Xiu Xiu

Dear God, I Hate Myself (Kill Rock Stars)

By Marisa Iacobucci
Published: March 15th, 2010 | 7:00am

The name of the latest Xiu Xiu album, Dear God, I Hate Myself, is deceiving. If you're looking to slit your wrists, these songs won't do it for you. While there's no denying that the mood of the album is somewhat dark, the music is not as dark as you might think. Okay, so lead singer Jamie Stewart's crooning and shaky voice might push you a bit over the edge at times — but this album is mostly the result of twisting "dark" musical themes, putting them through a synthesizer, mixing them up with electronic beats and ambient noise, and turning them inside and out with distorted guitars. It's what experimental art rockers such as Xiu Xiu do naturally and it works happily every time.

In fact, listen to the entire album (13 songs plus two bonus tracks) without looking at the song titles to fully appreciate how moody alt-rockers can perfect influences from ‘80s synth pop and neoclassical influences. Then, listen to the songs again and read titles such as "Gray Death,” "This Too Shall Pass Away (For Freddy)," and "The Ropes Have Pulled Tight” to discover how the songs are much more hopeful than they are dark. Hell, dare I say they even get sappy with the love song, "Chocolate Makes You Happy"?

Xiu Xiu, first formed in 2000, continues to be the main project of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart (the only remaining member of the band's original lineup). As he continues to record with new musical guests and friends on his home computer, it makes you wonder if they're not having too much fun invoking the deeply troubled and catchy spirit of the Smiths and the Cure. And kudos to them because you can’t help but love this album!

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Kill Rock Stars

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RobynDetterline (about 1 year)
It's pretty clear from the lyrics that "Chocolate Makes You Happy" is about bulemia. Not sure that qualifies as a "sappy love song." But I do agree that this is a fantastic album, although not quite as cheery as the author here would have you think. If you didn't like Xiu Xiu before, this album won't change your mind. If you're a Xiu Xiu fan it might be a bit underwhelming at first, but it slowly reveals its genius with each listen.