Xiu Xiu
Angel Guts: Red Classrom
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Avant-Garde
It’s beginning to seem like Xiu Xiu has a new piece of music out every month, yet somehow the group manages to create fresh noise rock that very few others can imitate. The band’s latest, the murky Angel Guts: Red Classroom, is more of the same, but something fans will immediately enjoy.
The eerie, industrial opener “Angel Guts:” sets the tone for the rest of the record. The instrumental track begins with a repetitive siren-like noise before fading into static and then nothing for the last minute and a half. It’s not until “Archie’s Fades,” a bare dance number that distorted vocals and creepy lyrics come into play.
“New Life Immigration” is a standout, almost dead center in the album. Taking inspiration from contemporaries like Twin Shadow, the song is more emotional and heart-wrenching than any others, accentuating Jamie Stewart’s bizarrely haunting voice.
Some of the later tracks blur together, becoming a hazy, dark mass of distorted vocals and strange beats. Maybe if the album were shorter than fourteen songs, the effect would be less noticeable, but as is, Angel Guts begins to wear the listener down.
Too often, songs like “Lawrence Liquors” and “A Knife in the Sun” appear aimless and drag on with no purpose. They definitely fit the style of Angel Guts, but do not bring anything new.
While not a good introduction for the average listener, fans of Xiu Xiu will find a lot to like. The album is bizarre, aggressive, and knows exactly what kind of audience it has.
— Mac Gushanas
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