THE XCERTS: Holding On, Letting Go, and Finding Light

THE XCERTS: Holding On, Letting Go, and Finding Light — Murray Macleod on the Band’s Most Personal Album Yet

For more than two decades, The XCERTS have carved out a singular space in alternative rock — a place where vulnerability, melody, and emotional honesty collide with explosive guitars and widescreen ambition. With their new album i think i want to go home now., frontman Murray Macleod steps into the most personal chapter of the band’s journey, exploring grief, identity, heartbreak, and the fragile threads that hold us together.

In this candid conversation, Murray opens up about the stories behind the songs, the band’s enduring friendship, their hopes of finally reaching American shores, and the deep human connection that fuels their music.

Introduce yourself — what you do in the band and how long you’ve been together.
My name is Murray Macleod. I play guitar and sing in The Xcerts, and I think we’ve been together for about twenty‑five years now.

Where are you guys based out of, and what is your local music scene like there?
We originally formed in Aberdeen, Scotland, but we’re now based in Brighton, England. The music scene down here is incredible. Some of our closest friends play in hugely successful acts — Royal Blood, Architects, Blood Red Shoes, You Me at Six. One of our friends from The 1975 lives here as well. Brighton just has this energy; it consistently produces great artists.

You actually have a connection with Sam from Architects — I believe you went to school together. Do you still keep in touch?
Yes, absolutely. Sam is still one of my closest friends. We met when we were seventeen while attending the same music college, and we’ve basically been inseparable ever since. No major arguments yet, so we’re still very much in each other’s lives.

Did XCERTS and Architects ever do any shows together?
We’ve never played shows together — our sounds are pretty radically different, so it’s always been more of a running joke. But I’ve sung on one of their records, and Sam has sung on one of ours. So the collaboration exists, even if the shared stage doesn’t.

What inspired the album title i think i want to go home now.?
It actually started as a joke while a friend and I were reminiscing about being kids — that awkward feeling of sleeping over at someone’s house for the first time. But the phrase stuck with me. As the album took shape, I realized I was writing a lot about what was happening back home and questioning what “home” even meant to me.

There were so many conversations about comfort, vulnerability, fear — all wrapped up in that idea of home. The title summed it up perfectly. We kept the word think in there because removing it made the phrase a statement. I wanted it to reflect the uncertainty of that period in my life.

“Do It to Myself” What inspired that song?
That one came from a really difficult period. My dad had been diagnosed with cancer, my relationship at the time was falling apart, and I wasn’t handling any of it well. I was leaning into escapism instead of facing things head‑on.

The song deals with my self‑destructive tendencies — when things get bad, I have a habit of making them worse. It’s me acknowledging that pattern.

Tell me about “Wow.”
“Wow” was heavily inspired by the American alternative rock scene of the ’90s — Steve Albini, the Pixies, In Utero‑era Nirvana. The sound is very roomy, raw, and visceral. We wanted to capture chaos in its purest form.

Lyrically, it follows “Do It to Myself.” That song ends with the line, “There’s no one that breaks me like I break myself.” Then “Wow” opens with me literally saying “Wow,” which is meant to be comedic in a tragic way — that thin line between humor and heartbreak.

After the self‑destruction of “Do It to Myself,” “Wow” tackles self‑identity in the aftermath.

One of my favorite songs on the album is “Bury You.” Tell me about that one.
“Bury You” was one of the last songs written for the record. When we stepped back and looked at the album as a whole, we felt it needed something with a bit more light. The record reflects day‑to‑day life while dealing with grief, heartbreak, and loss — and life isn’t only heavy, even in dark times.

The song is essentially a conversation between me and some friends who were also struggling with their own battles. It’s me stepping outside myself and trying to offer positivity and affirmation. It’s not overly hopeful — more defiant than anything — but it’s about finding even a small ounce of hope in a rough period. I’m really proud of that one.

Tell me about “Dream You In.”
That’s one of my favorites on the record. It brings a beautiful dynamic shift compared to the rest of the album, while still being deeply emotional. The song is essentially a conversation about someone who doesn’t have much time left, but is holding on for dear life so they can stay with us.

It’s me quietly pleading with them to let go — not out of selfishness, but so they no longer have to suffer or feel pain. The sentiment is: Don’t worry, we’ll dream you in. We’ll see one another again.

Tell me about the final track, “In Your Eyes.”
It’s a bit of an epic for us — the first song in a long time that’s over five minutes. We’re used to writing three‑minute alternative rock pop bangers, but we wanted something expansive, widescreen, almost cinematic.

The song deals with the loss of Jordan’s mum and the breakdown of my five‑year relationship. It’s emotionally heavy, but what I love is how I merged multiple situations into one meaning. In the outro, I sing: “This isn’t goodbye, I’ll love you forever.” That line was originally about Jordan’s mum and my ex‑partner, but while recording, it took on a new meaning.

It started to feel like a message to my bandmates — almost like, If this is our swan song, if this is the last thing we ever record, then this is my way of thanking you. That makes the song incredibly special to me.

You’re about to play Two Thousand Trees Festival. What are you looking forward to most?
We’re playing the album in its entirety for the very first time — on a big stage, which is both nerve‑wracking and exciting. The album comes out the day before the festival, so a lot of people will be hearing it for the first time as we play it live.

I’m excited to witness a real moment of human connection as we perform these songs together for the first time.

Tell me about your upcoming in‑store tour.
In the UK, because it’s such a small island, you can tour the major cities within a week — so in‑store tours are actually doable. They encourage people to pre‑order the record and support their local record shops. Most of the stores we’re playing are independent, which is important to us.

It’s also a great way to connect with our hardcore fans. They hear us talk about the record in press, but speaking with them face‑to‑face — hearing their thoughts, what the songs mean to them — that’s really special. And it helps keep physical copies alive, which we still hold dear despite the streaming era.

What are you looking forward to most about your upcoming tour with Twin Atlantic?
It’ll be great to get back on the road and play big, loud rock shows again. We’ve been friends with Twin Atlantic for many years — we came up at the same time and used to have a similar sound, so it always feels like family when we’re together.

This upcoming run will be the first proper tour since the album’s release, so we’re excited to celebrate it properly — hit the stage, turn up the amps, and let everything out.

Are there any plans to come to the States?
Man, we’ve been begging to come over to the States for a long time. We’ve played SXSW, CMJ, and made a record on Long Island — all incredible experiences. Our streaming stats show that quite a few people in America listen to us, which is amazing.

We’re desperate to get out there. It’s just that the current climate is tricky with expenses and money. But it’s been on our bucket list forever. Fingers crossed people in America enjoy this record, and maybe that means we’ll finally get invited out.

Have you ever been to the West Coast — specifically Los Angeles — to play shows?
No, never. We’ve never been to Los Angeles, which feels crazy considering how much we want to play there. We have a lot of connections with people out that way, and we’re definitely speaking to more folks on the West Coast now about trying to make it happen.

We’d love nothing more than to come out and play shows — even just a one‑off in LA. We’d absolutely love that.

When you look back on In the Cold Wind We Smile and Scatterbrain, what do you think of them now?
I’m still immensely proud of both of those records. It was such a pure time for our band. We wrote the first album when we were eighteen or nineteen — no agenda, no outside voices telling us to work with a songwriter. Just young kids making a racket.

Scatterbrain was an amazing experience — we went to Long Island to work with Mike Sapone, a producer we’d revered for years. That record has a very distinct sound.

A lot of people think Scatterbrain carries this huge emotional weight, and it does — but it’s predominantly about my sleep paralysis. The nightmares and paralysis I was experiencing shaped the murky, odd, noisy nature of that album. It was the only way I could get those strange images out of my head.

What has kept you, Jordan, and Tom working so well together for twenty years?
We’re all really understanding people, and from the beginning we’ve been best friends first. We’ve always looked out for one another and led our band life with a lot of love.

We’re fortunate that the three of us came together with the same vision for the band. That fire in our bellies has never gone out. For some unspoken reason, we’ve all remained committed to making the best records we can and showing the world that we’re strong songwriters. It’s been an unwavering relationship — pretty miraculous, really.

Do you have any messages for The XCERTS fans here in the States?
Man, what we would give to come over and play for you all. We’d give anything. Thank you so much for listening. It’s surreal to think people in America listen to our band. We grew up completely fixated on American music and culture, so the idea that anyone in the US connects with what we do is overwhelming.

Please keep listening — and I promise you, we will come out at some point.

In Conclusion

As XCERTS enter their next chapter, i think i want to go home now. stands as their most vulnerable and expansive work yet — a testament to friendship, resilience, and the healing power of music. Murray Macleod’s honesty shines through every track, and his reflections reveal a band still driven by passion, connection, and the desire to create something meaningful.

Whether they’re playing to longtime fans in the UK or dreaming of finally stepping onto a stage in Los Angeles, XCERTS continue to prove that their story is far from over — and the best may still be ahead.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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