Before
The xx made intimate music filled with curious lyrics, brilliant production, mysterious beats, and did so much with so little, there was another British group that did it and paved the way—
Everything But The Girl. Following the massive successes of their brilliant and spellbinding 1994 record,
Amplified Heart, thanks largely in part to the breakout single, "Missing," Everything But The Girl released
Walking Wounding two years later.
Walking Wounded was the record that showed singer
Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist and producer
Ben Watt's staying power. Due to "Missing" being remixed by
Todd Terry and played on nearly every modern rock and pop radio station and club around the world,
Walking Wounded, the band's ninth studio album, showcased more electronic elements like house, dub, and ambient sounds. It also showcased the blueprint as to what would eventually become modern drum 'n bass and dubstep (The
James Blake kind not the
Skrillex kind). While the album was the duos most successful, it failed to produce any major singles, or at least anything that could top "Missing." However, looking back and listening to it now,
Walking Wounded was so far ahead of its time and crafted what was to come of music decades later.
