea
OH.MY.GOD sameeee
Elizabeth Mendez
@Lady Herondale same here