Clowne Towne – Xiu Xiu (2004)

Xiu Xiu band took its name from the Chinese film of the same name released in 1998. It was composed in San Jose, California by Jamie Stewart, Yvonne Chen, Cory McCullough, and Lauren Andrews.

They are primarily known thanks their participation on many compilations which were released even before they produced their first album in 2002.

When listening to their songs we can clearly distinguish the influences of groups such as The Cure or Joy Division. They use electronic sounds mixed with powerful rhythms and rock loops. All these combined with the voice of Jamie Stewart full of concealed energy but so stunning.

The song Clowne Towne is taken from the third album of the group Xiu Xiu: Fabulous Muscles, released in 2004. Most tracks of this band deal with dark subjects such as AIDS, war or suicide. Clowne Towne is no exception to the rule, and we can feel all the melancholy and spleen in this song.

“Your true father smashed his hands through the glass
And failed out of the priviledged life of his dream
Your true love has drunk herself into not being able to pay her rent
Or keeping her own word to her own self
Your true brother has betrayed you over and over
And looked you in the eye
Your true self has become weak and alone and annoying
And a true ridiculous dumb-ass.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Xiu Xiu Official Website
Xiu Xiu Official Myspace
Xiu Xiu – Clowne Towne Live on Youtube
Buy Fabulous Muscles on Amazon.com