Xiu Xiu – Women As Lovers [Kill Rock Stars; 29/01/2008]
Jamie Stewart’s Xiu Xiu has always made it a top priority to make listeners feel uncomfortable when engaging with their music. Some may call it indie, some may even go as far to say that this is a form of punk, due to the disjointed sounds and flesh cutting lyrics that have always come across as an opaque and bumpy listen.
‘I Do What I Want When I Want’, ‘No Friend Oh’ and ‘Under Pressure’ (featuring former Swans frontman, Michael Gira) are three songs on “Women As Lovers” that take charge and see the band making their most accessible album to date. Some may say that Xiu Xiu is too comfortable within this sound, essentially defeating the purpose of what concepts the band has created since their existence.
However, weighing up all the pros and cons, this album has the ability to expand on the band’s listeners, and while this too, could be viewed objectively, “Women As Lovers” witnesses Xiu Xiu in a new light. Although, at times, it maybe a little top heavy with quality, Stewart gets his point across quite well, which from the past, can not always be said.
By Simon
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