Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival

It may have the oddest album title, well, ever, but there's much more to Her Space Holiday's new album, XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival, than its title. Although frontman Marc Bianchi is known for his hushed vocals and sleepy indie-electronic, XOXO starts things off with a rock song, of all things. "The New Kid Revival" urges people to stand up and take a chance, with its catchy guitars, handclaps, and interweaving melodies. Next up is "The Truth Hurts So This Such Be Painless," another uncharacteristic song from Bianchi, containing an acoustic guitar and a mandolin. Could Bianchi have gotten sick of his MacBook jams after twelve long years? It seems like it, as the rest of XOXO unfolds with a greater focus on songwriting than his previous albums and more of a jammy-folk emphasis in his music. The end result is definitely interesting enough, but also bittersweet because Her Space Holiday without blips and bleeps isn't the Her Space Holiday that I know and love. Still, you have to give Bianchi credit for trying something completely different, even if a few of the tracks are hit or miss. Maybe he'll finely hone his new direction a bit better the next time around.

DOWNLOAD: Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival [Mush]
Recommended Tracks: "The New Kid Revival," "The Year In Review," "The Boys And Girls," "Sleepy Tigers."