1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most intimate effort, Dec 16 2005
By silverway30 - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: La Foret (Audio CD)
Just as the reviewer stated above, this is Xiu Xiu's most intimate album to date. For those who are not fans, a comment as such is not easy to justify because of the stark imagery and intense magntitude (via electrifying and sometimes shocking sounds and painfully explicit lyrics) most of their songs carry. Like emotional baggage sprawled all over an entangled web of human deception, so is Stewart's delivery of issues most of us would intensely fear or choose not to confront; and if we did, it would be with a therapist. I doubt any of us would be successful in painting misunderstood masterpieces that would echo the excessive and lucid hegira's Stewart's various personae take in his songs, because whether it's "Suha" or "Bog People," the characters comes alive not only through the entrancing lyrics, but through the brutal and honest delivery of Stewart's vocals.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a mature artist, July 21 2005
By alexander laurence - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: La Foret (Audio CD)
Xiu Xiu came about as an unusual group a few years ago that often opened for
Deerhoof. After a few albums the esthetic of Xiu Xiu seemed very plain. Jamie
Stewart makes music that is very intimate. He writes about emotions without
being sentimental or cheesy. After a few albums the songwriting skills have
developed. The songs seem less weird. He is becoming more like Smog and Cat Power
and others. Some songs like "Clover" and "Baby Captain" are just mostly
voice and guitar, while others like "Saturn" are almost industrial songs. Some of
the co-conspirators are back: Devon Hoff, Ches Smith, Caralee McElroy, and
Cory McCulloch. "Baby Captain" has a surprise middle section that sounds
incredible. "Muppet Face" is a song about photographer Angel Ceballos and her cat.
Xiu Xiu has always employed the dynamics of loud and quiet in their music. It
seems less obvious this time. "Ale" is almost like a Tom Waits tune, without
all that unnecessary stuff. Xiu Xiu gets better with every record. La Foret
has the most range of all their records. This might be the best one.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Illusionist songwriting, Jan 6 2010
By IRate - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: La Foret (Audio CD)
2 1/2
I suppose LF is as an agreeable entry into the group's distinctive brand of tortured indie-pop as any, though what little gripping power the music once had from under-produced proddings and whispered eccentricities have all but faded over time for me.