"'XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time' is vulnerable, relatable, caring, comforting and unlike anything The Maine have released before. It’s no wonder why the 8123 family is praising this album — the band put their all into it."
-
Awesome
By: Bruna Cucolo
Recommended songs: “High Forever,” “Pretender” and “Face Towards The Sun”
Arizona emo band The Maine released their eighth album, XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time, on July 9, 2021, and the fans known as the 8123 family have been responding to it very positively after patiently waiting for it for months.
The 10-track album brings a new type of era unlike any of their previous ones — this era allows fans to experience similar emotions while dealing with love and anxiety simultaneously. As possibly their most impactful and vulnerable album yet, XOXO extracts emotions from listeners as many have realizations about their own experiences with love and anxiety.
As the album’s lead single that was released in March, “Sticky” starts off with only a guitar and frontman John O’Callaghan’s vocals, the perfect introduction to this piece of art. The listener, who may be lying on the floor for aesthetics, is ready to listen to the 10 songs for the first time. But when the pre-chorus kicks in, excitement begins to rush through their body, and by the time the chorus hits, the listener is already up on their feet dancing around in their room. Not only is this track exciting with sickly sweet lyrics, but it also references a past song with the lyrics “And I finally found those letters lost under my tongue.”
A couple of songs later, the album offers a different vibe with the shortest track “Love In Real Time.” The name of this tune inspired the album’s title and greatly represents a common theme found on XOXO. All about love, this song goes into the difficulties of it. However, in terms of the process of love, the listener can consider this song as a realization of the complexes that come with love and how they take part in it. This is a more low-key track with a slower melody, but the drums in the background add a little extra kick to it.
Song eight, “Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful,” seems to be a fan favorite off of the album. As soon as it starts, one can predict that this track is edgier than the rest of the album, and when the chorus comes in, the edge is proven with a great deal of energy. If it’s possible to describe a song with this word, “Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful” is “sexy” not only because of its title but also its dynamic instrumentals and versatile vocals. Together, these elements create one of the album’s most unique tracks.
Closing out XOXO is “Face Towards The Sun.” The album ends on an emotional note with this final tune. The track’s bittersweet message is introduced with lyrics that callback to a time in O’Callaghan’s life where he received some unforgettable news. Between the verses, the music sounds more upbeat than others on the album, but a mellow tone is also weaved throughout. These elements greatly complement the main message behind the song: loss. As a result, “Face Towards The Sun” may bring tears to listeners. Fans were also quick to catch the new lyrics “Everything is exactly as it should be,” a reference to the closing track, “Flowers on the Grave,” from the band’s previous album with its lyrics “Everything is temporary.”
XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time is vulnerable, relatable, caring, comforting and unlike anything The Maine have released before. It’s no wonder why the 8123 family is praising this album — the band put their all into it, which is noticeable, and the outcome is a piece of art that is already cherished by many.
XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time allows listeners to be more aware of their experiences with love and anxiety. Many struggle with both, making this a very fitting record for them to turn to. So, dive into this album knowing that emotions may arise, but that, in the end, those who listen all the way through may feel more at ease and at peace.
