After a few too many mid-morning bourgeois cocktails and discussions of royalty splits, we moved on to other events through the streets of Austin. The ears were assaulted by Fugazi soundalikes and jazzed-out Beatles covers coming out of bars, restaurants, bank lobbies, wherever along the mobbed 6th and Red River strips—and this was just after noon.

The XX have been omnipresent since the release of their debut album in 2009, topping year end lists for the haunting, unique sounds on their instant-classic, self-titled debut LP. But the profile of the U.K. indie trio has been skyrocketing, and in the most unexpected places.
First, Apolo Ohno’s recent AT&T Olympic commercial used the XX’s [...]

What a long, strange trip it’s been to this moment in music. The headlines are all too familiar – major labels are dying, download this, download that, blahblahblah… All the hubbub over technology and filthy lucre has obscured what is becoming increasingly clear: 2009 may be the best year for music in a decade – a veritable golden age, if you will, captured in a twelve-month period.

When a podcast starts off with Todd Rundgren “Bleeding” and breaks in the middle with Lil Wayne, you know you are in for one eclectic ride. Kwes has put together an exclusive 66 “Bokkle” Mix brewed with the strongest elements of progressive rock, grime, surf, and British pop. Ahhh… just the right cuppa!

The XX marked the spot last night at Shepherds Bush Empire in London. I was truly excited about seeing them open up for the glamourous Florence & The Machine. This was the first time I purposely went to a gig to solely catch the supporting act instead of the headliner.