The XX Effect

This winter I was introduced to a music shop in London called Rough Trade by a hipster music aficionado friend of mine named Stephen. I, admittedly, am not so cool — particularly about music and require guidance to keep up with what is cool, and also what is not cool.

“Can I buy the latest Stereophonics CD here?” I ask.

“Umm, maybe.”

I look for the Stereophonics new CD.

Nothing.

Apparently the Stereophonics are about as cool as Bryan Adams in Canada right now. Rough Trade is a cool store, for cool music, and no, they don’t have Bryan Adams either.

I need to get something for my sister for Christmas. I ask my friend to suggest something. He tells me I should get this album by The XX. They are cool and new and getting big in London.

I buy it.

I listen to it (after burning a copy from my sister).

I like it.

For about a month and a half I feel really cool listening to The XX. I know something nobody else around me knows for a change. I play it at dinner parties. People ask “who is this?”

“The XX. No big deal,” says me.

Not so long after the XX’s song Crystallized (or Crystalised as the British spell it) is featured in an emo plot twist scene on Gossip Girl. Then I see The XX on Jimmy Fallon. My days of being on the leading edge of music are over. F*&$#!

Subsequently, after several days worth of expletives, I start hearing The XX on the radio which makes me want to shout out to the rest of my town that I knew about them before they did.

I don’t yell.

Instead, I sulk and try to find something else cool.

Fail.

I guess my love for music is somewhat passive. I do love it, but I just don’t stay on top of it. I have other things to stay on top of — like drinking wine, or having clean smelling clothes.

Perhaps this is where I stop trying to be cool, give up on fashion, hike my pants up, and start referring to “the good ol’ days.” I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the beginning of the decline into total un-coolness.

Here are some XX related links. I’m sorry I don’t have the name of their hairdresser, or I would post that too.

• Buy the CD or MP3 album and listen to samples at The XX on Amazon
• Listen to the Japanese XX cover band called The OO