Time for the darker twin. Xiu Xiu's newest album starts out in typical fashion. Or, shall I say, typical earlier fashion. A dark little number. Catchy and disturbing. Starting the album with 'Gray Death' made me think I was going to travel back into Xiu Xiu time. Into that element of 'scared and moved' of earlier albums like Fabulous Muscles. But, the second track, the humorous (perhaps too humorous) 'Chocolate Makes You Happy' immediately tells me this is not a time machine.
Xiu Xiu's previous record, Women as Lovers, was promised to be a user friendly album. Something for everyone... or, at least everyone who had previously abandoned Xiu Xiu due to the dramatics of voice/lyric/sound. And I found myself uninterested in most of the songs on Women as Lovers. I was abandoned for the masses.
Perhaps this new album is Xiu Xiu's attempt to create the user friendly darkness of Xiu Xiu. Some of the darkest elements of earlier Xiu Xiu are meeting the happier and better arranged newer Xiu Xiu. Does this make success? Not quite. But, certainly a step above the previous album.
My favorite track on the album is 'House Sparrow.' There is something 80s trance dance to the music. And the voice follows so closely to the music. It is nothing new. But something I knew still existed in Xiu Xiu. This record is not for everyone.
B-
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