Cigarettes After Sex are back with their third album, X’s, and, unsurprisingly for anyone who’s listened to five seconds of their music, it’s an emotional odyssey. If you’ve ever experienced the gut-wrenching pain of heartbreak, this album will profoundly resonate with you. Frontman Greg Gonzalez has poured every ounce of his soul into this record, inviting us to join him on an intimate drive through the now-empty environs of a four-year relationship.
From the opening chords of ‘X’s’, we’re immediately transported into Gonzalez’s world of love, loss, and longing. The haunting melodies, the signature breathy vocals, merge sweetly to create an atmosphere thick with nostalgia and regret. Each song’s a postcard from a different stage of the relationship’s demise, capturing the rollercoaster of emotions that accompany such an ending.
Tracks like ‘Tejano Blue’ take us through the early days of infatuation, pulsating with a hypnotic rhythm that mirrors the intoxicating rush of new love. Meanwhile, ‘Silver Sable’ serves as a melancholic reflection on the gradual fading of passion, leaving you staring blankly at the walls as Gonzalez laments the slow decay of a once-fiery connection.
The album’s production is nothing short of masterful, seamlessly merging the band’s signature dream-pop sound with subtle nods to groovier ’70s and ’80s vibes. Reverb-drenched guitars and atmospheric synths create a lush soundscape that perfectly complements Gonzalez’s introspective and poetic lyrics. Each word is carefully crafted, painting vivid pictures of heartbreak, regret, and the lingering hope for reconciliation.
While some might find the album’s consistent pace and tone to be a tad repetitive, it’s this very consistency that makes it such a captivating and immersive listening experience. It’s a credit to the band’s unwavering commitment to the authentic Cigarettes After Sex sound, which has resonated with millions worldwide. X’s is a masterpiece of melancholic beauty, an adventure through the darkest corners of the human heart.
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