excellentan experimental project by Jamie Stewart and Angela Theo, has a new member David Kendrick (Sparks, Devo, Gleaming Spiers) announced a new album with a single release and a North American tour. ignore the grief will be available on Polyvinyl (pre-order) on March 3rd. The first single, “Maybae Baeby,” clatters darkly in its industrial experimentalism. Jamie Stewart explains:
In “Maybae Baeby”, the singer’s point of view is that of a young man hiding in a fantasy conversation with a tarantula to escape his physically abusive parent. We were hiding in this fantasy of fantasy, following the model of the late 1950s subgenre “Teen Tragedy Songs”. band for the last two years.
The single is accompanied by a haunting music video directed by Angela Seo. he said: Even though you know you shouldn’t, you go deep into it to escape somewhere else, even if it’s worse. ’ Check out “Maybae Baeby” below.
ignore the grief It seeks to explore the horrors of personal tragedy and seek empathy beyond shocking value. The press release reads:
This is half the record.
Angela Theo sings on half the record. Jamie Stewart sings on half the record.
Half the songs are experimental industrial. Half of the songs are experimental modern classics.half are real. Half an illusion.
The actual song is some sort of tale that does anything, anything but brutalize the worst life the band has been offered to the five people they connect with in these amazingly terrifying experiences that grind their minds and memories. Trying to transform into a hopeless shape.
The fictional song is an extension and abstract exploration of the early rock ‘n’ roll “Teen Tragedy” genre, an attempt to find out what happened to these five people and cleanse the band’s own overwhelming emotions living with it. Starting point.
What none of this record does, and despite oft-repeated claims, what Xiu Xiu has never done is try to ostensibly shock the listener. Instead, Xiu Xiu has spent his 20 years working on how to process, empathize, rebel, and regroup horror. There are no words other than horror.
motivation for writing ignore the grief Children forced into prostitution by their mothers, middle school students who are kidnapped and murdered, incessantly choosing alcohol and cocaine over their families, getting lost in the darkest and darkest aspects of cult spirituality, committing suicide as a means to commit suicide.violence. Hidehide members themselves are deeply shocked to run away from a life of sex work and protest.
Old friend and new member David Kendrick (Sparks, Devo, Gleaming Spires) asked Angela Theo and Jamie Stewart what this all means, and why it happened. Participate through what. The point of an aesthetic inspection is to see if there is no way or for some reason to come out on the other side. It may not be the case in either case, but simply turning away would be further vandalism.
Find album art and track listings for ignore the grief under.
Xiu Xiu also announced a US tour for April and May, with a stop at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge on April 19th. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, January 13th at 10am local time. All dates below.
ignore the grief track list
1. The Real Chaos Cha Cha Cha
2. 666 blank photos
3. Esquelita, Little Richard
4. Maybe Baby
5. Tarsier, tarsier, tarsier, tarsier
6. Pahrump
7. Border Factory
8. Dracula Parrot, Moon Moth
9. Brothel Creeper
10.M case
Xiu Xiu — 2023 tour dates
04/02 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
04/03 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
04/04 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
04/05 – Albuquerque, New Mexico @ Sister Bar
04/06 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
04/07 – Austin, TX @ Elysium
04/09 – New Orleans, Louisiana @ Rough
04/10 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana @ Chelsea’s Live
04/12 – Memphis, Tennessee @ Greenroom – Crosstown Arts
04/13 – Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room – Third Man Records
04/14 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
04/15 – Savannah, GA @ Lodge of Sorrows
04/16 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
04/18 – Washington DC @ Black Cat
04/19 – New York, NY @ LPR
04/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
04/21 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
04/22 – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania @ Stage on Herr
04/23 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
04/25 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
04/26 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
04/27 – Rock Island, IL @ Rozz Tozz
04/28 – Iowa City, Iowa @ Trumpet Blossom
04/29 – Lawrence, Kansas @ The Bottleneck
04/30 – Denver, Colorado @ HQ
05/01 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Urban Lounge
05/03 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
05/04 – Portland, Oregon @ Holocene
05/05 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
05/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon