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Hopefully, I’ll be able to
resist clichéd lines like “Xoch
is definitely ‘The
One’” while writing this review! It’s just so easy, and you
pay good money to read these reviews! I shouldn’t cheapen them with easy
one-liners!
Wait… you don’t pay anything to read these reviews, so I’ll write what I want!
We were introduced to
Xoch
(pronounced “Zoach”) earlier this year, and having only heard the single for
which the album is named, knew that she was an artist beyond the ordinary! She
also has a sound that is different than a lot of other bands that we have
listed, and yet her single “The One” sounds very recognizable, like you’ve
already heard it on the radio at some point! For the record, her music is
probably the closest thing to current Top 40 that we have on our site; yet, her
music has an edgy quality that makes it unique!
All sorts of comparisons are likely to be drawn after hearing her voice, and
seeing the album cover! I will throw some of the easiest comparisons out there:
Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, Pink, and Vanessa Carlton. There, that’s out of
the way! It’s true that there are similarities in
Xoch’s music to
artists mentioned above, but to me, her music has an edge that the other artists
don’t have, and she has kept the material unique! It’s not as “punk” as Avril,
not as “dark” as Michelle, not as “hip-hop” as Pink, and not as “pianoey” as
Vanessa (is that even a word?)… in my opinion,
Xoch’s music
has elements of all the artists listed above, but is not a clone of any one
style. It is guitar driven Pop music that makes a serious attempt at defying
convention!
In fact, some of the music reminds me of the 80’s duo Roxette! For some reason,
I really liked Roxette, and boy, did I take a beating for it! None of my friends
liked them, and I was considered a sellout for liking their music, but I did
anyway! I think I liked them for the same reasons I like
Xoch; good
songwriting, gritty guitar, and a beautiful voice! That is a killer combination!
When you hear this album, there is no question that “The One” is THE single from
this album! It has all the elements of a great Top 40 song, and if it doesn’t
get radio airplay at some time, I’ll be extremely disappointed! The song
deserves to be heard by millions of people! In a close second for the race, and
no doubt the follow-up single from this CD, we have “You”! It is everything that
“The One” is, but the album is not named for it; otherwise, in my opinion, this
one would be the breakout single; as it is, if
Xoch is able to
get heavy airplay, this song will be a hit for her as well!
The collaboration that
Xoch has with
songwriter/guitarist Vince Ripper is a killer combination! They seem to be able
to work together to create a sound that is interesting to fans of all genres of
music. For fans of Top 40, you have pop vocals with interesting percussion
parts; driving all of it, though, is a rock guitar sound that fans of heavier
music or punk will enjoy. I could probably spend all day trying to explain
myself; just know that I don’t ordinarily enjoy Top 40 styles of music, but I
enjoy the music from
The One!
Jenny and I have wondered at times what will happen when one of the bands listed
on MWB breaks through and signs a major label deal. I really think that
Xoch provides
the best chance for us to know! Of all the bands that we have listed, I honestly
think she has the best shot at signing. Her music lines up with what is being
played in heavy rotation on Top 40 stations right now, and she has “the look”
that sells albums! She has several very positive things happening for her
already, and I think it’s just a matter of time before someone discovers her,
and the name
Xoch becomes a
household name!
We’re behind her 100% here at MWB! We wish her all the luck in the world! She’s
taken care of everything else!
Pick up a copy of
The One
as soon as you can! Besides the songs that I spoke about in this review, there
are 10 other great songs, all of which sound great! I particularly enjoy the
first four tracks (“My Desire” and “The Cold”, in addition to “The One” and
“You"), but you’ll need to hear everything, and judge for yourself! All 12 tracks
are good, and each one deserves to be heard at least once! I’ve played the CD
over and over, and I’m sure you will, too!---Mark Lush, MWB
9/8/03 *Listen to
Xoch
on
MWB RADIO!
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