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MH-260 Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival  Putting some space between himself and the computer that has provided the basis for so much of his recent work, Marc Bianchi has taken the last two years to focus on what got him into music in the first place, writing connective songs and working out the layers of sound he hears in his head. The results are a new persona, XOXO, Panda, and the reinforcement of the feelings of personal and artistic freedom that drive his music. Loose and carefree arrangements of guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, shakers, glockenspiel, and drums lay the foundation for vocal storytelling sing-a-longs. XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival is a brilliant calling card for Her Space Holiday’s newly awakened alter-ego, and a watershed moment in his growth as a songwriter and performer. |
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| Reviews Summary |
| Guitar pop songs that are as charming as they are simple - Rolling Stone / That he can switch up styles so frequently and make solid records says something special about Bianchi - Pop Matters / Melodies have that wonderful undefinable quality that makes you want to hear them over and over... Killer indie pop cuts - Babysue |
| Starting life on the California hardcore scene, it’s hard to imagine what Marc Bianchi’s old friends would make of his latest work. Abandoning the synthetic beats and samples he once relied upon, XOXO Panda has a distinctly folky vibe. Like a collection of nursery rhymes for overgrown indie kids, his songs flit between The White Stripes-esque ("Sleepy Tigers" is a not-so-distant relative of the Detroit duo’s "We're Going To Be Friends") and the bittersweet balladry of Magnetic Fields ("The Truth Hurts So This Should Be Painless," "Four Tapping Shoes and A Kiss"). The handclaps, humming and whistling may fit perfectly around the running concept of childhood, but, no matter how much you will this to work, the whimsicality is tiring, and there’s too much emphasis on a voice that simply isn’t that great. - The Fly |
