Xiu Xiu is the brain baby of experimental indie rocker Jamie Stewart, and on Dear God, I Hate Myself he’s joined by new bandmate Angela Seo, who takes on piano, synth, and drum-programming duties.
The album is an acquired taste, to be sure, what with the manic-depressive vocals layered over warped instrumentation. But a certain entertainment can be found in training one ear to appreciate the Joy Division–on-a-bad-day-esque compositions, as the other ear keeps a tally of somewhat ridiculous lyrics to make fun of later on. Like those found on the song “Chocolate Makes You Happy,” where Stewart, seemingly distraught over the treat, chortles out, “Chocolate makes you happy/When you thrust your fingers down your throat/And wash away what’s wrong.”
