{"id":44783,"date":"2026-04-08T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=44783"},"modified":"2026-03-11T21:45:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T01:45:35","slug":"the-xcerts-in-your-eyes-is-a-love-letter-written-through-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=44783","title":{"rendered":"The XCERTS\u2019 \u2018in your eyes\u2019 Is a Love Letter Written Through Grief"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are songs that entertain you. Then there are songs that reach into your chest and rearrange something. The XCERTS just dropped the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Aberdeen-formed, Brighton-based trio \u2014 vocalist\/guitarist Murray Macleod, bassist Jordan Smith and drummer Tom Heron \u2014 have unveiled their stunning new single \u201cin your eyes\u201d, and honestly? Brace yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where their recent comeback cut <em>do it to myself<\/em> came swinging with restless, wired energy, <em>in your eyes<\/em> is a completely different beast. It starts fragile \u2014 almost whispered \u2014 before building into the kind of widescreen emotional crescendo that has made The XCERTS one of the UK\u2019s most beloved alternative bands over their 20+ year run. It\u2019s expansive, it\u2019s devastating, and it feels like the most important thing they\u2019ve ever made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because, well, it might be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Murray didn\u2019t hold back when talking about the track: <em>\u201d\u2018in your eyes\u2019 is without question the most raw and personal song we\u2019ve ever written. Fundamentally, it\u2019s about loss. The loss of what I deemed to be forever love and the cruelty of cancer.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DLnHme6VNpc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-CA&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The song closes with the words \u201c<em>this isn\u2019t goodbye, this is I\u2019ll love you forever<\/em>\u201d \u2014 a line that hits like a gut punch wrapped in a hug. But the real moment? The track ends with Jordan\u2019s mum blowing a kiss and saying \u201c<em>I love you.<\/em>\u201d Murray\u2019s words on that: \u201c<em>it was important for her to close out this song as it belongs to her.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re not crying, you\u2019re crying. (We\u2019re crying.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The XCERTS have just been announced for 2000 Trees Festival this summer \u2014 a spiritual home for the band if ever there was one. If you\u2019ve ever seen them at a festival, you already know. If you haven\u2019t, fix that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f39f; Sat 11th July \u2014 2000 Trees Festival, Cheltenham<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More new music is reportedly on the way. Given what they\u2019ve delivered so far, we\u2019re all ears.<br>Stream <a href=\"https:\/\/ffm.to\/thexcerts-inyoureyes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">i<em>n your eyes<\/em><\/a> now. Then stream it again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>There are songs that entertain you. Then there are songs that reach into your chest and rearrange something. The XCERTS just dropped the latter. The <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=44783\" title=\"The XCERTS\u2019 \u2018in your eyes\u2019 Is a Love Letter Written Through Grief\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[22,23,25,28,29,30,1907],"tags":[13273,13274,4009],"class_list":["post-44783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guitar-rock","category-indie","category-live","category-music","category-music-video","category-new-release","category-news","tag-in-your-eyes","tag-the-xcerts","tag-tour-date"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0034.jpeg?fit=900%2C600","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2B2TV-bEj","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22871,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=22871","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":0},"title":"Redd Kross + The Side Eyes announce 7-inch split &#8216;Songs that Chargo Taught Us&#8217;","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"July 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Rising Southern California punks\u00a0The Side Eyes\u00a0and longtime power-poppers\u00a0Redd Kross have announced a\u00a0split 7-inch out this Friday, 7\/29, via In The Red Records. Aptly titled 'Songs that Chargo Taught Us', both Redd Kross and The Side Eyes cover early punk songs\u00a0written by Charlotte \"Chargo\" Caffey of The Go-Go's. Listen to\u00a0The Side\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"Redd Kross The Side Eyes","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/TheSideEyes_zpsjycaa1yn.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/TheSideEyes_zpsjycaa1yn.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/TheSideEyes_zpsjycaa1yn.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/TheSideEyes_zpsjycaa1yn.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26413,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=26413","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":1},"title":"Los Angeles&#8217; Tombstones In Their Eyes release &#8216;Fear&#8217; EP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"August 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Los Angeles' space-psych tripsters Tombstones in Their Eyes\u00a0have released their\u00a0'Fear' EP\u00a0via Send Me Your Head Records. The band have also released the first single from the album\u00a0Always There\u00a0with accompanying video. You can check it out via YouTube below. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VUEIlwrhZds With this five-track release, the four-piece manage to embrace a wide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tombstones In Their Eyes","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Tombstones_In_Their_Eyes_4_-_photo_credit_Karin_Johansson.jpg.png?fit=409%2C424&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18074,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=18074","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":2},"title":"Tyred Eyes are back with short film &#8216;Arms&#8217; + single","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"November 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In June 2015, Tyred Eyes recorded two songs in the classic recording studio Svenska Grammofonstudion in Gothenburg. The preparations of the recording, that was done live during two days, were documented by film maker Nicklas Persson and is now released as a short film 'Arms'. The two new tracks are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;film&quot;","block_context":{"text":"film","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=15"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tyred Eyes","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/tyred-eyes.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/tyred-eyes.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/tyred-eyes.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27373,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=27373","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":3},"title":"Tombstones In Their Eyes release new double A-side single &#8216;Shutting Down \/ Take Me Home&#8217;","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"November 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Los Angeles' rock outfit\u00a0Tombstones in Their Eyes\u00a0have announced they will be releasing a new double A-side single including tracks Shutting Down\u00a0and\u00a0Take Me Home. Tombstones create walls of sound that are simultaneously sonorous and hazy. These are cavernous, stoner lullabies that descend into post-rock soundscapes and are wrapped in dark shoegazing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tombstones in Their Eyes","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tombstones_In_Their_Eyes_7_-_photo_credit_Cathryn_Farnsworth.jpg?fit=425%2C243&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33106,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=33106","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":4},"title":"Tombstones In Their Eyes share \u2018Maybe Someday\u2019 + &#8216;Another Day&#8217; videos","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"December 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Los Angeles\u2019 indie psych rock outfit\u00a0Tombstones in Their Eyes have shared two new videos, for tracks lifted from their new\u00a0album 'Maybe Someday'. The first is a trippy video for the title track, created by frontman\u00a0John Treanor. Check out the video clip via YouTube below. https:\/\/youtu.be\/tpqaEafoM20 \"Maybe Someday is a magic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tombstones In Their Eyes press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/875560C6-AAB1-4610-9710-9EB41C2C8717-e1577450553679.jpeg?fit=797%2C452&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/875560C6-AAB1-4610-9710-9EB41C2C8717-e1577450553679.jpeg?fit=797%2C452&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/875560C6-AAB1-4610-9710-9EB41C2C8717-e1577450553679.jpeg?fit=797%2C452&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/875560C6-AAB1-4610-9710-9EB41C2C8717-e1577450553679.jpeg?fit=797%2C452&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32548,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=32548","url_meta":{"origin":44783,"position":5},"title":"LA&#8217;s Tombstones In Their Eyes share new single &#8216;Open Skies&#8217;","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"October 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Los Angeles' indie psych rock outfit\u00a0Tombstones in Their Eyes have shared their new two-track single\u00a0Open Skies, which is a preview of their new album\u00a0'Maybe Someday'. The b-side is an alternative version of\u00a0Dreams, the final track off the new LP. Listen to the single via Soundcloud below. Tombstones create walls of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tombstones in Their Eyes press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/152169.jpg?fit=800%2C534&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/152169.jpg?fit=800%2C534&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/152169.jpg?fit=800%2C534&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/152169.jpg?fit=800%2C534&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44783"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44785,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44783\/revisions\/44785"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/44784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}