Always

Always

by Xiu Xiu
Always

Always

by Xiu Xiu

CD

$15.99 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
    Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by Thursday, April 4
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

Jamie Stewart and crew celebrated the tenth anniversary of Xiu Xiu's formation with Always, an album that sounds like the culmination of where the band has been and what they mean to their listeners. Indeed, Always is dedicated to the band's fans -- as if the cover image of a fan's Xiu Xiu tattoo wasn't enough of a hint -- and many of the best moments feel like rallying cries for them. "Hi" kicks things off with one of the album's most obvious love letters to Xiu Xiu's devoted, as Stewart goes through a roll call of the outcasts and the heartbroken, while "Born to Suffer" and "Honey Suckle," a duet with Angela Seo, both use synth strings and brass to emphasize their anthemic sweep. The band's confrontational, political edge was subtler on Dear God, I Hate Myself, but it comes roaring back to the fore on Always. Stewart's gift for boiling issues and emotions down to their purest and often most uncomfortable states is as brilliant as ever, particularly on "I Luv Abortion," which finds him at his most abrasive and baiting as he howls with righteous sarcasm, "You were too good for this life!" "Factory Girl," which sums up the unending toil of a Chinese factory worker with the line "you won't go to heaven, you'll just go to work," is one of Xiu Xiu's bleakest songs -- which, as fans know, is saying something. Overall, though, Always is a remarkably strong batch of songs even for a band as well-known for its dedication to its aesthetic and ideals as this one is. "Joey's Song" is classic Xiu Xiu, a duel between a gorgeous melody and caustic textures and words; "Beauty Towne"'s rush of lush sounds and bruised emotions underscores how much artists like Cold Cave owe to this group; and "Smear the Queen," a duet with a particularly alien-sounding Carla Bozulich, is a terrific showcase for how Stewart and company can sound horrifyingly violent and ultimately triumphant at the same time. It's apt that Always was made with Xiu Xiu's devoted fans in mind, since these catchy, desperate, searing, and searching songs aren't always the most accessible, but they show exactly why this band has such a dedicated audience. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date: 03/06/2012
Label: Polyvinyl
UPC: 0644110023629
Rank: 167488

Tracks

  1. Hi
  2. Joey's Song
  3. Beauty Towne
  4. Honey-Suckle
  5. I Luv Abortion
  6. The Oldness
  7. Chimney's Afire (Mickension Suicide)
  8. Gul Mudin
  9. Born to Suffer
  10. Factory Girl
  11. Smear the Queen
  12. Black Drum Machine

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Xiu Xiu   Primary Artist
Jamie Stewart   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ches Smith   Composer
John Dieterich   Composer
Carla Bozulich   Composer
John Congleton   Mixing
Sam Mickens   Composer
Zac Pennington   Composer
Alan Douches   Mastering
Xiu Xiu   Producer
Greg Saunier   Composer,Producer
James Stewart   Composer
Stu Watson   Engineer
Damion Ross   Tattoo Art
Angela Seo   Composer
Jason Martin   Cover Photo
Joe Stewart   Design
Jamie Stewart   Group Member,Engineer,Composer
Devin Hoff   Composer
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews