The Maine Releases “XOXO”

The Maine’s eighth studio album titled XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time was released on July 9th, 2021. The record is 10 tracks long and takes listeners through the duality of two of the strongest emotions: love and anxiety.

There were 4 singles off the album that were released prior to July 9th, those being “Sticky”, “April 7th”, “Lips”, and “Pretender”. “Sticky” and “Lips” are the first two songs on the album, while the other two are placed later in the tracklist. In terms of a singles lineup, I think these 4 were a perfect choice. They encapsulate the album perfectly and give listeners an idea of what the rest of the tracklist is like.

The Maine definitely leaned in a bit more to a pop sound on this record, but it’s done phenomenally. Their music over the years has become more and more pop adjacent, and this album is arguably their most pop-influenced yet. I think that it’s an awesome direction for the band to head in, and shows their musical range.

There are technically two title tracks on this album, one titled “Love In Real Time” and the other, of course, being “Anxiety In Real Time”. The contrast between these tracks, lyrically and musically, definitely captures both of these emotions. Anxiety and love are on polar opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, so being able to express both so deeply on the same project is impressive. These emotions are two of the most vulnerable, and The Maine shows us on this album that vulnerability is something to embrace instead of shy away from.

Released right in the middle of summer, this record is definitely one I’ll be replaying throughout this season. It’s upbeat and genuine, and has a great soundtrack for late summer nights. Make sure to keep up with The Maine on their socials listed below!

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