XOXO’s Noah Kussack’s solo LP elevates his harmonious hooks & melodies to new heights with producer James Paul Wisner. As a prequel to X.O.X.O.’s debut LP, frontman & lead songwriter Noah Kussack hit the studio to collaborate with renowned producer James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional / New Found Glory / Paramore). These recordings emphasizes Kussack’s infectiously catchy songwriting, elevating his harmonious vocal hooks & melancholy melodies to new heights. “A Momentary Lapse In The Key Of W” diverts from the Moog laced dance pop of XOXO’s college radio embraced “C’est La Vie” EP. The songs have a powerful anthemic aesthetic, full of chiming guitars, driving bass lines & liberally used piano riffs. The second half of the disc reveals Kussack’s pop aptitude; presented stripped down & acoustic yet still rich with melody. With just the right amount of ooh la las injected to put these gems on repeat play in your mind, this is bright, up-tempo indie-pop that revels in its glory. Mix in a couple of covers, from New Order & The Kinks, and who can resist a little XOXO? C’est la Vie features some fantastic pop tunes presented simply without unnecessary fanfare. The vocals are particularly appealing…and the arrangements are kept to a bare minimum which allows the listener to concentrate on the vocal melodies and lyrics. Seven killer tracks! —BabySue The big indie-pop textures at play here manage to sound fresh, hip, and relevant without coming across with any flavor-of-the-month aftertaste. —ADAM P. NEWTON, DRYVETYME ONLYNE 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! —Jordan Greve, Underworld Magazine
