Xiu Xiu isn’t for everyone.
Hailing from San Jose, the band has had only one constant member throughout its 22 year long history, non-binary vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Stewart. Currently, the other members of the band include Angela Seo and percussionist David Kendrick. Their music is best described as a mix of industrial, psychedelic, and experimental rock elements. It’s often dense and emotionally intense, drawing on difficult topics such as suicide and abuse. This is not to say that the band confines themselves to certain areas of music; they are literally and musically all over the place. From California to China to Berlin, the band has found sanctity and inspiration all around the world. Similarly, their music is always changing and evolving. While their most notable releases are filled with post-industrial soundscapes (2003’s A Promise and 2019’s Girl With Basket of Fruit), their sound can range from Synth Punk to Avant-Folk. Their last release, Ignore Grief (2023), leaned heavily into darkwave aesthetics, creating a heavily ominous and dissonant atmosphere that divided some fans.
Their most recent release, though, has garnered excitement from fans and newcomers alike for their relatively more accessible approach. The debut single off 13” Frank Beltrame Italian With Bison Horn Grips (named after one of Stewart’s switchblades), Common Loon, offered up a noisy pop variant of their sound that had digestible melodies and a traditional verse-chorus structure. That is to say, this song is still a far cry from any song you would hear on the radio. Blaring synth notes and Stewart’s haunting vocals still steer this song heavily toward avant-garde territory. Their next single shared 2 songs, Arp Omni and Veneficium, to their audience. The former is a somber, ambient reflection on Stewart’s life, while the latter is a rambunctious, psychedelic statement on guilt and shame. These singles excited new and old fans for the new release, which was shared with the world on the 27th of September, this year.
When I first sat down to listen to Xiu Xiu’s latest record, Arp Omni greeted me with a mature familiarity. I had listened to the song before in a single form, but since it was the first song on the album, it disorients the listener into believing this album may be more understated while essentially simulating the feeling of a morning hangover. Strange sounds oscillate between your ears as the string piece slowly murmurs underneath the layer of Stewart’s depressingly deep singing. In comparison to the rest of the album, it is noticeably simpler; regardless, it’s an effective way of easing the listener into the chaos of the album, sort of like how an orchestra tunes their instruments in harmony before playing the true symphony. I am saying this because the following song – Maestro One Chord – immediately slams into noisy, psychedelic rock that corroborates the idea that this band’s purpose is unbridled expression. Loud, almost lo-bit percussion is the highlight of this track, as well as the droning synth notes that make it one of the most memorable on the tracklist.
Equally as noisy but more approachable is the previously mentioned Common Loon, which is the next track. For me, this is the zenith of the band’s musical potential. Each individual facet of this song contributes to its memorability. From the beginning, the band already sets up a consistent chord progression that striked me with a sense of energy and importance. I wanted to jump into the world of this song: that world of unimportant but fun indulgence that comes with being young. Ultimately, this song, with its abrasive guitars and vague lyrics, makes me appreciate my time spent on Earth, which is what I say for all truly great songs. Additionally, the philosophy of the song’s lyrics are as cryptic as they are enlightening, as seen in my favorite line from the record: “What will you do if and when I am someone else?”
Moving on, Pale Flower is a longer but more moderate song featured on the album. Noticeably, the vocals and instrumentals mix together the least out of all of the songs in this album in my opinion. When the instrumentals are more confident, Stewart’s anxious vocals work well with them, amplifying their voice. On this song, even though the song progresses to include dramatic screeching that encroaches toward harsh noise, the instrumental is just not as brazen as the rest of the album. All in all, it’s just a relatively superfluous track that breaks up the flow of the album slightly. Luckily, the follow track Veneficium brings the intensity back up to the expected levels. It begins with a King Crimson-like percussion intro, leading into one of the most memorable melodies of the entire album. When Stewart starts singing, it becomes even more visceral and emotional. Xiu Xiu has a way of combining seemingly divergent elements of music, like the strange synth strings with long-lasting guitar strums in Veneficium, and making a coherent song. I can only commend the musical expertise of Stewart and Xiu Xiu’s grand rock efforts.
The next song, Sleep Blvd. takes a while to get started fully, but when it does, it’s especially satisfying. It is reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails Closer, in that they both use repetitive mechanical drums that create an industrial atmosphere. I do feel like this song has missed potential, with the chorus being too short and simple for my liking. For what they were going for, I wish they expanded on their guitar playing and electronic elements. A progression to the main instrumentation would have been very effective and made it a more worthwhile listening experience. T.D.F.T.W., in my opinion, is the closest thing to a traditional Xiu Xiu song on the tracklist. Stewart’s vocals are constant and scary, the drums are as loud as ever, and the guitar uses verges on synth-punk with how repetitive and angry it sounds. That being said, it’s hard to say what a ‘traditional Xiu Xiu song’ is due to their eclecticness. Still, this song is industrial rock at its best, trailblazing through harsh soundscapes and coming out the other end with passion.
The biggest misstep on the album was Bobby Bland; it’s a generally boring song with a minimal synth sound. Minimal synth can be done extremely well (see Not Available by The Residents), but this is trying too hard to be more than it is. The noises heard throughout the song are interesting, yes, but they don’t entice me to listen again. While the drone on this song does create a dramatic atmosphere, it feels flat and empty when other songs on the album can easily create that atmosphere without sacrificing replayability. This song would fit better on a different album, filled with more songs like it. The album finishes with Piña, Coconut & Cherry, bringing Xiu Xiu back to the darkwave sound they have tried before. This time, it is done with more subtlety and intrigue. Furthermore, Stewart hurriedly screaming “FANTASY FANTASY FANTASY FANTASY” over and over again is one of the moments that stuck out to me on this record. As a song, it is simple, but effective. As a closer, it leaves a bit to be desired, as if there is more story to tell within this album. Nonetheless, I still can’t get “FANTASY FANTASY FANTASY FANTASY” out of my head.
My main question when exiting this album is “where does Xiu Xiu (and their latest album) fit amongst the rest of the rock genre?” The answer, I have decided, is amongst the weirdos that make the genre so interesting as an art form. Xiu Xiu’s reputation is comparable to Nirvana’s first album, Bleach, which never fully reached the mainstream, besides the legendary ‘About A Girl’. Many people dislike Bleach, preferring the catchy choruses featured on Nevermind, rather than the clearly misanthropic lyrics and messy rock of their first outing. Nonetheless, Bleach is legendary among certain rock fans, specifically those ‘weirdos’ who like it when music makes their ears bleed while the vocalist screams through their speakers. That’s the same realm in which Xiu Xiu inhabits. On this album, they have seemingly reached further into their bag of tricks to create an album that is equally as unnerving as it is approachable. For that reason, it is one of their finest outings and one of the best albums of 2024, so far. For the open-minded listener, it is a hell of a good time.
8/10
Best Tracks: Maestro One Chord, Common Loon, Veneficium, T.D.F.T.W
Worst Track: Bobby Bland