Though they rock from the American southwest, Arizona-based indie group Xrayok ("X-ray okay") take both their name and their sound from across the pond.
Xrayok has absorbed a lot from the U.K., most notably an uncompromising, jangly mix of melodies that sounds like the bastard child of Radiohead and Bloc Party. The name comes from a stamp vocalist/guitarist T.J. Hill found on his luggage at Heathrow Airport after his bags had successfully passed through security.
But the band of four is more than just a bunch of Brit-rock wannabes; in their mixing and matching of influences, they've hit on something good.
Every one of the six songs on the band's Like Life EP is worth at least a few listens. The group's sound is catchy enough to be danceable but complicated enough to challenge your ear. In other words: catchy like Bloc Party, complicated like Radiohead.
Indeed, Hill's piercing tenor sounds eerily similar to Radiohead singer Thom Yorke's. He uses it in much the same way Yorke does, soaring obliviously over the tight groove of the rest of the band.
It's impressive, considering that Hill carries all the guitar duties for Xrayok. Furthermore, his voice is incredibly well developed for a relatively new band, rarely ever straining to hit any of the vocal melodies.
Sometimes the band sounds too much like Radiohead, though. The guitar intro to the final track, "Sunshine," sounds like it's stolen directly from Ok Computer. The similarity doesn't disappear when the rest of the band comes in, either.
One notable difference is that Xrayok is more dance-rock than Radiohead would ever allow themselves to be and aren't afraid to show it. The catchy beat and heavy keyboards on "Smile" start off sounding like an '80s dance party, but the sound quickly returns to the present when Hill joins in with the vocal line.
The keyboards and samples provided by Hill's girlfriend Ally Smith compliment his guitar and vocals perfectly. Drummer Jack Duff and bassist Michael Hartman know how to propel a catchy groove as well, emulating everything from the unapologetic, perky beats of the B-52's to Bloc Party's haunting new-wave update.
The rhythm section comes up with some great, understated ideas, like the stick-tapping groove that gives "Fall Of Your EyeLash" its flavor, but it's really the interplay between Hill and Smith that got the band off the ground.
The two founded Xrayok in 2000, following a long-distance relationship and moves to San Francisco and Long Island, NY. The band finally relocated to the unlikely locale of Temple, Ariz., and finalized the rest of the lineup.
You can tell that Xrayok has been brewing their sound for a while, although they've only released one full album: 2004's Reflex. The playing and the production are absolutely professional.
The group knows how to use little production touches to make a big difference in their sound, and it shows on Like Life. For example, the moody rocker "Doesn't Matter" almost fizzles out due to a lack of dynamics but rejuvenates itself three minutes in with a brief guitar breakdown.
The song is also a good example of how Hill's lyrics can go wrong. For the most part, Hill manages to write decent lyrics, but lines like "Oh you are so very witty" sound too pretentious to fit in with Xrayok's dramatic indie-rock sound.
When Hill gets it right, the lyrics are tailor-made for his voice and fit right into the song. The catchiest song on the EP, "Lonely Souls," features the simple but effective refrain "I'm just a lonely soul, looking for my home." Nothing too revolutionary, but it works.
That seems to be the mantra behind everything Like Life. It's catchy enough to appeal to a broad variety of listeners but complicated enough to keep music aficionados interested.
Rating: 4 out of 5
