Album Review: Xiu Xiu – Forget

By: Thomas Troyan

Xiu Xiu has never been predictable. Despite having their own sound the band, led by Jamie Stewart, has always been able to make each release distinct. Following up last years “Plays the Music of Twin Peaks” is 2017’s “Forget.” The album has that kind of synthy darkness that the band is known for, along with Stewart’s haunting vocals. Despite this looming darkness, tracks like “Wondering” (Track 3) are catchy and easy to groove along to. One of my favorite tracks on the album is “At Last, At Last” (Track 7), where Stewart half-cries half-screams throughout, and it’s truly haunting. The title track (Track 8) brings back some of the grooving tunes as a background to the shouting of “FORGET”. Another standout track is the slow “Hay Choco Bananas” (Track 5). The song chugs along slowly, leaving moments of noise and silence that is really shows Xiu Xiu at their best. If you’re a fan of Xiu Xiu then you will love this album. And if you’ve never listened before it’s the perfect introduction.

Rating: 4/5 (High Rotation)
RIYL: Suicide, Swans, Animal Collective
Recommended: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
FCC: 1, 2,