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"XOXO is my band of the summer, and I can’t seem to take C’est la Vie off of my Itunes" - Jordan Greve

Typically when you hear the words XOXO you think of cuddly animals and hugs from your grandmother – or the first week of dating your officially unofficial girlfriend. These are the typical paths your brain takes when these words are displayed before your eyes. Well, for a second don’t let your eyes make the proverbial decision of what XOXO means to you. For once in your life let your ears do the work. Don’t get me wrong the cover art for C’est la Vie is great, and will make your eyes happy. But our eyes are selfish it’s time to show some love to our ears.

Give your ears the hug and kiss they deserve with the Florida natives XOXO’s newest record. With a Get Up Kids strong impression you will think it’s 2001 all over again while listening to C’est la Vie. Trust me you will hear this impression on all of their tracks, but it’s most prominent on the second track of the record “Done and Done”. This is the record that will make you want to smoke in the boys room, but after such debauchery you will end up dancing to keep your Jiminy Cricket esque conscience clean.

There is a great Ying-Yang relationship with this band, one in which you only really get if you stop and look at their album cover. Sported directly on the front of the case is an open coffin with a rainbow pouring out of it. You’re not really sure how you should feel about this image, but damn it you like it. I have this sinking suspicion that when you see XOXO live it’s going to be a combination of both The Wiggles and Marilyn Manson. Only it won’t suck. They will keep you on your toes through their entire set. As someone whom has never seen them live, I can just make this assumption based on my interpretation of C’est la Vie.

The only real problem with this record is its length. All of the songs are great, and they all have a different sound. I just wish that this record was longer, so I could continue experiencing a fresh sound. Something the music industry really needs right now. Fresh squeezed orange juice (or an original band).

Bottom line is these guys have deep roots with independent music before it was independent music. XOXO is my band of the summer, and I can’t seem to take C’est la Vie off of my Itunes. Their music is brand new but it’s already timeless. Energy, Originality, and Poetic Lyrics. This is what the music industry has been missing. Well, that is until C’est la Vie graced our presence.