Of all the bands I’ve come across over the last few years perhaps the most impenetrable has been the unpronounceable (you’d think) Xiu Xiu. Despite the scrape and tear and general industrial sequences I am unable to totally distance myself and as time goes by songs like ‘Muppet Face’ do become quite adhesive. And that’s before you even go near the task of unscrambling the themes present
Hot on the heels of the well-received The Stage Names, Okkervil River will be releasing follow-up The Stands Ins September 9 on Jagjaguwar. Totally unrelated, we think it's funny to call nude beaches
Words by Uyen Lee
Photos of Jamie Stewart’s home by Xiu Xiu
The street where both Jamie Stewart and Devin Hoff of Xiu Xiu live is one short block, sandwiched between two perpendicular streets in the Fruitvale neighborhood in Oakland. Technically, the street they live on is an alley.
The image of an alley may fit the dark [...]
[above: fresh fruit]
The Xiu Xiu video magazine I Do What I Want When I Want is fascinating in the same way Xiu Xiu is fascinating — it’s not exactly enjoyment, not exactly the “aesthetic distance” of an art installation. “Raqoon”, for example. It’s not funny that this erstwhile human-sized raccoon is wandering around public places [...]
Knife Play (2002) 01 - Don Diasco02 - I Broke Up03 - Luber04 - Hives Hives05 - Dr. Troll06 - Over Over07 - Anne Dong08 - Suha09 - Poe Poe10 - Homonculus11 - Tonite and Today (What chu' talkin' 'bout)link Xiu Xiu's Knife Play is a very eclectic mix of neurotic indie falterings similar to the Paper Chase school of rock, but with lighter techno beats and softly morose ballads of indifference. The opening tracks are hard to follow along with, and after a time the album seems to break into techno tunes and finally closes with some calm, modern classical arrangements. The vocals range from incredibly bitter screams to strong, '80s British-sounding tones. Xiu Xiu has dissected their album in many regards and it makes for less coherency as well as a slightly jumbled feel. Guest appearances from members of Deerhoof, Duster, and Mr. Bungle can't seem to save this album from leaving the listener feeling frustrated and annoyed, partially because there's no fluid motion with the album as a
