Taking their name from the 1998 Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl, post-punk throwbacks Xiu Xiu were formed in San Jose, CA, by Cory McCullough, Yvonne Chen (publisher of the indie zine Zum), Lauren Andrews, and Jamie Stewart. Before forming Xiu Xiu, McCullough and Stewart played in the band Ten in the Swear Jar. Prior to the 2002 release of their first full-length album, Knife Play (released on vinyl through Absolutely Kosher and on disc through 5RC/Kill Rock Stars), the band made appearances on numerous compilations. Shortly after Knife Play's release, Springman released a 10" collaboration between Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof. Vocalist Stewart has earned comparisons to the Cure's Robert Smith, while the band itself has been likened to just about any angular guitar band from the late '70s and early '80s without any blindingly obvious sources of inspiration. In 2002, the band issued the Chapel of the Chimes EP. The following year, A Promise and the limited-edition, mostly acoustic Fag Patrol EP arrived, and early 2004 saw the release of their most accessible work to date, Fabulous Muscles. Xiu Xiu kept busy in 2005 with the full-length La Forêt and a split single with Devendra Banhart. The group's fifth album, The Air Force, which was produced by Greg Saunier, arrived in fall 2006; an EP of covers, Tu Mi Piaci, was also released that year. 2008's Women as Lovers managed to be some of Xiu Xiu's catchiest and most abrasive work, and featured Michael Gira on a cover of "Under Pressure." Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

The very idea of rock and roll invokes an impulse to burn the rulebook. The songwriting adage endures: proceed without a map for greatest results. Yet in prepping his troupe of six for album number four, Beulah ringmaster Miles Kurosky issued a strict edict of no-no's. No "ba-da-ba's", No staccato horns (fewer horns everywhere in fact), Record live as much as possible. Darker chords a must. "You get to that point," he says. "Where you're like, 'Well, what do we do now?' Do we keep making the same record? Is that worthwhile? I was sick of reading 'sugar-y this' and 'sunshine that.' I like the Beach Boys and all that, but I don't want to be seen as this lite pop band. I've never thought of us like.