Rock duo XNY have always had a strong and powerful sound, which should come as a surprise seeing that they’re only a two-piece group. Once you’ve seen them perform, however, the surprise quickly turns into expectation, as you’ll expect nothing less from Pam (guitar/vocals) and Jacob (drums) whose energy, charisma, and showmanship sets them apart from traditional sounding rock bands littering LES venues on a nightly basis.
Their new EP, Should I, is the group’s first project release since 2013’s Orange, and picks up right where the band left off with five fresh sounding songs that perfectly snapshot the group’s alt-rock chemistry. Right from the beginning, Pam’s ability to turn her warm and attractive voice into a powerful instrument without losing it’s timbre, as she reaches into a story of everyday decisions and conundrums of being a twenty something in the EP’s title track, which is also the most pop-sounding on the album. Certainly makes for a great selection to open with.
Arguably, the group’s best asset has always been Pam and Jacob’s ability to change tempo directions at the drop of a hat, especially in the rhythm section. You can hear Jacob’s ripping 16th beats and versatile fills across the album, but the writing style of going from one drum beat, to another style without compromising the personality of the song, as heard in “Amsterdam” and “White Wire,” really give the band their signature sound. Closing with the distorted driven “Backbone,” might hold itself as its own responsibility, capturing the band’s energy, changing tempos and dynamics, and overall power, acting as the backbone of the EP.
Whiskey Rating: 4.5 out of 5 shots
XNY is playing a special EP release show tonight at Mercury Lounge at 10pm, don’t miss out!
Article: Tom Shackleford
