Xiu Xiu Sign to 5RC, Prepare Debut Full-Length

That shit's straight out of Destiny of an Emperor

San Jose pop peddlers Xiu Xiu have signed to Olympia-based Kill Rock Stars' subsidiary 5 Rue Christine Records. After bumming around the Bay Area music scene for nearly a year, performing with such acts as Mates of State, the quartet plans to release their full-length debut on 5RC next January. Also in the works are an EP on San Francisco's Absolutely Kosher imprint as well as a 10" collaboration with said city's Deerhoof.

Xiu Xiu, led by the enigmatic Jamie Stewart, merge indie-pop experimentalism with the classic morbid love song, citing Galaxie 500 and Joy Division as influences. The group's mood collages implement moans, whispers and caterwauls alongside atypical instrumentation including gongs, bells, distorted mandolin and an enormous acoustic/electric bass. Think Stephin Merritt if he were ever hung out to dry at the altar of some church in Molokai and resigned to live out the rest of his days among the leper colonies, transposing his rage into song for all eternity. That hasn't happened yet, right?

Posted by Michael Ulrich on Fri, Jul 27, 2001 at 12:00am