Xiu Xiu - Always Album Review
It’s an intriguing, varied, gritty album that snares your attention and twists until you have to peel the strangehold away.
rating: 4
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Xiu Xiu: avant-garde provocateurs of the last ten years. Jamie Stewarts brainchild. Eight studio albums, Always being the eighth. Every release has been as diverse and as absorbing to the level that its now got to a point where you cant possibly tell what the next Xiu Xiu album is going to sound like. Is this a good thing, you ask? Well, Ill leave that for you to decide, but any band that can alter and shape their sound in a way thats almost unrecognisable from their other material can only be seen as a good thing, in my eyes (mind). It shows that the bands striving to eke out every drop of creativity they have, and also, it kind of shows that they actually dont care whether or not if listeners like the stuff; theyve got it out there, theyre happy with it and thats all that matters. Saying that, though, Xiu Xiu have been relatively fortunate, with listeners taking a liking to their material. Even though every release is different, each one has maintained a sense of credibility and has resulted in the band gaining a dedicated following. Which, I suppose, goes hand-in-hand with the band morphing and lifting their sound. People do like the bands tactics, people do like the changes akin to the four seasons, people do like being intrigued and captivated by the band, people do like Xiu Xiu. The bands name is taken from the 1998 Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl. The bands line-up has been a constant revolving door, with frontman Jamie Stewart being the only member to have lasted since its inception. However, the band has settled on a line-up for the up-coming release Always, being Jamie Stewart, Angela Seo, Bettina Escauriza, Marc Riordan and Devin Hoff. The whole album is a conception of dark content, both lyrically and directionally, thats juxtaposed by accessible, stark, stirring music which leaves the lyrics imprinted on the musics teasing, smiling face like a childhood scar. It makes for an intriguing and bold listen, which, quite simply leaves you wanting more. Opener, Hi, includes Stewart persuading the listener to join him singing the lyrics of Say hi / If you are wasting your life / Say hi / If you are alone tonight / Say hi, in his inimitable, hushed, melancholic style. The lyrics are accompanied by bright, driving, bouncy music that could almost be classed as electronica but the use of guitar riffs shooting in and out of the track ensures that the genre classification merges and borders on alternative/avant-garde/indie/electronica. The grimly named I Luv Abortion isnt necessarily the strongest track but what makes it a particular attention-grabbing addition is that the lyrics of Stewart are possibly the most unhinged we hear. He tells us about the distress of a friend he sees as too young to be pregnant and its in these lyrics where he strives to address this issue which is becoming an all-too-common one with young women everywhere. He delves into a personal issue, plunging the listener into his life and thoughts and its always compelling to hear an artist dive into something close to their heart. Gul Mudin raises the subject of a young Afghani boy whos murdered by American soldiers for fun. Its a despondent issue, but the light, breezy, almost passive ambient music results in a listen that doesnt leave you feeling downtrodden when it should do it leaves you skimming the surface for more and this is credit to the bands skill and talent at creating a sunny sound, which should actually be very grey. Black Drum Machine, the final track, is a drawn-out, atmospheric, eerie addition that results in Stewarts vocals sounding like a man whos completely lost in his anguish and self-torment. The sound builds itself up and up until a tower of noise collapses and skitters all over the final section of the track. Always is an album that may just give Xiu Xiu the attention the band deserves. Its an intriguing, varied, gritty album that snares your attention and twists until you have to peel the strangehold away. You should listen to this at least once. And then again and again and again Xiu Xiu's new album Always will be available from February 27th.