Xiu Xiu
Angel Guts: Red Classroom
Polyvinyl
Street: 02.04
Xiu Xiu = This Song Is A Mess But So Am I + Milk:Blood
On this most recent Xiu Xiu release, Jamie Stewart has taken a darker, more gothic approach than on other recent albums. Some apt comparisons might be Bauhaus or Siouxsie And The Banshees. The hook on “Stupid in the Dark” is reminiscent of The Weeknd’s “House Of Balloons – Glass Table Girls,” and makes it the most listenable track by far. If you’re to believe the press release, Stewart has rid himself of his pop affectations, but I disagree. The dark, pulsating, emotional beat that is present throughout the album, in one form or another, has some strong similarities to one of the most successful albums of 2013: Kanye West’s Yeezus, which some say is a return to Stewart’s roots, but is more calculated, more listenable, and more interesting. –Cody Hudson