Review By Halina Wegner
Brighton-based, Aberdeen-formed trio The XCERTS have always turned life’s sharpest edges into memorable, melodic rock music. On their upcoming album i think i want to go home now. — set for release on 10 July via FLG Records — they revisit the emotional intensity that defined their earliest work, while crafting something that feels entirely fresh, urgent, and deeply personal. This is not just another record; it is a full-circle moment, a testament to endurance, and proof that some bands only get better when life gets harder.
Longtime fans will immediately draw parallels between this new record and their 2009 debut In The Cold Wind We Smile. Back then, the band wrote through grief and heartbreak: bassist Jordan Smith had lost his father, and vocalist Murray Macleod had navigated a devastating break-up. History has echoed loudly in the years leading up to this release, as similar heavy life experiences reshaped their worldviews and inspired their writing. But as the band rightly notes, calling it repetition does a disservice to the gravity of what they have lived through. Instead, these shared struggles became the anchor that pulled them closer together. As Macleod puts it: “It was really time for us to band together and celebrate our friendship… This really is the purest XCERTS record there’s been since the first one. We dug really deep to discover what the defining sound of our band is and bled it all out.”
That raw urgency is evident from the very first note. Lead single “pretty ugly” stands out as arguably their heaviest track to date — a fuzzed-out, fast-paced explosion of sound and emotion. Written during a period of intense personal strain, it channels anger, frustration, and defiance. Macleod’s vocals cut through the noise, confronting internal demons and external criticism head-on, turning vulnerability into a weapon. It is a song that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go, setting the tone for an album that pulls no punches.
Across the ten-track listing, which runs tight and focused from the driving opener “do it to myself” to the hauntingly beautiful closer “in your eyes”, The XCERTS balance brute force with melodic warmth. Tracks like “wow” and “sinking feeling” clock in at under three minutes, delivering punchy, direct bursts of energy that recall the snappiness of their early material. Meanwhile, “dream you in” — at over four minutes — offers space for atmosphere and reflection, showing their ability to slow things down without losing intensity. “rinse repeat” and “breathe in what was” showcase their skill at blending catchy choruses with lyrics that cut deep, while “bury you” and “losing it” capture the confusion and chaos of trying to hold it all together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
Throughout, the chemistry between Macleod (vocals/guitar), Smith (bass), and Tom Heron (drums) is undeniable. Twenty-three years as a band is a lifetime in music, and you can hear every bit of that shared history in the way they play together — tight, intuitive, and completely in sync. This is a band that knows exactly who they are, and on this album, they strip away any unnecessary polish to reveal the heart beating beneath.
For many, The XCERTS have become a band you can always rely on — much like their long-standing relationship with 2000 Trees Festival, where they will perform the new album in full this summer. For them, it is more than a show; it is a return to a community that has supported them for two decades, a spiritual home that mirrors the themes of belonging and reflection running through this record. With further appearances at Arbroath Festival and a run of dates with friends Twin Atlantic, these songs will land even harder live.
i think i want to go home now. is more than just a collection of songs. It is a document of survival, a celebration of friendship, and a reminder that even when life hurts, music can heal. It brings together the grit of Scatterbrain, the emotion of There Is Only You, and the unbridled passion of their debut, while sounding like nothing else they have ever made.
“They didn’t just make an album — they laid their souls bare, and the result is spectacular.”
With this release, The XCERTS prove once again that strength isn’t about never breaking — it’s about putting the pieces back together, writing about it, and playing it louder than ever before.
i think i want to go home now. arrives 10th July. Pre-order HERE.
The XCERTS live:
9th June – Stirling – Albert Hall (with Twin Atlantic)
10th June – Edinburgh – La Belle Angele (with Twin Atlantic)
11th June – Aberdeen – Beach Ballroom (with Twin Atlantic)
11th July – 2000 Trees Festival (full album playthrough set)
1st August – Arbroath Music and Food Festival
The XCERTS are:
Murray Macleod – vocals and guitar
Jordan Smith – bass
Tom Heron – drums
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