Fabulous Muscles - Xiu Xiu
Fabulous Muscles Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

  • Summary: This is the third full-length album for the challenging, intensely personal Bay Area post-punk outfit led by Jamie Stewart.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. It’s no mystery that the band’s most focused, intelligible, and pop-oriented record is also its best.
  2. 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.
  3. 80
    Ultimately, Xiu Xiu builds something sacred from tiny moments of pain. [Jun 2004, p.90]
  4. My problem with Stewart, his band, and the new Fabulous Muscles is that all too often his desire to provoke seems like an affectation.

See all 18 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. tweedledee
    10
    Jamie gets better every time. I luv the cd OH!
  2. AramisG
    10
    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. Expand
  3. ERDEMC
    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). Expand
  4. dgddgdf
    0
    What? U cal dis moosic? i's sure deont

See all 11 User Reviews