Xiu Xiu are releasing Eraserhead Xiu Xiu on 2026-07-10. The first single is 'In Heaven'.
Xiu Xiu have since long toured their playing their version of the soundtrack to David Lynch's film Eraserhead. It's beautiful.
This is a calm song. I like the breaking of bottles at the end, it feels soothing to the sounds of an organ and what may be some kind of friction.
This is a cut of Xiu Xiu playing 'In Heaven' live in Scotland earlier this year.
Jonathan Meiburg created Shearwater more than 25 years ago, together with Will Sheff. They were both in Okkervil River at the time.
Jonathan is a prolific writer. Not only does he write Shearwater songs, but he also writes books; his second book, The Secret Land: The Once and Future Life of Antarctica, is being written. Jonathan's just back to the USA after three months in Antarctica and southern Chile.
This is the first single from the coming Shearwater album. The album is named The New World. Jonathan's piano and voice works wonderfully at the start. He's really honed and mastered both his voice and expression over many years and mainly by caring for what he does, caring for what he wants to deliver.
It takes some skill to write a song like this. It's nearly a waltz, a carefully produced and mixed track that goes deeper by every minute. The piano repetition, the drum snare, the bass guitar, the guitar-warbles; Shearwater is a fun, funny, and tight machine.
There's a fun fact about the song: the title is a nod to The Monkees' 'Daydream Believer'. The song was written by John Stewart who was the uncle of Jamie Stewart. Jamie is in one of my fave bands, Xiu Xiu. Jamie plays the gong on 'Daydream Unbeliever'.
Full circle.
This is a very strong song. The album is released on 2026-07-31.
Xiu Xiu – Xiu Mutha Fuckin' Xiu: Vol. 1
Xiu Xiu are one of my favourite modern bands. God damn it. They're rock 'n' roll, experimental, fun, funny, and noise. And a lot more.
They've just unveiled their next album, a covers project that's today available for pre-order: Xiu Mutha Fuckin' Xiu: Vol. 1.
I love Daniel Johnston. They've covered one of his beautiful songs:
The second cover that they've unveiled today is The Runaways' ultra-fine 'Cherry Bomb':
Complete album track list:
Side A
– Psycho Killer [Talking Heads]
– Warm Leatherette [The Normal/Grace Jones]
– I Put a Spell on You [Screamin' Jay Hawkins]
– Hamburger Lady [Throbbing Gristle]
– In Dreams [Roy Orbison]
– Sex Dwarf [Soft Cell]
Side B
– Dancing on My Own [Robyn]
– SPQR [This Heat]
– Lick or Sum [GloRilla]
– Some Things Last a Long Time [Daniel Johnston]
– Triple Sun [Coil]
– Cherry Bomb [The Runaways]
Their merch is some of the funniest shit ever produced by a band. I mean, from switchblades to a mesh jersey that says XIU XIU 69:
Long live MF XX.