Rocking Without Vowels

If you listen to any track off of XBXRX’s latest album, Wars, you’ll immediately understand the CD’s title -- every song sounds like a battle cry. The Oakland, California band has been making posthardcore thrash music for nearly 10 years and opening for bands like Sonic Youth and Deerhoof along...

By Jake Nelson

July 26, 2007

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If you listen to any track off of XBXRX’s latest album, Wars, you’ll immediately understand the CD’s title -- every song sounds like a battle cry. The Oakland, California band has been making posthardcore thrash music for nearly 10 years and opening for bands like Sonic Youth and Deerhoof along the way.

As teenagers, the XBXRX bandmates had humble beginnings. Their first gig was a friend’s birthday party, and their first tour involved Mom’s van. But despite what some detractors view as an inaccessible style focused more on energy than on structure, the band has developed a strong following for its explosive live performances fueled by heavy guitar lines, screaming vocals, balloons, lights, and dance riots. Of course not everyone agrees: One blogger called the band’s live show “an animalistic seizure of grunts and yips” with “no redeeming value.” But for anyone who has ever looked to music for catharsis, that’s just what makes this group worth watching. XBXRX will be parading anger -- alongside local heroes Laundry Room Squelchers, Ha Ha Help!, and Foreign Bodies -- tonight at 9:00. Of course it’s at Churchill’s.
Sun., July 29, 9 p.m.

Jake Nelson

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