Indie/Experimental
Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoo-shoo) has quickly grown to be one of my favourite bands. Jamie Stewart is the most tortured soul I've ever had the fortune of listening to. If you're looking for someone like Morrissey (the album cover should remind you of him), only about ten times as heart-breaking, Xiu Xiu is for you.
Fabulous Muscles, as an album, is going to make you uncomfortable. It still makes me uncomfortable, and I've gotten used to Xiu Xiu. As a first time listener, expect to want to turn it off at some points. Jamie Stewart makes whatever pain you might be currently experiencing seem like absolutely nothing, as he whisper/shouts about a preschooler being molested or about how suicide has made him an orphan. While it may take getting used to, the end result is worth it, as this album is without question a masterpiece. I don't think it's Xiu Xiu's best, but it is their poppiest (which is humorous, because its nowhere near mainstream pop), and easiest to get into if you're not used to this kind of music.
Crank Heart
This song begins as something that should be in a painfully depressing video game. "Her school colours, black and light black" is delivered in a way that can only be described as spine-tingling. As the beeps and boops get more and more frantic, you can't help but feel overwhelmed.
8.5/10
I Luv the Valley OH!
This song starts out more peaceful and melodic. Jamie gasping for breath mixed with the desperation of his voice to make something truly saddening. "Je t'aime the valley, je t'aime the valley OHHHHH" really should freak you the fuck out. This was my favourite song on the album for awhile. The franglais gives it a certain something that I can't quite explain. Perhaps talking about his father's suicide requires more than one language to articulate properly.
9/10
Bunny Gamer
Jamie's voice is downright creepy in this one. You can't help but feel bad for him. After all, he wants to be careless too. "It feels retarded/I wonder if you like me/Will you be there tonight?" is something I think we've all felt before. "Where have you been all of my life?" makes me shake.
8/10
Little Panda McElroy
The first few lines have so much power to them, especially due to the lack of music in the background. Then when the synthiness comes in, it gets slightly more hopeful-sounding. This is, strangely enough, one of the happier songs on the album. Lyrics like "I can stop wanting to kill myself.../Because of you" make it obvious that this is not a typical love song. Caralee McElroy is the woman who does all the elctronic stuff for the band, and she clearly means a lot to him. This song grew on me a lot.
8.5/10
Support Our Troops OH! (Black Angels OH!)
Did you know you were going to shoot
off the top of a four year old girl's head
And look across her car-seat down into her skull
And see into her throat and did you know
that her dad would say to you,
"Please sir, can I take her body home?"
This made me fucking shake. It's so bizarre hearing Jamie... talk. Not whispering, not shouting, not gasping for breath; just simply talking. That's what gives this passage that much power. The screeching heard afterwards makes the initial spoken-word angst-fest even harder to take in.Though for some reason, at least for me, it falls short of some other tracks.
7/10
Fabulous Mucles (Mama Black Widow Version)
Ahh, the title track. I think the best way to describe this song is "fucking awkward".
"Fabulous muscles
Cremate me after you cum on my lips
Honey boy place my ashes in a vase
Beneath your workout bench"
No one does creepy lyrical humour better than Xiu Xiu, but this song delves into the realm of the disgusting. Still, though, his voice is absolutely beautiful, and the acoustic guitar is a nice break from the synth-pop and screeching. "Break my face in/Was the kindest touch you ever gave" makes me think of this song as an ode to an abusive relationship. All things point to that except for the line about the deformed penis, which I don't quite understand. A solid track once you get used to it.
8/10
Brian The Vampire
This is one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. In my top 3, easily. The beeping and booping make this song sound unreal, but it's still down to earth enough to creep you the fuck out when you hear things like "How far does your brother go with you?"
This is all about a young boy named Brian that Jamie met when he worked at a preschool, and this boy was repeatedly molested by his older brother. This whole song is Jamie desperately shouting, trying to reach Brian. But it's not working. Sometimes hearing this song just makes me break down.
run run run i'm thinking of you
9.5/10
Nieces Pieces (Boat Knife Version)
It would seem that this is all about Jamie's fucked up family. Some of the most powerful lyrics on the album. "I can't wait till you realize mommy's heart is broken/I can't wait to watch you grow up around the people who broke it" always, ALWAYS gets me.
8.5/10
Clowne Towne
Really cute intro. Really amazing song. This is the most structured song on the album, but it does well for itself. I haven't given this one as much of a chance as I should.
"Clowne towne no shelter
Clowne towne no anything
Clowne towne single angel
Clowne towne no exit"
One hell of a chorus. Give this one a chance, folks, you'll love it.
8.5/10
Mike
Another video game intro. This song was written before Jamie's father committed suicide, and from what I've heard, he is unable to play it live for that reason. This one seems to be thinking about the death of his father, and then remembering their relationship. He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know how to feel.
"Except for that dad, I love you, and I will always, always miss you
Pull my finger"
What a fucking BRILLIANT closing line. One of the most depressing albums ever written closes with "pull my finger". Amazing. Whether he's referring to jokes he used to make with his dad, or simply lamenting on the fun the two of them ever had is up to you.
8/10
I'm going to give the whole album a 9/10. While I don't think it compares with Knife Play, it's still a brilliant album, and as I said, it's the easiest to get into, even though it still isn't easy to get into at all. If you feel like you need a shower after listening to the whole album, Jamie Stewart has done his job.
