Pure X - You're In It Now EP review

Pure X, formerly known as Pure Ecstasy, is a trio out of Austin, Texas.  I'm not entirely sure why they changed their name, maybe it was because they felt that their musical styling were more akin to Plutonium-Uranium Extraction rather than Australia's party drug of choice.  Or maybe they really like laundry detergent.  Either way, they've been making some ripples in the hype ocean and their EP, You're In It Now is available now for preorder (see below).

The You're In It Now EP is comprised of four tracks, and it is an emotionally taxing 15 minutes.  Listening to Pure X is like being high on valium and standing outside in the pouring rain.  And your grandmother just died.  And your dog.  He's dead too.  Every song is just so damn depressing that after listening you don't know whether it was hauntingly beautiful or just simply soul crushing.

The southern American country twang is front and center on this release, but with a tempo that clocks in somewhere between sleepy town and napville.  Pure X is probably the lowest of all of the lo-fi bands I have ever heard, and that is no small feat.  Their sound is laid back and relaxed, however at the same time the songs themselves demand attention through their deliberate neediness.  When I listen to Pure X I don't know if I should be sympathetic or if I should just slap all of the band members and tell them to stop being such pussies.

This isn't to say that the band isn't talented.  I am all for gloomy, melancholic music that evokes feelings of pain, regret and despair, and the first track, "Don't Wanna Live, Don't Wanna Die" is a perfect example of how gorgeous Pure X can be.  The problem that I have with this release is the fact that it is so draining.  Listening to more than one or two songs in one sitting becomes a chore and a true test of patience.  While the murky and shimmering guitar work is impressive, the echoing vocals and the simplistic drumming patterns are uninteresting and do little to hold the listeners attention. 

I suppose if you were severely depressed you would have a ball with Pure X, wallowing in the same sort of self-imposed despondency and misery that the band seems to revel in.  If not, you're going to find yourself listening to this EP once or twice and then relegating it to the recesses of your vinyl collection, only occasionally popping up when you feel the need to lament the fact that the eggs in your refrigerator will never grow up to be free range chickens.

Pure X, "Back Where I Began" by The FADER

buy:
Pure X You're In It Now EP