The Xcerts’ have finally reaped every seed of potential they’ve sowed thus far with their near-classic fourth record. Hold On To Your Heart has all the life-affirming cheeriness (and earnest sonic bombast) of the timeless pop of the 80s without the silly cheesiness that tends to tag along to bright-eyed pop. The Scottish trio’s transition from Weezer and Brand New to Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen is notable, but it’s important to note that this isn’t an indie group trying to cash in on stardom. Instead, these goosebumps-inducing songs are every bit as earnest as the band’s past works, probably even moreso. It’s a record that takes everything that’s made classic guitar pop songs so eminently powerful and channels it into a record for the ages, all with optimistic, punkish energy to boot.
Vocalist Murray Macleod poured his heart and soul into the record, and no matter how sentimental the songs get (and closer “Cry” is an absolute tear-jerker), there’s a wonderful hook or arena-ready guitar lick or bridge around the corner. Songs like “We Are Gonna Live”, “Daydream”, and “Feels Like Falling in Love” will immediately be stuck in your head; the latter features a lovely little guitar lick that is a winking nod to The Xcerts’ more aggressive past. The 80s influence exerts itself with a splattering of synth- and piano-led moments, like “Crazy” which feels like it would slide in easily with Paramore’s recent surge of neon opulence.
So much of this record is imbued with sentiment from a line in “Show Me Beautiful”: “We will find ourselves, and we will make things right.” Hold On To Your Heart is certainly a departure, but it feels real, like this were the band The Xcerts were always supposed to be: a group willing and very able to craft the highest quality arena rock around. The moniker may feel like a dig, but these songs deserve wide open spaces and as many ears as possible. In an era of so much hate, negativity, and melancholy, The Xcerts’ buoyant, smile-inducing guitar pop is one Hell of a fun diversion from the norm.
