Girl with Basket of Fruit is the eleventh studio album by American experimental band Xiu Xiu, released on February 8, 2019.[1] It follows the band's 2017 album Forget and was co-produced by member Angela Seo and Deerhoof's Greg Saunier. The album is supported by the lead single "Scisssssssors", which was released with an accompanying music video.[1] A second single, entitled "Pumpkin Attack on Mommy and Daddy", was also released with a music video on January 15, 2019.[2]
| Girl with Basket of Fruit | ||||
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 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 8, 2019 | |||
| Studio | Nurse (Jamie Stewart's home studio in Los Angeles) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:35 | |||
| Label | Polyvinyl | |||
| Producer |
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| Xiu Xiu chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Girl with Basket of Fruit | ||||
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Background and lyrics
editThe record is said to feature "themes and references" of and to "ritual, mythology, mundane and divergent belief, film, music, and resurrected motifs from preceding Xiu Xiu videos".[1] It was also noted to be "imbued with the agitation, tension, sorrow and anger that has permeated the daily lives of so many over the last few years".[3] The title is a reference to Caravaggio's Boy with a Basket of Fruit, with the gender switch being crucial to the record: "When this title is a boy it is fey and lovely. When it is a girl is worrisome and rife with danger. Male martyrs are almost always surrounded by nurses, their mothers, adoring angels and other loving disciples wrapping their crushed and holy bodies in strips of herb soaked cloth and weeping rapturously. Female martyrs are almost always depicted having their skin flayed, breasts branded or ripped off with tongs or being stabbed and they are always, always alone save for her murderers. There is never anyone by their sides celebrating their spiritual life, only fiendishly reveling in their torture of her. It is perilous to be a 'girl.'"[4]
Jamie Stewart, alongside a selection of images connected to each of the album's songs and Angela Seo's favorite and least-favorite lyrics, wrote of Girl with a Basket of Fruit: "Generally, Xiu Xiu songs are narratives about the internal effects of external events. For this record [...] the lyrics were taken largely from the internal effects of internal events: reactions to and explorations of other people's TEXTS [...] and images."[4]
The cover of the album depicts the sigil of Vetis, The Life Promiser, whose name is referenced in the title track of the album.[4]
Music
editLead single "Scisssssssors" was called "ritualistic-sounding" and its video described as featuring "cult-like imagery" by The Fader.[5]
Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.8/10[6] |
| Metacritic | 75/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 3.5/10[9] |
| Pitchfork | 6.0/10[10] |
| PopMatters |   [11] |
| Sputnikmusic | 4/5[12] |
| Under the Radar |  [13] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes |  [14] |
Girl with Basket of Fruit received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the album holds a score of 75/100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks produced by Angela Seo and Greg Saunier. Credits adapted from Tidal.[15]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Girl with Basket of Fruit" |
| 4:16 |
| 2. | "It Comes Out as a Joke" | Stewart | 3:01 |
| 3. | "Amargi ve Moo" |
| 4:51 |
| 4. | "Ice Cream Truck" | Stewart | 2:38 |
| 5. | "Pumpkin Attack on Mommy and Daddy" |
| 5:01 |
| 6. | "The Wrong Thing" |
| 4:55 |
| 7. | "Mary Turner Mary Turner" | Stewart | 3:48 |
| 8. | "Scisssssssors" |
| 4:27 |
| 9. | "Normal Love" |
| 3:38 |
| Total length: | 36:35 | ||
Personnel
editCredits adapted from liner notes.[16]
Xiu Xiu
- Jamie Stewart – vocals, synthesizers, guitar, experimental percussion, viola, recording[a]
- Angela Seo – piano, vocals, electronic percussion, organ, harmonium, production
Additional musicians
- Daniel Brevil – percussion
- Devin Hoff – double bass, bass violin, bass guitar
- Emmanuel Obi – percussion, experimental percussion, vocals
- Ayo Okafor – percussion
- Elliot Reed – percussion, experimental percussion, vocals
- Eugene Robinson – vocals
- Greg Saunier – organ, production
- Ches Smith – percussion
- Ace Stewart – vocals
- River Stewart – vocals
Technical
- John Congleton – mixing
- Lawrence English – mastering
- Tara Jane O'Neil – additional recording
Charts
edit| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[17] | 19 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[18] | 47 |
Notes
edit- ^ Credited under the pseudonym "Butch Jenny Stewart" for recording.
References
edit- ^ a b c Gottsegen, Will (December 6, 2018). "Xiu Xiu Announce New Album Girl With Basket of Fruit With 'Scisssssssors'". Spin. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ "Xiu Xiu share video for new track "Pumpkin Attack on Mommy and Daddy," tour dates supporting new album Girl with Basket of Fruit".
- ^ Bruce-Jones, Henry (December 6, 2018). "Xiu Xiu share 'Scisssssssors' from new album Girl with Basket of Fruit". Fact. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Stewart, Jamie. "A Guide to Xiu Xiu's Girl with Basket of Fruit". Talkhouse. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ Maicki, Salvatore (December 6, 2018). "Xiu Xiu return with 'Scisssssssors' off new album Girl With Basket Of Fruit". The Fader. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ "Girl With Basket Of Fruit by Xiu Xiu reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ a b "Girl with Basket of Fruit by Xiu Xiu Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ allmusic
- ^ Lilly, Evan (February 6, 2019). "Xiu Xiu - Girl with Basket of Fruit". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ Haver Currin, Grayson. "Xiu Xiu: Girl With Basket of Fruit". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ Stasis, Spyros (February 5, 2019). "Xiu Xiu: Girl With a Basket of Fruit (album review)". PopMatters. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Review: Xiu Xiu - Girl with Basket of Fruit". Sputnikmusic. February 12, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ Adcock, Lee (February 6, 2019). "Xiu Xiu: Girl with Basket of Fruit (Polyvinyl)". Under the Radar. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Xiu Xiu - Girl with Basket of Fruit". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Credits Girl with Basket of Fruit / Xiu Xiu – TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Girl with Basket of Fruit (Media notes). Xiu Xiu. Polyvinyl Record Co. 2019.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Xiu Xiu Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ "Xiu Xiu Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.