X Ambassadors – VHS(X) 

Genre: Alternative Rock/Pop 

By: Bryn Van Horne 

Just 45 minutes north of the Squatch Den lies Ithaca, New York, a town of renowned waterfalls, lush greenery, and a thriving hub for arts and music. It also happens to be the launching pad for one of the defining bands of the 2010s alternative rock sound: X Ambassadors. Brothers Sam Nelson Harris (lead vocals, guitar) and Casey Harris (keys) grew up in Ithaca, and in the mid-2000s they met drummer Adam Levin in New York City. Their debut album VHS, which turns 10 this year, is a true time capsule of mid-2010s alt-pop—clap beats, stripped-down simplicity, catchy ad-libs, and that perfect blend of elements just begging to be sung along to. Think The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and of course, X Ambassadors. VHS may have felt like a fleeting snapshot of a back-to-basics musical era, but it has stood the test of time, remaining both nostalgic and surprisingly fresh a decade later. 

In celebration of its anniversary, the band has released VHS(X), a reimagined version of the album that made them a household name. Their biggest hit, “Renegades,” an anthem of resilience and determination, opens VHS(X) in a way that feels contemporary without losing the charm of the original. “Unsteady,” their other career-defining track, follows with a stripped-down arrangement that highlights Sam Nelson Harris’ raw, matured vocals.The song’s vulnerability is easy to connect with emotionally, which is exactly what led it into the hearts of so many listeners in the first place. 

The album moves between serious, downtempo moments like “Unsteady” and “Low Life,” as well as brighter highlights such as “Hang On” and “Superpower.” The latter tracks pair upbeat, positive instrumentals with reflective lyrics, inviting listeners to see themselves in the band’s descriptive storytelling. The album’s closer, “Jungle,” originally track 17 on VHS, remains as a garage-rock-adjacent anthem that ends the project on an electrifying note. For me, it remains the standout track, just as it was on the original release. 

I respect this passion project deeply. Revisiting such a defining piece of your career a decade later and daring to reshape it must have been both sweet and frustrating in equal measure. For the diehard X Ambassador fans, many of which are likely to be local to the Den due to our close proximity to Ithaca, the record plays almost like a game of “spot the difference,” teasing out which parts have been contemporarily tweaked to reflect where the band is today. For casual listeners, however, it may feel slightly indistinguishable from the original, making it somewhat unapproachable as a standalone release. Still, as a tribute, it’s a heartfelt reflection on how far the band has come, and a thoughtful experiment in honoring their roots while showing who they are now. 

Rating: ★★★☆☆