Angel Guts: Red Classroom (album)

Angel Guts: Red Classroom
Studio album by Xiu Xiu
Released February 4, 2014
Genre Art rock
Label Polyvinyl (US), Bella Union (EU)
Producer John Congleton
Xiu Xiu chronology

Always
(2012)		 Angel Guts: Red Classroom
(2014)

Angel Guts: Red Classroom is the ninth studio album by Xiu Xiu, released on February 4, 2014. It was released in the US via Polyvinyl Records and in the UK via Bella Union. The album was recorded in the Los Angeles home studio of frontman Jamie Stewart, and in the Dallas, Texas studio of producer John Congleton.

Lyrical themes

Angel Guts is Xiu Xiu's follow-up studio album to its 2012 Always.[1] The title of the new album is based on the 1979 Japanese erotic film Angel Guts: Red Classroom.[1] Its themes include "racialized sex, double suicides, double penetration, criminality, [and] fear of physical harm".[1] Tiny Mix Tapes described the album preview as "the most Xiu Xiu album ever released", darker than its preceding albums, and "the sound of Xiu Xiu's death".[2] Record label Bella Union compared the album's tone to that of Suicide, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Scott Walker.[3]

Recording

The album was recorded at Nurse, the home studio of Jamie Stewart, and the Elmwood studio of producer John Congleton in Dallas, Texas.[3] The instruments on the album are limited to analog drum machines, analog synthesizers, and a drum set.[3]

Stewart's songwriting was influenced by his move from North Carolina to a crime-ridden area of Los Angeles, as well as the aforementioned erotic film.[2] Stewart's home was near "a park divided among four gangs, a lake routinely dragged for bodies, [and] a building wherein two infant skeletons were recently uncovered".[3]

The album's first single, "Stupid in the Dark", was released via Pitchfork[3] on SoundCloud on November 20, 2013.[2] The album was released on February 4, 2014[1] in the US via Polyvinyl Records and in the UK via Bella Union[1] on CD, clear vinyl, limited-edition red vinyl, and as a digital download.[2]

Music videos were made for "Stupid in the Dark," "Botanica de los Angeles," "Lawrence Liquors," "Bitter Melon," "El Naco," and "Black Dick." The latter two were premiered on non-music websites rather than YouTube ("El Naco" on a horror site and "Black Dick" on a porn site).

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 66/100[4]
Review scores
Source Rating
MusicOMH [5]
Drowned in Sound (8/10)[6]
The 405 (7.5/10)[7]
Tiny Mix Tapes [8]
NME (7/10)[9]
Pitchfork 6.6/10[10]
This Is Fake DIY [11]
PopMatters (4/10)[12]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Angel Guts:"   3:28
2. "Archie's Fades"   3:28
3. "Stupid in the Dark"   2:50
4. "Lawrence Liquors"   2:59
5. "Black Dick"   3:43
6. "New Life Immigration"   2:47
7. "El Naco"   3:13
8. "Adult Friends"   2:23
9. "The Silver Platter"   3:39
10. "Bitter Melon"   2:55
11. "A Knife in the Sun"   2:55
12. "Cinthya's Unisex"   4:22
13. "Botanica de Los Angeles"   3:05
14. ":Red Classroom"   2:27

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Minsker, Evan (November 20, 2013). "Xiu Xiu Announce New Album Angel Guts: Red Classroom, Share 'Stupid in the Dark'". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Nagurney, E. (November 20, 2013). "Xiu Xiu announce new album Angel Guts: Red Classroom, ensure delivery of Xiu Xiu-iest album ever". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Xiu Xiu return with ‘Angel Guts: Red Classroom’". Bella Union. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Angel Guts: Red Classroom Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  5. ↑ Horton, Ross (2014-02-03). "Xiu Xiu - Angel Guts". MusicOMH.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  6. ↑ Zevolli, Giuseppe (2014-02-03). "Xiu Xiu - Angel Guts". Drownedinsound.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  7. ↑ Whitfield, Robert (2014-02-14). "Xiu Xiu - Angel Guts". Thefourohfive.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  8. ↑ Chandler, Simon. "Xiu Xiu - Angel Guts". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  9. ↑ Gardner, Noel (2014-01-30). "Album Review". Nme.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  10. ↑ Cohen, Ian (2014-02-05). "Album Review". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  11. ↑ Lee, Tim. "Album Review". Thisisfakediy.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  12. ↑ Catchpole, Kevin (2014-02-06). "Album Review". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.