Xiu Xiu released a new album, Dear God, I Hate Myself, this year. To their immense credit, Xiu Xiu is one of the few bands who seem to defy any categorization of genre. They are a band that I simply do not know what to make of, but Lord knows, I am happy to keep trying. To some extent, every band that I can think of out there today, is, to varying degrees – and to varying success – nipping on well picked-over carcasses. However, there are a few bands like Xiu Xiu, who seem to be hyenas out there feasting on unmolested prey. Those of us who are keeping a bead on Animal Planet, are happy to be in on the show.
I know this much, they are worth making a point of catching whenever they are in town. Xiu Xiu have the ability to straddle the accessible/totally-not-accessible line like no other band I can think of outside of Skinny Puppy. Now that I think of it, I bet it is the similar tension-build-then-release dynamic that I find arresting. Whatever the case, Xiu Xiu is one of the most interesting bands out there and I think this past album is a huge leap forward.
This is a live take on the title track of their new album.
Xiu Xiu is also one of the few bands that can pull off a Joy Division cover without making fools of themselves. Check out the archives here to hear for yourself.
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Download: Xiu Xiu – Dear God, I Hate Myself (Live)
Xiu Xiu is a band I have been meaning to check out for quite awhile. After a Mary Timony induced nap, I was in much better spirits and was greeted by one of the high points of CMJ 2007. They are a guitar/keyboard/drum driven three piece with strange strangled emotive vocals. If there was one band outside of Dean and Britta to safely cover a Joy Division song, it would be Xiu Xiu and just that they did.
