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100

Delusions of Adequacy

It’s no mystery that the band’s most focused, intelligible, and pop-oriented record is also its best.

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Splendid

They now trade in a world of startlingly bleak, matte-black liquid-crystal experimental pop perfection pitched somewhere between John Cage's frightening austerity and the bittersweet squall of Swell Maps. Art-pop doesn't get any more accessible than this.

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Pitchfork

Profound, innovative, and absolutely vital.

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The Wire

It's exhilarating and rare to hear such bruised raw performances as these. [#242, p.71]

Almost Cool

Even if you haven't liked the group in the past, you might very well find yourself won over by Fabulous Muscles.

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Urb

Ultimately, Xiu Xiu builds something sacred from tiny moments of pain. [Jun 2004, p.90]

PopMatters

Angry, desperate, and bleak, but this time coupled with a sense of hope and compassion, Fabulous Muscles is a major step forward for Jamie Stewart and Xiu Xiu.

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All Music Guide

Much like the musical equivalent of Todd Solondz or Harmony Korine, Xiu Xiu set out to disturb their audience in pursuit of higher artistic goals.

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Flak Magazine

Listening to Xiu Xiu, we become nosy neighbors with our ears pressed against the wall separating us from lives infinitely more fascinating and tragic than our own.

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Tiny Mix Tapes

Fabulous Muscles contains some of the band's best songs since Knife Play.

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Alternative Press

Xiu Xiu nail their nebulous mix of new wave and post-punk gloom, but also lace their tunes with uncompromising experimentation and emotion. [Apr 2004, p.88]

Billboard

The type of minimalism employed by Xiu Xiu creates masterpieces of avant-garde restraint that truly haunt the mind.

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Junkmedia

Sonically, it's well-tempered between its beat-driven and its acoustic pieces; lyrically, a unique, personal pain drips out from Stewart's whispered vocals, providing the driving force of Muscles' challenging, diverse ensemble.

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ShakingThrough.net

Musically, Fabulous Muscles is Xiu Xiu's finest hour.

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Mojo

A disorienting work somewhere between Scott Walker, Joy Division and Matmos. [May 2004, p.105]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

It's harrowing and difficult, but occasionally insightful enough to be powerfully gravitational. [24 Mar 2004]

Stylus Magazine

My problem with Stewart, his band, and the new Fabulous Muscles is that all too often his desire to provoke seems like an affectation.

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Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

The musical parsimony, cultural insularity, moral certitude, and histrionic affectations of these lo-fi artier-than-thous promise indie ideologues whole lifetimes of egoistic irrelevance.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Aramis G gave it a10:
After Skinny Puppy released Last Rights back in 1992, there has been very little that is actually "new" going on in pop music. IDM was and continues to be cool but very little of it feels organic, emotional or dynamic (Autechre conintues to try though). There have been plenty of great bands since then but they have all been tied in one way or another to other older bands. That is the one great risk none of them seem to want to take which is fine as long as they make good music. But here is Xiu Xiu, wow! Noise, and good noise at that, mixed with snippets of melody and hooks. I can't believe a band is making the type of pop music I actually want to hear. If you think this is too pretentious or noisy then there are plenty of less dynamic bands for you to roll with and they will tap any nostalgic bone you have for $18.00. However if you feel like something is desperately missing from pop music, like how you expected your kids music in the future to be louder and noisy than your music and not this pussy ass crap kids listen to these days, then Xiu Xiu is there for you.

tweedle dee gave it a 10:
Jamie gets better every time. I luv the cd OH!

Benjamin Bunny gave it a 9:
The best and most accessible album yet from what very well might be the most important band in music today. Xiu Xiu's music is unflinchingly emotional and sonically and structurally unusual, fascinating and beautiful. No other record right now sounds like this, or feels like this. Xiu Xiu still makes music that will scare the sh*t out of you, but this time around they maintain a consistant, overwhelming loveliness that compliment their harsh emotional theatrics. If you want to be in the know, you will own this album.

ERDEM C gave it a 10:
xiu xiu proves where music goes. their latest is an innovation to boring music scene. they may be the pioneer of what music should be in the future. the posterity: listen carefully xiu xiu (shoe shoe).

dgd dgdf gave it a 0:
What? U cal dis moosic? i's sure deont

John B gave it a 9:
more melodies, and fuller instrumentation compared to his earlier work. more accessible, yet loses none of his style.

David gave it a 9:
good album

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Fabulous Muscles

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