Double Extra Large - Other People

Chicago's Double Extra Large(XXL) came to my attention with the release of their self-titled debut last year. Their chunky and charming blend of Indie Slacker sounds enlit a youthful chasm in my soul. Their latest project, Other People, is just under a half-hour of jangly, jumpy and rhythmically-well-in-tune #numbers. It opens with your basic bitch on Facebook(Meta)'s favourite theme tune "Live Laugh Love". 

From being bored in California, to being bored of all the things owned, XXL take front seat in the adolescent mind. 

'Hey lady, what's your point?'

'It rains, it pours, it snows, it storms' 

'I'm sick, I'm sore, I ask what's all this for?'

'Getting rid of all the stuff I own.

By now, I'm bored, I'm so-hooo fucking bored' 

Lead single "Spiel" would allude to the warmer sound palette that the project more often than not adheres to. Although heavily slacker-centric, overall it's a lot more airy - sonically - and introspective compared to the self-titled project; it's a lot less intentionally 'dumb' sounding. 

‘Sometimes I feel ashamed, I couldn't explain it the same again ....’

'It bores me to think of the present tense and what went down. I reminisce so much my friend' 

A contemplative air, like a like a bird soaring on a Summers breeze, spills out of "Spiel". 

Frontman Charlie O'Neill elongates his words as if to pull them into, and across, existence. 

XXL.

Something of an extended intro opens up "Rifle". We're wonkily walked into the body of the track. Gangly, silly guitars pull us in. 

'I'm not the type to yell, I'm afraid to; I held my breath.' 

Peace over putting-up at all costs; until peace is the price you pay for allowing things to continue. Sort it out, or you're out of sort. 

XXL freshen up the sound palette with "Getting There". Acoustic flutters balance out the brawn and the brain. 

'I still taste the sentiment on your skin. 

Hurt but I still want to see you dance again'

Souls that cross paths never uncross. Near or far, they're forever entwined in the eternal dance. Maybe the breeziest moments on the project close out "Getting There". 

The title track sits in sixth position in the tracklist. It features very Pavementesque moan-like squeals/croaks/chirps after the first verse - O'Neill's inner Malkmus makes an appearance. The track seems to loosely outline the coming together of the band, as far as I can tell, as members are namedropped:

'Me and Gabe were nearly neighbours'

'Jake and Billy with Jack Fahey, we allllll went to Dan's house, it wasn't planned out at alllll'. 

Where've you been? I'm right here. 

My favourite piece of guitar across the album takes the shape of the main riff, melody of "Your Other Hand". The backing bits of boingy, springy, up-to-no-good antics lay a floor for the feelgood lead line to pull the track through. It's maybe the most clear-sighted moment on the record, in my opinion. 

Other People ends on a bubbly note with "Double Happiness". The silver lining is out there somewhere. 

'In time I'll find double happiness.'