XIU XIU

Angel Guts: Red Classroom

2014-03-16

  Angel Guts:  Red Classroom, the ninth release from Xiu Xiu, opens and closes with quiet electronics and the haunting sound of the wind. In between, Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu's main man, breaths his muddy vocals over sludgy synths.  With lyrics featuring vulgar language and disturbing themes (suicide, sexual experimentation, sadomasochism, violence), one might think this is all too serious.  Then, one listens to "Black Dick" or "El Naco" and one can't help but to laugh. Is this a put on?  Is Xiu Xiu, after twelve years as a band, just trying to be shocking for the sake of being shocking?  That kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?  Angel Guts  is a little "much" for me to want to listen to over and over. Even so, I find this album to be bizarre and bleak and darkly compelling.    Rebecca Ruth  

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Rock

  • reviewed 01/2016

    Kerosene Stars
    Burn The Evidence

  • reviewed 02/2004

    Various Artists
    Sigmatropic: 16 Haiku & Other Stories

  • reviewed 11/2011

    STEPHANIESID
    Starfruit

  • reviewed 03/2008

    The Dirtbombs
    We Have You Surrounded

  • reviewed 04/2007

    WILLY MASON
    If the Ocean Gets Rough

  • reviewed 01/2016

    Swamp Cabbage
    Jive

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.