Knife Play

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This article is about the album. For the BDSM practice, see Knife play. For the band, see Knifeplay (band).
Knife Play
Xiu Xiu
ReleasedFebruary 19, 2002
Recorded2001–2002
StudioUnknown studio (San Jose, California)
Genre
Length43:14
Label
Xiu Xiu
chronology
Knife Play
(2002) 		Chapel of the Chimes
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork Media
(8.3/10)[2]
Tiny Mix Tapes(4/5)[3]

Knife Play is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Xiu Xiu, released on February 19, 2002.

Content

A sticker on the cover of the album reads "When my mom died I listened to

Ten in the Swear Jar. "Homonculus" is about someone who was romantically interested with Xiu Xiu member at the time Yvonne Chen.[5]

Reception

Christopher Dare, writing for Pitchfork, though noting that "many who've bought the album for [the listed] influences aren't prepared for his tantrums", stated that the album "makes you reevaluate your opinion on what emotions music has the right to explore."[2]

Packaging

Knife Play was initially issued on CD by 5 Rue Christine and LP by Absolutely Kosher Records. The CD packaging features a two page comic, illustrating an unnamed girl awake at 4:01 AM mourning a hospitalized loved one who was involved in an accident. The comic takes place over three hours, and the final panel is the unnamed girl holding her face in her hands on her bed.[6]

The first LP release, by Absolutely Kosher, was a 12" black vinyl record in a paper inner sleeve wrapped in a 35" by 23" newsprint sleeve. This issue did not come with a standard LP cover.[7] Knife Play was issued on CD and LP by Tomlab in Germany in 2003. Knife Play was also remastered and repressed by Absolutely Kosher in 2003, this time in the same design as the newsprint sleeve, but the sleeve itself was printed on standard heavyweight paper. The back cover features a calendar with a fictional month, 28 days and 8 days to the week, resulting in four days at the end not assigned to one of the three previous weeks. The first day of the week is unnamed, while the next seven follow the convention: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.[8]

In 2014, Stoned to Death reissued Knife Play on

7". The bonus 7" featured a live version of "I Broke Up (SJ)" and an acoustic version of "Don Diasco". This issue also features printed lyrics and a note from Jamie Stewart regarding the production, recording and publishing of Knife Play.[10]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Don Diasco"2:54
2."I Broke Up (SJ)"2:20
3."Luber"4:02
4."Hives Hives"3:42
5."Dr. Troll"3:54
6."Over Over"4:05
7."Anne Dong"4:51
8."Suha"4:57
9."Poe Poe"3:40
10."Homonculus"3:20
11."Tonite and Today (What Chu' Talkin' 'Bout)"5:22

Personnel

Xiu Xiu

  • Jamie Stewart – vocals, guitar, harmonium, programming
  • Lauren Andrews – synthesizer, piano, bells
  • Cory McCulloch – bass, synthesizer, mandolin, feedback
  • Yvonne Chen – synthesizer, trumpet, percussions, gong

Additional musicians

  • Ches Smith – drums
  • Greg Saunier – drums
  • Tally Jones – cello
  • Don Dias – bass accordion
  • Sergio Bernal – trumpet
  • Jason Albertini – guitar
  • Jarod Flores – alto sax
  • Jafid Moran – tenor sax
  • Kurt Stumbaugh – baritone sax

Production

  • George Horn – mastering

References

  1. AllMusic
  2. ^ a b c "Xiu Xiu: Knife Play". Pitchfork.
  3. ^ "Music Review: Xiu Xiu - Knife Play". Tiny Mix Tapes.
  4. ^ "Xiu Xiu, Knife Play". The Morning News. 13 June 2002.
  5. ^ "Xiu Xiu Albums From Worst To Best". March 7, 2017.
  6. ^ Xiu Xiu - Knife Play, retrieved 2022-06-02
  7. ^ Xiu Xiu - Knife Play, retrieved 2022-06-02
  8. ^ Xiu Xiu - Knife Play, retrieved 2022-06-02
  9. ^ Xiu Xiu - Knife Play, retrieved 2022-06-02
  10. ^ Xiu Xiu - Knife Play, retrieved 2022-06-02


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