News

Xiu Xiu adds member, begins work on new album

12:00 a.m. · August 18, 2006 · by Justin Sheppard

Jamie Stewart and Caralee McElroy have decided to enlist the services of a full-time drummer, so Ches Smith (Good for Cows, Trevor Dunns Trio-Convulsant) has now joined the Xiu Xiu ranks on a permanent basis. Smith will begin playing with the group on its upcoming fall tour.

Thats only part of the news however. The band has decided that even though their forthcoming album The Air Force isnt out for almost another month, now is a good time to record the follow-up. The band is reportedly already halfway done the as-yet-untitled album. No real information about the album is available as of yet, except that with Smith now on board, this will be the bands first foray into non-programmed drums on record. Also, a cover of Queens Under Pressure is set to be included with Stewart handling Freddy Mercury and Michael Gira coming in to play Bowie.

Oh and all this is in addition to the Xiu Xiu/Grouper EP thats set for release on November 7. Creepshow, to be released by the Slender Means Society imprint, is part of the Pregnancy Series which has artists record concept EPs in a way that challenges their normal creative process. Heres the tracklist:

01 Waiting for the Flies
02 Growing Into Veins
03 In the City
04 Sea
05 In Dreams

As mentioned above (and in previous reports) the band has a lengthy tour set up this fall. Virtually all shows are with Cong for Brums. BARR and Dirty Projectors are also along for stretches. Here are the dates again:

09-22 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court *

09-23 Denver, CO - Climax Lounge *

09-24 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck *

09-25 St. Louis, MO - Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center *

09-27 Denton, TX - Hailey's *

09-29 Austin, TX - Emo's *

09-30 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington *

10-02 Tallahassee, FL - Club Down Under *

10-03 Tampa, FL - Transitions Art Gallery *

10-04 Sarasota, FL - Sudakoff Convention Center (New College) *

10-05 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds *

10-06 Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum *

10-07 Charleston, SC - Map Room *

10-10 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *

10-12 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *

10-13 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #

10-14 Cambridge, MA - Middle East #

10-16 Buffalo, NY - Soundlab #

10-19 Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa #

10-20 Toronto, ON - El Mocambo #

10-21 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick #

10-23 Columbus, OH - Little Brother's #

10-24 Newport, KY - Southgate House #

10-25 Cleveland, OH - Beachland #

10-26 Gambier, OH - Horn Gallery #

10-27 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium #

10-28 Minneapolis, MN TBA #

11-05 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall

11-07 Visalia, CA - Howie and Son's

11-08 Goleta, CA - Hard to Find Showspace

11-09 Los Angeles, CA - Echo

11-10 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall

* with BARR

# with Dirty Projectors

Prefix Review: Xiu Xiu [Fabulous Muscles]

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