xx

Some of the dream pop elements are really good, as well as r'n'b style grooves. It also feels very clumsy and kind of stumbling, which is very distracting to me. I very quickly noticed I stopped listening to the music and was more of a waiting game for the next distraction or annoyance that would kill the flow for me.

Knock-off, dollar store edition of Elliott Smiths' "XO." Best song was the intro.

Huh, so that's where that's from.

yass 2009 in a nutshell

Indietronica, very minimalist. I was not a fan of her vocal style. Through the first 3 songs I thought this would be a good album, unfortunately it went downhill for me.

Not bad, never felt like turning it off but at the same time none of the tracks really stuck.

Not terrible, not great, like a lot of the albums here just kind of there.

Meh

For some reason, this album kind of reminds me of Broken Social Scene, but not really in a good way. Where I find Broken Social Scene lively, complex, and interesting, I find The xx is more dull, muted, and boring. I think the similarities I see/hear is just because it’s indie music from the same era; I could absolutely see The xx playing at the Toronto Island Concerts back in the day or the more recent Field Trip Festivals at Fort York. Anyways, is there any Broken Social Scene on this list? There should be, and if there’s not, I’d trade this album for You Forget It In People.

Not sure what to make of this album. The vocals were really hit or miss for me with some songs being really pretty and others just being a bit lifeless. It's minimalist, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but "minimalist Britpop" is just not really a subgenre I find entertaining. Truthfully I don't think "boring" has any place in the Britpop space. However, I'll give this an additional star for a couple pretty songs.

Yep this sounded like 2009 lol It was like the soundtrack to tumblr or like I’m shopping at urban outfitters or something. I see where other bands got influenced though but I just didn’t care too much for their singing. Started off pretty solid but the second half just felt so slow and boring. It just felt like it was trying too hard to be deep and emotional.

I had high expectations for this one. Especially after an incredible starting track like Intro, which might be one of the top 20 best album opening tracks of all time (maybe?). But I have to say I'm disappointed. Nothing stood out, especially in terms of writing, it was all bland. I can understand what the fuss was all about for those who liked it in '09, mostly from a sonic point of view, but it didn't do the same for me.

robert christgau, on whom i depend to reliably and smugly shit on lame music, wrote about this album that “it’s hard to imagine their music getting much better.” so not only did i have to sit through another xx album of royalty-free tracks for AI-generated travel videos, i also lost faith in one of my favorite haters.

https://on.soundcloud.com/QirYqE9pABRARfU2dl

Not for me

Recognised 'Islands' from the radio but nothing else really resonated. It's clear it's 'first album' material but it doesn't engender the wish to go look for anything else.

Too dark and mysterious for me.

Meh

Electronic not my jam

Pretty boring, just never really went anywhere.

Very chill album. It was fine, but almost too chill in spots (if that’s a thing). I feel like I could have used a little more energy sprinkled throughout. I got some White Stripes vibes, but maybe just because of the male/female vocals sharing. Anyway, this was another one that I didn’t dislike, but I also know that I won’t be going back to.

If this were more dream pop, I might have liked it.

Honestly, I got more out of this when I listened to it the first time. On hearing it again, it feels flatter and less impressive. I also don’t care for the guy’s voice.

Prva pjesma mi je naslućivala bi moglo biti zanimljivo pa je otišlo u dosadu i cringe. 2/5, 3/10

Clearly well-produced but this simply lacks the juice. I prefer the songs where Romy's on lead vocals a bit more. Islands and Shelter are improvements over the others. Islands is a quietly propulsive, hooky tune. Shelter has a desperate ache to it. I understand people were over the moon about this album when it came out, but it mostly didn't land for me.

A coming of age album for many people, including myself, who reached their teens in the late 2000s/early 2010s. There's a quiet melancholy to the sparse guitars and light electronics here, which cosily contour the sensual lyrics. But with the exception of Intro, there aren't any songs with staying power and more than a decade later XX is a somewhat drab and underwhelming listen. Unfortunately this is a pattern with a lot of the indie-electro British scene in this era: not much of it has stood the test of time.

Intro est vraiment bonne. 5/5 Shelter est pas pire le reste: It doesn’t sound like they can sing. i mean good for them, art is for everyone but this is just not my cup of tea

Googling this band is not safe for work. Lo-fi millennial soft rock. That type that got famous just whispering rather than singing. They have a unique sound, I'll give them that. Like "We're disinterested in life, and only barely interested in doing this whole music thing." Perfect coffee shop music. Some moments sound vaguely Khruangbin--ish but without the wild funk and psychedelia. "Infinity" sounds like "Wicked Game" By Chris Isaak, but not as good.

The band just released a deluxe edition of this like today, perfect timing. I'll preface by saying that I like the xx. Before I give a perfunctory analysis that sounds mostly negative but isn't. Their debut album is foundational snoozecore, but they know that. Simple, homogenous compositions. Tender lullabye singing. Band name lowercase, no pretentions to capital letters. the xx whispered so that crumb could mumble. But that's the style. It's music for sensitive souls that need a break from loud noises or sudden tempo changes. Music for sitting in the dark with headphones, creeping your crush's posts. The guy's singing is pretty lackluster, I do admit. And Romy has distinguished herself a lot more as a solo artist since this album. And Jamie's productions have likewise come a long way. But they've got the cute best friend band thing going, and that's the charm. I do like the xx. I would see the xx live again. I will put my baby to sleep to the xx. But this is like a generous 2/5.

I don’t think I knew the band but I definitely remember some of these songs from this era. This first song makes me feel like I’m on hold. Very chill background music. I zone it out and forget to pay attention to it a lot but it’s soft and soothing. This album gets a little stronger by the end but I don’t think anything really grabbed hold of me.

Has there ever been a clearer example of track one, side one of a debut being good and everything after being shite than The xx. To be honest Intro isn't even that good just familiar from being used as background music in every TV programme of the early 2010s. I was baffled by how popular this was at the time and having listened to the album years later I was shocked at just how mild and uninteresting it was. They rip off the sound of Chris Issak's Wicked Game on a couple of the tracks but rather than singing about a world being on fire, I felt more like I was listening to someone upset their toaster wasn't doing both sides evenly.

would be 2x (haha 2x is the band name) better if they muted the vocal track

Amazingly forgettable

Not to my taste

2.45

Thought their other album was ok but inconsequential. And that, this or both are no longer on the list? After only a few years. Inconsequential hey. It’s sort of ok, in that ambient and low energy, lost in your own bedroom, kind of way. It never really progresses, is quiet soporific and as such remains background in my mind, all low levels; electronic sounds, minimal guitar and low key vocals. Just reading wiki, and see it appears as background on a fair number of tv shows which kind of sums up the background feel to it. I can’t really raise much enthusiasm, other than ok. 2 Star

Sounds like car commercial music

I have only heard the instrumental intro song before, which I love. Turns out their voices are annoying, not into it.

RUINED INDIE POP!!!!!!!! but its shadow on mainstream pop led to some utterly fascinating developments. i find it a bit dull and plodding personally, though i see the appeal pretty clearly and think that it has earned a spot in the public consciousness deserves to be one of the 1001? i might not care for it much but yes

Some generic crap. Why is your most popular song on Spotify the Intro song? Heard this sound with better bands.

Is it just me or does every song sound the same? Lazy singing, lazy guitar work, the rhythm section actually seems to want to go somewhere but can’t. Very yawn inducing

The best track is the first track, and the album gets worse from there. Not a terrible album, just extremely depressing. The fact that the first track has nearly as many listens as the rest of the album really speaks volumes. There are hundreds of quirky coffee and antique shops playing some of these tracks on repeat. Overall 4/10

I really struggled with this one. The first track is dope and I’ve always liked it. Perhaps because it’s instrumental. When the vocals start, however, it’s like they suck all of the energy out of me. Exhausting sound. Not a fan .

Ambient and depressing! I am reminded why I couldn’t finish this album when it came out - while the first track is strong they do blend together

Intro was the best song.

Pretty low key and forgettable ambient indie pop album. A couple decent radio singles but becomes very boring as a full album. Inoffensive and very plain. Top tracks: Intro, Fantasy

Perfectly fine albeit slightly boring atmospheric pop 2.5/5

Pleasant album with some songs that I liked, but I don’t think I would listen to the full album again

Minimalist instrumentation, song structures and vocal range on display here. Admittedly didn’t dig in deep with the lyrics but nothing that stood out there to me on the first listen either. Sets and sustains a mood, and there are a couple moments that feel semi- cathartic amid the gloom; however overall too much empty canvas to make me want to come back to this one.

This is boring background music they have on in the dentists office

Starts out fine but gets so repetitive. It became a chore to finish listening to this even though there are like 2-3 really enjoyable songs on here.

I was not too surprised to learn that they first made a name for themselves by licensing their music for TV... It does indeed sound like the soundtrack of a hip Netflix series about angsty young Londoners. I kind of enjoyed it as background music. The gloomy atmosphere grew on me after a while, and there’s definitely a couple of nice loops here and there. But the beats are too minimalist for my taste, and the affected, blasé vocals are a bit annoying. It feels a bit empty, like comatose music for hungover people, and the whole band seems to be on the verge of passing out. Maybe they needed another X ? 4/10

Bang average as opposed to being outright terrible like the other xx album on this list. Forges a distinctly icy, minimal sound and direction for itself by copping a tremendous dull ripoff feel of Young Marble Giants and combining it with the dullest, most fakest plastic facets of modern indie. Shame they couldn’t copy another trend of Young Marble Giants by limiting themselves to only one album.

Appreciate the minimalism on a certain level and this album has a vibe, for sure. If an album could be two awkward people in their early twenties trying to hang out and get to know each other, this would be it. Don't want to be too harsh, but the minimalism was a bit too minimalist at times - some songs feel like ideas that never got fully fleshed out; I would lose track of when a song began and ended, and quite a bit sounds the same. But I appreciate the homegrown nature of this album and there are a few songs on here that are exceptional.

ethereal surf mellow jams

I liked some songs. All songs have the same chill out atmosphere, some are more interesting while others just fall under the same repetitive style. I would probably listen to two or three songs again but the rest is just music to have on the background. Nice to hear but a bit boring.

Too low-key for me.

“Intro” is good, albeit somewhat overplayed, but the rest is just music for shopping at H&M

I remember this album banging a lot harder than this

Album 901 of 1089 The xx - xx (2009) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Mellow, low-key indie pop with a quiet charm, even if it didn’t stick long after. A nice, low-key indie pop listen that held its niche well. Can’t say there were a lot of melodies that stuck with me, but the band has their sound and they stay consistent with it. Nothing earth-shattering here, but I also don’t regret the time spent listening. It had a quiet charm to it, even if it isn’t something I’d go reaching for again.

Did not know the album or the band before listening, so was super surprised to know the first track. It went downhill from there though. Pretty boring stuff.

Indie electronic music to study and be sad to. Well produced.

Like a minimalist cross between the Cure and Coldplay but less interesting

WE'RE BACK BABY ! Honestly, I love this album, it’s the perfect soundtrack for staring out a bus window and pretending your life is a black&white indie film. It's moody, it's mysterious and it's sexy. Overall, “XX” is minimalism done right. It’s not flashy, it’s not loud, it's like the musical equivalent of someone whispering “psst… I have feelings” directly into your soul. LOVE ! 4/5 - HF xo - Returning minimalism to the mainstream in a way that hadn't been seen since the 80s, we have the record that spawned 1000 acts that thought they just didn't have to put that much into writing music and could get away with it. The xx managed it and were probably the best at it around the late 00s/early 10s. The most positive word I can use about the songs are that they are quite 'nice'. Wholly unoffensive but they inspire absolutely nothing in me. Ther's some nice little guitar parts here and there which sound like someone put Johnny Marr in an ice bath and put a gun to his head and asked him to pump out some arpeggios. But I was probably spoiled growing up in the late 90s/2000s when music had kinda bounced back (I've bounced back, Lynn) after the previous decade, but in the snobbiest way possible I'm either excited by music or transfixed by music or I'm probably not enjoying it. The more known tracks (VCR, Crystalised, Islands) stack up the first part of this record, and it falls off a cliff pretty quickly. The singles take you back to an era when people thought shows like Skins were like how late teen life should be and aspired to be like the characters, realising they actually weren't middle-class kids from Bristol and actually poor kids from the North where the pills weren't as good and you couldn't afford coke on your EMA. They actually try something with tracks like 'Fantasy' and 'Stars', but they don't have enough about them to stand-out as top album tracks and the record peters out with a whimper. A forgettable experience from a forgettable year. 1.9/5 JF - I thought for a second I didn't know the band or this album then 10 seconds in I'm thrown back to underage drinking, smoking down fairy glen and buying cigs from an old Chinese fella (big up Tony Saltburn OG) VCR is a slow paced, lowfi tune, lyrically well put together with some nice harmonies but very little to say other than that. Crystallised bumps up the BPMs slightly with a funky bassline and minimalist type guitar, once again not a bad track but it's not really grabbing me, with the expectations The Intro set, I expected more. Okay this won't be a long review, mainly because I don't really have much to say about it, it's starts off so well but then it's just kind of boring, I don't mind minimalism in music when it's done well, sometimes less is more and there nothing wrong with that. But an entire album of minimalist build up to minimum if no pay off at all? Yeah not my cup of tea. It's like if the DJ made the first track then fell asleep and team of teenagers on a come down picked up what was left, probably won't pick this album up again tbh. 1.8/5 MTW

Got a star cause of Danny kelly

These guys? Again? Really?

Seemed okay, not sure if my thing.

Gar nd mini musig ehrlichgseit. Intro infonity sind voll ok aber de rest het mir jetzt gar nd gfalle

Can recognise the quality and contribution to the genre here. "Good indie" is an oxymoron, but this is about bearable, if a bit dull.

Just a bit bland Familiarity: [3 – Know some songs] Songs I would actively choose to listen to: [1 - None] What can I remember the next day?: [1 - None}

Meh

Very forgettable

The intro track of is fantastic and the only one I knew before diving in. I expected more of that vibe, but the rest of the album is just boring and bland. Something I’ve already forgotten.

Basically a lofi album with breathy, slightly out of tune vocals over the top. I couldn't get into this one. I don't even get how this counts as pop, there's nothing pop about it, although I find most pop to be annoying so I guess it has that going for it. It's just a bad album. The 2000s had so many good albums come out, why did this make the 1000 that I should listen to before I die? It's a fine album. I don't hate it. I just would never choose to listen to this when there are so many better options that exist.

I hate saying bad things about albums that definitely had a lot of hard work that went into it, but this is just really boring in my opinion. I lost interest halfway through and it never brought me back. "Crystalised" is a really good song though. I'm glad i know it now. Everything else for the most part will be forgotten by tomorrow

'You used to have all the answers / And you, you still have them too.' I'm not sure if Romy ever heard of Mitch Hedberg, but that sure does resemble the comedian's classic joke: 'I used to do drug, I still do, but I used to too.' Unlike Mitch tho, the xx doesn't have a single funny bone in their makeup: it's all a whispered and enervating chillness that has no sense of humor or iota of what it means to be alive. It's dream pop to the extent that my bed time accords w/ the hour the record is put on, but the legacy of The Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, or even the flawed but memorable Mazzy Star is hardly continued on this record. I don't get why the Kool Aid was drunk w/ this group: nothing special and especially sleepy. Not xx: more Zzz.

Not exactly terrible but definately part of the dross I complained about in my Jacques Brel review not too long ago. No idea why I have to listen to this really.

Wouldn't moan if it was on in someone else's house, but it's a bit samey. Lacking substance. Not for me.

Boring music for boring people

Melancholic duets that aren't my peanut butter. Bit of eerie synth and guitar. 2009 hipster music.

The album has a very uniform "I can't be too loud or I'll wake up my parents" sound. It doesn't sound /bad/, but the whispering gets old really quick. I also acknowledge that Spotify's audio balancing is non-existent, but it irks me that I had to double my volume to actually hear this album.

Lovely. First track is a 5. Falls to a mediocre 2 quickly. Still nice and melodic.

Never heard of these guys. When I saw the name, I immediately thought they were some punk rock group I knew I would hate. Definitely not punk rock and can't say that I hate them. To be honest, they are very listenable. But they lack that unknown quality that sparks my interest. Most of the songs are slow and soft, same tempo and kind to run together. If they're going to do that, I need some interesting melodies and lyrics, like Nick Drake.

one thing i've noticed about myself from my time on this website is that i tend to be more generous with my scoring for albums that came out when i was a teenager (regardless of whether i listened to them around that time or not). it's like, even if i didn't listen to these specific songs my ears are somehow still reminded of MY YOUTH or something and then i'm compelled by nostalgia to give at least 3 or 4 stars even when it's..... not really a 3 or 4 star album...... i wonder if other people have this as well or if it's a common thing, like people who grew up in the 70s being more generous with stuff that came out in the 70s etc, and then whether the overall scoring on this website is skewed by that at all, like if you can tell the patterns and demographics of people who use this website based on their assigning high scores to stuff that came out when they were young. idk, i'd be interested to know about this! anyway, that was a long preamble to say that a part of me did want to give this 3 stars without thinking about it too much but come on, this is just not a classic album guys, let's be serious. my experience of this album is that i went into it thinking i didn't know any songs by The xx apart from Angels which i do like and then i felt disappointed that Angels isn't on here, and then as i listened to each song on this album i kept thinking, wait, do i actually know this? have i heard this before?? like they all felt VAGUELY familiar and may have been playing in the background at some point when i was 19 and i just didn't realise. i sort of get that this album represents a certain type of music/vibe/whatever that was big around this time and probably The xx popularised it so like, yes, on one level i do understand why they're here but also i really don't because these songs are SOOOOOOO nothingy. the best thing i can say is that this would work quite well as lying-on-the-floor-staring-up-at-the-ceiling music, which tbf is something that i do sometimes. but yeah i'm gonna give this 2 stars. Angels started auto-playing after i finished the album and i still like that song.

Meh electronic

mediocre

The sound design of this album is stunning, especially the song "Basic Space". I imagine that this album is an excellent experience if listened to while lying down in a quiet, dark room. Unfortunately, in all other circumstances, it is very dull.

One of the first records I can remember understanding completely what they were doing and feeling like I was too old for their deal and their audience. I like a lot of Jamie XX’s solo club records and whatnot but I have rarely vibed to Romy and Oliver’s close mic emoting.

All the songs sounded the same. At least it was a little relaxing.

Zzz

The familiarity of the intro and liked it a lot. Bit of a dip down to the next track but seems most popular tracks are first 4. Kinda drab and feel like songs that are primed to drop the beat or get going, but they never really do. I’m all for moody electronica but just doesn’t feel very accomplished or skilful. Kinda like some moody college students got a free copy of Cubase. Lacking depth or variety or skill really. Pretty samey, uninspired and edging on parody at times. One of those albums that just makes me increasingly angry at its lacking.

xx: the xx: I was interested at first, but this shit is so bare and boring as hell. It all sounds the same, its super basic, and the male vocalist kinda sucks. A shame. 4/10

I wanted to like this album. "Intro" is pretty solid and the only The xx song I've heard before. It sets a cool tone that the rest of the album just doesn't match. It's rather straightforward angsty indie fare with simplistic beats and didn't do a whole lot to keep my interest, and that's a shame. The thing that bothered me most were the very breathy, nasally, vocals that were off-putting to me. I also wish there had just been more energy poured into this album. It falls flat for me. The synths and a very distinctive guitar tone are the saviors here and I caught myself just latching on to those sounds to try to pull something interesting out of the tracks. Standouts were "Intro" and "Basic Space." Struggling with whether to give this a 2 or 3. It probably falls between that, but I think it's a 2 for just being not that interesting or musically impressive.

It's not bad but it's very boring.

Basic and simple but needs expansion to really grow

Pomalé balady, není to můj šálek kávy

Inoffensive and kinda boring. Whisper indie. Its ok.

I know this intro song, i like it. But for a moment, this sounds like an ad theme song haha. Cute background music. I mean I don't see myself listening to this. I'm not so impressed with the singing/vocals. Maybe even a bit boring.

The instrumental music was fine, but the vocals were really not my style.

Intro is classic tense love island music.

Not for me. It's really dull. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ❌️ Revisit ❌️ Boring ★★☆☆☆

Solid ambient, 2.5

I remember the first song, but it is really boring other than that.

I think every song was just made up of F and C - dull but vibey

Good

3* review Couple of ok tracks but quite lazyly put together and mundane

Oh, this is ambient background music for hipster coffee shops. I feel like I missed a lot of 00s indie as it was happening, but going back much of it feels flat and rather lifeless. This is no exception, so I guess I didn't miss much.

Just background music, nothing special. I think it could be better if it's just instrumental.

Too low energy for me, its like ASMR as an album. Almost fell asleep towards the end. Favourite Song: Crystalised

Listened to this biking through Brooklyn, maybe anything is nice doing that but this kinda hit in that setting. Still not my fav tho. 2.5

Idk it's ok I guess

160/1089 - I like how the voices sound production-wise but dislike how they sound quality-wise. The female vocal is better than the male vocal. It's probably not very good when the best thing I can think of to say is that it sounds inoffensive. The song structure was alright in the beginning, and Islands was cool.

Pre-listening thoughts: man we have gotten a ton of 2000s recently what is going on Post/during listening thoughts: ya know I was excited for this one cause it was a post 2000 pick, and I shouldn’t have been. It was so mid. Quiet ass songs that go nowhere. It’s like if someone put a shitty beat over Of Monsters and Men. Bleh. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Islands, Night Time Least fav tracks: Crystalized, Fantasy, Basic Space

Nice production, but this needs a lot more instrumentation, better singing, and catchier hooks, or at the very least more songs that actually go somewhere. These tunes feel very underdeveloped. I only really liked 2 tracks.

Snore

That sounded like Kirsten Stewart's face expressions in Twilight, only worse. The music isn't that bad, but the singing really is. They would have gotten one more star if it had been instrumental, but there really isn't much I enjoyed in that album.

I still don’t get the hype, but it is much more palatable now. Still just so … blah, but in a dreary way.

meh, some catchy songs, quite slow paced and minimal throughout and uninspiring

It's not inherently offensive, but I don't see how it's on this list. I did not "need to hear this before I died". Solid enough, but nothing special. 2 from me.

In which an iconic opening track is undone by a 33 minute long second track to close the album

Not terrible but also nothing to get excited about

Never listening to this album, nor truly being familiar with the xx (I have the intro to this album saved but honestly could not have told you who the artist was if you asked me 12 hours ago). So when the intro came on, I was stoked because I do really like that song as a mellow chill focus on my work vibe. I thought it would be more of that lofi techno chill hop kind of an album, but it turned out to be lofi whisper pop. After the second song I was still bought in, and the intro still had me pumped for more after the 3rd song, but by the time the 4th song started I realized I’d been duped. Overall a boring disappointment. Nothing was done poorly, but nothing was really done at all. 4.2/10 #75/1001

I was hungover this day and the music kinda made me scared and anxious

A record that feels more about style than substance, it’s a slick distillation of dub, R&B, and early 2000 indie pop. The songs are minimalist, and the tempos and melodies sort of morph into one another into a background music soundtrack. It’s perfectly listenable, but a bit boring. Seems a bit too cool for school.

when I listened to this my audio visualizer microwaved a tumblr user wearing a jean jacket, plastic choker, and doc martens x_x xD there is no mustache emoji???

If they played on America’s Got Talent they would be the X X X getting buzzed off the stage :P The album just hasn’t stood up to the passage of time

One of the most 2009 albums ever recorded. Completely without substance and attempts to coasts on aesthetics. The aesthetics are occasionally nice, and when they actually try to write a song I kinda like it, but most of it is just nothing to me. From a critical perspective, I find it pretty offensive, but personally for me it is fine background music (there's a reason why "Intro 10 hours plus rain sounds" is so popular... this shit is meant to be played but not listened to). Fav song: Crystallized

when the two minute long intro is the best song on the album 💔 2.5

Not bad. Wouldn't run back to it though.

Disco bem fraco. Não chega a ser exatamente ruim, mas não traz nenhum brilho, nenhum momento cativante. O destaque fica na produção, que traz bons timbres de guitarra e sintetizadores envolventes. Nem mesmo o contraste entre as vozes salva as melodias insossas e as composições sem rumo.

A presença desse disco numa lista como essa escancara o principal problema do livro. Tirando uma ou outra coisa latina ou europeia (tem Chico, Caetano, Milton, Kraftwerk), mais de 90% dos discos são de artistas e bandas dos Estados Unidos e Inglaterra. Não tem nada que justifique a inclusão desse álbum no livro. Pop sem graça e repertório fraco.

On paper this band is up my alley, but I failed to get into their music 15 odd years ago and still am not feeling it. I like “Islands” but the album as a whole seemed drab and unremarkable.

A lullaby album in both the best and worst sense of the word. I really like a couple of songs from this album, but overall, I do think this is a fairly boring and overrated album. There, I said it, now take away my "late millennial/early Gen Z" credential.

Wasn’t for me.

nije mi bio neš ni kad je izašao

Fine, but I certainly didn’t need to listen to it

Very boring and dull album where everything sounded the same. I’m also not a big fan of the breathy vocal performance.

There were some nice moments and compelling musical textures - but after a while boring and so incredibly low energy. I am trying to imagine a scenario where I would put this disc on the player and imagine it would be while planning for a suicide...

Oh yeah, these guys. I remember when they were big. Never really got into them and now I definitely know why. Because they're boring af. 3/10

Good enough for one listen through but it’s kind of boring

How bout the Intro, I’m sure no one’s mentioned that one yet. It’s very of its time already which doesn’t bode well for the aging of this album (2.5/5)

sempre achei esse especialmente chato the xx sempre foi hype demais e pouca qualidade

My guess is the average XX fan sits in the corner of an independent coffee shop, reading the Bell Jar, spends his days patronising women and thinking he is superior for listening to the XX

Nah. Didn’t enjoy it at all

Chill vibe, almost too chill? Sleepytime music

diabolical that there’s two albums by them on this list? i said it before and i’ll say it again: retail music. i feel like im in a tjmaxx. it’s by no means the worst thing ive ever heard but i also do not care for it

Favorite track: intro. Overall score: 3.5/10

I did not use a private session for this one. Lots of mumbling which I think was supposed to come off as sultry and sexy, but instead me tired.

Not really my thing, but I get it

Not great

4/15/25. Eh, not really for me. Not horrible by any means, but thought it was quite a boring, forgettable listen.

В школе интересно было слушать, конечно. Сейчас уже не то

Dour. Millennial Blues. As an album it tells its story but there isn't a track here I'd say to someone 'hey listen to this song'

This is really lame unfortunately, real background music.

I’m a huge fan of Colors by Jamie xx but this album pales in comparison. The opening track, Intro, a clomping beat heavy head bobbing wonder gives way to a functional but uninspiring VCR. The rest of the album was heavy on beats but left me cold. L

i do not know how this could be considered something you have to hear before you die. i mean it is fine background music but it really had zero impact on me in any capacity whatsoever

Most of the songs sounded too similar. A little too boring for me

Good production, but overall low energy, dull vocals. Good background music, less enjoyable for active listening.

Kind of a sleepy album. Not sure I’d revisit.

That track “Intro” reminds me of car commercials. This whole thing feels like something a YouTuber or podcaster would have adopted to be their channel’s theme music. I like the production on some of the tracks (“Crystalised” has a good drum sound, for instance) but the lazy vocals can only do so much in 2025.

Loved this when it first came out but it’s aged like old milk. It now sounds (to me) cliched and dull

Didn't really make much of an impression. Not awful though.

Nothing of substance here really

Zz

xx

kinda boring. intro slaps tho!

Lightweight techno pop. Okay for easy days

The production choice to bury the vocals on some of the songs was absolutely maddening. I was cranking up the volume trying to hear the vocals over the heavy bass and ambient noise and then guitars would come in and rip my head off and I had to turn it back down. And then more vocals but this time legible and boring. Almost every song is sung like they are bored and talking at their feet. Some of the music was fine but the singing ruined it.

I feel bait-and-switched by Intro. I thought this would be an interesting album; instead I got XX.

2,5

First two tracks are actually pretty good. The rest of the album is slow and repetitive; I was nearly convinced that they were all the same songs. Sounds like a crappy Coldplay cover band.

this was a weird one. I knew the first track, but could not for the life of me tell you where I have heard it before. Past that, I found this album pretty underwhelming. I think I would give it more points if it came out in the 90's and, to me, felt like it had more of an impact on the music scene. But the fact that it came out in 2009 and just kinda sounds like Lo-Fi study beats... it doesn't leave much for me. It's by no means bad so it doesn't get a 1 star - but I can't go much higher than a 2

meh

Muah

Quintessential album of the genre retrospectively named Indie Sleeze. Really loved the singles off this album, ‘Crystalised’ and ‘Night Time’ when it first came out, but honestly got kind of bored halfway through on this re-listen. Still, I guess it makes a part of me want to smudge my eyeliner and light up a Parliament in some hipsters shitty basement.

Good start. Boring.

Kom till samma slutsats i varje låt: ”denna låter fet… vad är det för fel på deras röster?” Krampaktiga. Så pass att jag hellre lyssnar på en instrumental-version av albumet. ”Heart Skipped a Beat” är en bra summering. Sångarna låter döende men det finns ändå något i produktionen. Jamie får 3/5 i betyg men de andra två får Yung Lean att framstå som Whitney Houston. De blir bättre nästa två album.

xx’s self-titled album is an attempt at a minimalist project. I’d say that i’m usually a fan of the genre, but this album was just extremely boring. The singing is pretty mediocre from both vocalists and the male vocalist sounds like he’s doing a bad Måneskin impersonation. The production is surprisingly really good, which just makes me so much more disappointed that it was wasted on such a lowkey attempt. If I’m being fair, there’s nothing incredibly offensive about this project, it’s just so boring. Every song is trying too hard to create a minimal scene, but failing horribly and just creating what could easily be mistaken for as “lazy” music. The one song I did thoroughly enjoy was “Basic Space”, as it finally adds the extra piece to the atmosphere this project attempts to foster, genuinely resembling a complete song.

Wispy forgettable lo-fi indie nonsense

Kinda boring.

Infinity sounds a lot like Wicked Games by Chris Isaac. Otherwise just a relaxing groove background music album.

I had never heard of these guys before. The first 2 tracks were interesting, but it soon became apparent after that that this band is a one trick pony. I am not saying it's bad, there's just not enough here to hold my attention.

Ughhhhhh. The type of songs to sell a MacBook Pro. The type of songs they would play at a new coffee chain that’s has “locally sourced beans”. The type of songs that would be in the background of an Obama 2012 campaign ad. The type of songs I would hear in the car while my dad was listening to alt radio and I would think “this is boring. when are they gonna play the one about the pumped up kicks?” Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh.

boring + gay, intro is a banger

Too little variation

I'm afraid I'm not in my sad or melancholic mood and that's why it doesn't impact me, or I just didn't like it. I found the vocals bland, the instrumentation could have been better but all in all it wasn't too bad. “Basic Space” feels good, I have empathy for that song. Same as well for "Heart Skipped a Beat", in this one the voices are better matched than in the rest of the songs. PS: Within indie pop, I prefer Oh Wonder considering they are a duo as well and seriously, much better.

There are some nice tracks on this, but it's quite flat in affect. It feels like an albums of preamble / build up without any release. It's not bad, it just feels restrained, like it's too cool to ever really kick out the jams. The xx is too cool for its own good - after 2 albums that's my official diagnosis.

Jaime: "Al adolescente le hubiera gustado puede ser, pero ha envejecido muy mal, no me ha gustado nada". Nuria: "Para trabajar de fondo, bien".

Crystallized is on my regular playlist, and it’s a great song. But a whole album of the same thing reminds me of the Royal Guardsman doing variations on Snoopy vs the Red Baron for an entire flipping album. It’s the same two people taking turns drowsily conveying their shroom induced imagery. The whole damned album.

So, so mid. Music isn't bad, but it's not interesting to me. Vocals aren't bad, but they don't capture my attention. I don't hate this, but even if this band came up on a play list I'd probably tune it out. Just super bland music.

This was fine..

Atmospheric English indie pop group. Very chill, not too much that resonates, but certain parts are very familiar somehow. I swear I've heard "Intro" before, but then... probably not. "Fantasy" is pretty trippy.

They should call this genre of music borecore. Not much interesting going on here, and even the singers sound bored. Guess I just don't get it.

Fell off a cliff after the first two minutes

Legitimately never heard of this group so was hoping to discover some new music. Not sure what type of music I would say this is, kind of chill-wavy. All the songs sounded the same to me, kind of bland and nondescript. Apparently this was a pretty highly acclaimed album, but I didn't care for it.

intro- iMovie stock music sounding/ no lyrics/not for me/ 3/10 VCR- laid back/study music/ simple but effective/ 6/10 Crystallised- frustratingly slow yet fast (???)/ 4/10 I stopped listening here. for me this album Is boring and repetitive after skimming through the rest of the songs VCR was the best one 2/5

In a word, yawn.

Ok sound

Too much on the twee end of indie for my liking

Not good. Basic synthesized beats and generic chords with mumbled lyrics

Ihan passelia taustamusiikkia, mutta ei tätä sen kummemmin kiinnostu kuuntelemaan.

I probably wanted to like it more than I did, but sheesh, if beating a dead horse was an album.

ha començat semblant no copyright songs per videos de youtube està millorant segueix sent una mica pal

Didn't like it.

2 stars

This is the first one that's been generated for me so far that I can say I didn't particularly enjoy. It wasn't bad but it felt a bit uninspired and bland to me. I may be a bit biased since I don't really like Pop music as a whole but I struggled to pick just 2 songs for the mega playlist I'm building around all of these albums. I'm currently relistening to the album a little while typing this and I'm still not feeling much from this one. There are some cool atmospheric sections to this album which makes headphones kinda essential on a listen-through.

Made me both antsy and sleepy. I definitely liked a few of the songs, the more tumblr2014 ones.

xx by The xx just confirmed what I already kinda knew — indie rock’s not really my thing. The whole album has a super minimal, moody vibe that never really goes anywhere. Every song blends into the next, and after a while it just feels like one long, slow track on repeat. I don’t have a favorite or least favorite because, honestly, they all sound pretty much the same to me. Not terrible, just not interesting. It’s background music at best, and even then, I’m probably skipping it.

This album is fine, inoffensive late 2000s early 2010s atmospheric indie. I've never been a huge The xx fan, and this album was just serviceable. I totally get why it was included because bands like Alt-J, M83, and Phoenix were probably inspired by this album. Unfortunately, The xx is worse than any of those previously mentioned bands. Best Songs: Intro, Crystalised, Shelter Forgettable Songs: The rest

Ok background music.

Lyrics: 1/5 Music: 2/5 Production: 2/5 Cohesiveness: 3/5 Overall: 2/5 Stand out songs: Intro Crystallised Fits the moody teenager vibe that we all quickly grow out of Some very clean bass and guitar lines against some remotely interesting electronic drums. Lyrics weren’t great but I get that that’s not the main focus of the music. All stays at the same level for me, never gets great never gets terrible, never really picks up out of the lazy strolling (I get it’s supposed to be) and becomes, dare I say, boring after a while. Makes a change to hear some space in music these days and I’m all for that, but let’s fill in that space sometimes Not a massive fan of the singers voice. Again, I get it, but it doesn’t do it for me . I’m sure I’ll say this a lot with this generator but if this is in the top 1001 albums list I’d really have to ask why? It’s a very average album that deserves praise in some areas but it’s not pushing any boundaries, stays very safe throughout and doesn’t offer any real emotions

So bland. No idea why they were so lauded.

Decent album but didn't like it that much.

Every song sounded exactly the same

Just do a cover of Wicked Game, you cowards

Monotone, bland, boring. No thanks

Too bland for me ... the singers sounded shy and timid, the songs didn't have any spark.

Most boring album so far out of almost 700. Not annoying enough for 1 star.

The first half of this album is fantastic, has a satisfying collaboration of sound and song. The second half of the album begins to merge and not particularly stand out to me as much. Very good album to listen to while working on a train

This album sort of sounds like what a college freshman who just bought a guitar, synths, and some software would make in his basement with his girlfriend. That doesn't necessarily mean it's bad, it's just plain. Nothing inspiring about it at all. It gets boring and repetitive after hearing the same song over and over. I mean I can't for the life of me figure out why this album is on this list. Even with the bad albums I've come across or those I just don't like I can usually see why they would be included. But there is nothing special about this one way or another - it wasn't groundbreaking, it’s not profound, it's not novel in any way. 2/5

mumble mumble mumble

Minimalist Indie-Pop, probably takes a few listens to appreciate. Didn't blow me away, they have an interesting sound but no song really stood out bar the intro. Not bad, just not brilliant either for me.

As some peers mentioned, the first track (Intro) is really promising. After that, the ride felt flat and bored. I gave it a second try and fell asleep. Literally! This album is not bad and it’s not annoying, but it feels bland to me. I appreciate sparse music, but this is not evocative enough. With these uninspired lyrics and raspy voices, the xx output does very little for me. I’d give it a 5/10 if it was possible. Since it’s not, it will be a 2/5.

Good background music, but not much else. 2/5

I remember liking this album when it came out, but it’s definitely a product of its time. I can’t say that that this had any cultural impact beyond its initial release.

kind of boring

Cool sounds but a bit sleepy

Boring boring boring, nothing particularly wrong with the performance. Music just feels like it was made for Millennial commercials

Bit boring. I’m a big fan of Jamies solo stuff and quite like Romys, but I just couldn’t get into this album.

Ok, I like the intro tube and I like some of the sounds they get but don’t love it as a whole xx

I was very curious at the beginning. Waited for a dramatic development from song to song.. but nothing happened.

I think this is an important album to have on the list- that being said I really don't like it. This is a hallmark style from a lot of art in my generation - not even just in music but all over. This sort of minimalist, too cool to make anything truly expressive style that, in my opinion, plagues a lot of what got made when I was kid. On one hand it's cool, it's echoed soundscapes are interesting and unique, but on the other hand, too much of this genre is frankly lazy and thinks its better than you. I don't want to shit too hard on my own generation because a lot of really good music was made during this era, but this ain't it. Even if you wanted the trance, minimalist style, you're much better suited with a My Morning Jacket or a Chrome Sparks.

The Guardian named xx as the year's best record in their annual critics poll and hailed it as "the sound of 2009, a distinctive musical statement of the like we may never get to hear again". God help us, music was rubbish in the 2000s, wasn't it? I notice Dimery struggling to provide albums in the 2000s, and he often lazily relies on just listing the Mercury Prize winner. The Mercury Prize is often a signifier of over-rated rubbish (with a few notable exceptions). If you bought all of the Mercury Prize winners, you'd have the worst record collection in the world (apologies to Cameron Crowe). And, as exhibit number one, I present The xx. That said, I admire their marketing team. they pulled out all the stops on the early 2000s hype playbook; hitting up the blogs, placing on soundtracks and TV ads, working the awards circuit, hitting the festivals, and working every social media angle they could. I mean, look at the wikipedia page for this record; you can't tell me that isn't shoehorned full of press release filler until it nearly splits at the seams. Boring, over-rated wallpaper. Update December 2025: I stand vindicated! See this review of the reissue of The xx in the AV Club 'Has The xx’s debut album always sounded this limp and dull?' (https://www.avclub.com/the-xx-debut-album-reissue-review): "Read any coverage of The xx around their debut and you’ll quickly learn that critics, media, and fans alike truly believed the soft-spoken then-four-piece to be Britain’s greatest export since penicillin and the Beatles. ... The album, now reissued on a deluxe version with a handful of scattered bonus tracks, has often been framed as a sacred text throughout these past 15-odd years of indie and pop music. ... But the music I heard on that reissue has problems that go beyond the mere passage of time. To put it bluntly: has xx always sounded this limp and dull? ... the substance is nonetheless lacking, a truth too baldfaced for even the aesthetic polish to hide. ... by the end of the record, you’re almost begging for them to merge away from the slow lane they’ve spent 40 minutes driving in." The review is a harsh but fair take down of the record, and worth a read for anyone who surreptitiously thought this album was wildly over-rated.

That intro is timeless and just amazing. I forgot I knew crystalized but what a great song that is. Rest of the album didn't really catch my attention unfortunately.

Quite a sleepy album. Pleasant enough background music but pretty dull. Might just be my headphones but the prominence of some beats didn’t feel quite right in places. Experience maybe not helped by me somehow confusing them with The Gossip and wondering when ‘Standing in the Way of Control’ was going to liven things up.

I'd not heard of this band (I wonder why!). I found it pretty dull really. Nothing to write home about.

Dream pop without the pop. I kept waiting for something to happen. Purgatory pop? Not for me. On a side note I would have bet the house on them being Scandinavian with the dual lead singers, possibly

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Doesn’t do a whole lot for me. Sound production is impressive though.

Just not my favorite honestly. Nice voices but meh.

No me gustó en absoluto. Es un álbum muy incipiente en la propuesta, demasiado plano y sin argumentos que muevan al oyente hacia sensaciones novedosas. Al parecer no es mi tipo de música, pero trataré de oir más de este grupo del cual nunca tuve referencia.

I have realized after starting this project that I am not a fan of minimalist songs / albums. This entire album feels boring and repetitive. I can barely hear what the artist are singing which is supposed to be one of the most powerful parts of these kind of albums. Some cool beats but I also felt disappointed because I would hear some cool sounds that felt like they were going somewhere with a pay off but then would fall flat. The music isn’t bad per se but just not for me.

Not for me

The intro was the best song. After that it was just mediocre 00’s fare.

Meh. Unlike most Indie efforts I managed to actually get through this one, so that’s gotta count for something.

Yeah man they tried but they put enougth gas in the tank. Also their outfits sucked.

Mild background music.

Kind of bland and samey, which is a shame because the album opens SO strong and then just fizzles out. Fav Track: Intro

i like their style with the two singers.

I really like the intro, too bad the rest of the album didn't follow that style as lyrically its kind of meh. The beathy vocals were a bit over done.

I wanted to like this, but dear lord, the awful soppy singing. Combined with a bit too much plinky guitar, my teeth were on edge and I couldn't get into what I'm sure some people find a moving and affecting album. I wanted to crank everything about this band up by several notches, because I feel sure their musical hearts are actually in the right place.

I am just so indifferent on their moody one-dimensionality so intent on capturing only the faintest of musical ideas, quietly empty and emptyingly quiet. Poor vocals, questionable production, non-existent progression. That "Intro" is about as loud and curious as the record really gets.

This music is so achingly trendy it makes every muscle in my body tense

started off well for me but then i got to the point where i didn’t really want to listen to the rest at all

I didn't have high expectations for this one but it was engaging enough that I listened to the whole record. Not terrible

Not much here musically. The voices are “ok”. Nothing here that makes me want to listen to it again - But at no point did I feel the need to skip a song. I guess that’s a small victory.

A little too laid back minimalist for me. Kept waiting for the energy to come but stayed pretty stripped back. There’s some accomplishment in that but sure makes for a boring album overall.

Fairly uninspired indie. Reminds me alot of being 14.

Booooooooooooooooooooooo

Intro is great, don't care for the rest. I hate the breathy late 2000s/early 2010s vocals.

this unfortunately was just a little boring, the Oh Wonder effect the 2010s had on us was ridiculous. Couldn't distinguish songs very well, and therefore I added not one of them to the playlist.

It started off quite well, I enjoyed the first track then everything started to sound the same. Same rhythm, same songs, same ‘just above a whisper’ male/female vocals. Only reason it didn’t get a 1 was because it was pleasant to listen to

Boring.

I found this a bit vanilla to be honest. It does feel a bit like somebody panicked and thought shit we need some stuff that's less than 20 years old on this list.

Meh

Strong start but didn't really change. Became repetitive and dull.

Ok. Not my cup of tea.

A bit melancholy and slightly boring but also a bit interesting at times. 2.5

Honestly pretty boring

so boooooring. I couldnt into this one, feels lazy, but I couldnt wait for it to be done.

The XX must represent the listeners cartoon eyes as they sleep through this album. If the singers sound bored to be here then why should I care?

I feel like I need to be high to enjoy this album. The beats are catchy but the lyrics lack for me. The lyrics are repetitive and the songs sound similar. The tunes give beachy, Cali vibes if you made them mellow and glum. The vocal abilities that are on display are weak but maybe that is the appeal?

Nice little album but unmemorable. I actually bought this when it came out and forgot all about it. Even seeing it on my list - no memory until the first song; which is adorable.

H&M music

Mmm…

Best listened to as individual tracks on a varied playlist, but I drifted off playing it as an album

It was cool. Not that cool.

Ok drony alt rock. Some of it’s nice and interesting, but it gets repetitive as the album progresses. Many sounds feel like they are building towards something and the pay off never comes. Pretty forgettable overall.

Yawn.

Thoughts before listening: This band was huge with a lot of music sites I follow, but it just never seemed like something I would be into. I feel like this is going to be a dancey, dream pop, indie rock type sound. Review: So this is basically very minimalist, sparse, slow indie pop with whispered vocals. This really isn't my thing. I am sure there are people who love this album, but I am just not one of them. I'm giving this 2-stars.

There was a lot of hype around this album when it came out. I checked it out and was not impressed. 15 years later and I feel the same way. This album isn’t bad but it’s boring and bland.

aint thought about these guys in ages uhhh...minimal in a way that kinda just floats out the other ear, i get why this made sense in 2009 but not why people made this 4/10

When this album first came out I tried to like it bc all of my indi-rock/pop-loving friends were ooohing and ahhhing about it. I wasn’t so in love but I got tickets to see them play, which is where I decided I hate this band. The music isn’t hate-worthy really. It’s atmospheric background chill vibes, which is decent enough. But OMG, do they take themselves seriously. Their affected vocal style combined with the single beam of light focused on whichever one was singing made me want to punch faces. To this day when I hear this band, my dislike is renewed. Fine songs, annoying performers. 2.6

This was bad, of all more recent albums why this boring one

This was pretty underwhelming and then I saw that the intro track has 650 million plays?? That song was fine, but it was 2 minutes no vocals. I was surprised to see how popular the album was as a whole. I was not feeling it though.

It's not obvious to me when each song finishes and another one starts. This is wallpaper. Dinner party music. The album the manager of the Noble in Finsbury Park recommended I listened to. Background.

Kind of boring. Just didn’t do it for me. 2/5 Won’t listen again

If 'minimalism' was a rock album. Didn't mind it at first but man this album really feels like it drags on. However "Intro" will always be a banger of a track. Bumped this review from 2 to 3 stars solely for that track.

Intro 3.5 VCR 2.6 Crystalised 3 Islands 2.6 Heart Skipped a Beat 2.2 Fantasy 2.3 Shelter 2.4 Basic Space 2 Infinity 2.4 Night Time 2.3 Stars 2.1 Score: 2.490909091

I really enjoy the music behind these songs, but the singing on each songs just ends up sounding like "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak

Some pleasant guitar sounds, some breathy vocals, but little of substance and not many memorable tunes.

Intro is a 5 and the rest is just so boring.

Not my taste, but not terrible

I think I'm just not in the mood. I just want to turn it off. It's not obnoxious or anything, just insanely boring. I don't want to listen to it. 2 stars

For me, this album finds its place as a pleasant backdrop to life, living in the quiet transitions between points, almost unnoticed. It seems to pull on the strings that hold nostalgia within my chest. I would have identified with it even more at another time, but it has left a little glimmer nonetheless.

The last album by the xx that was on this list left me hating britpop and angry that such junk was considered essential listening. This album isn’t as bad, but that’s hardly a compliment. The intro seemed promising, but I soon realized that I only needed to listen to one song to hear the entire album. Why even have a track listing if it all sounds the same? Because I wasn’t left angry, I’ll go two stars, but that’s being generous. I still hope I don’t ever have to hear this band again.

I remember back in those days everyone acted like The XX was the best thing that had happened in a generation and I just couldn’t see it. 15 years after I still don’t get the hype, they have their moments and the album is too short to generate any negative feelings but it’s just so uneventful for the most part.

Parts of it are weird and trippy, other parts just boring. Vocals are lazy and slurry, which is okay for a song or two, but not for an entire album.

Mid

I guess you had to be there... Best Track: Islands Worst Track: Shelter