Suffering Jukebox

This morning's episode features an interview with Ellie Godwin (guitar/vocals), Kerry Funnell (bass) and Toby Stewart (guitar) from No Violet, a four-piece noise-rock band based in Bristol, UK. No Violet have recently (in November 2025) released their self-titled, debut album through the -also Bristol-based- Totality Records. Find out more about No Violet (and purchase their music) here; https://noviolet.bandcamp.com/music

Nick's Pick of the Week is Xiu Xiu's Xiu Mutha Fuckin' Xiu: Vol. 1, which was released on Friday January 16th. You can hear it in all the usual places, or purchase it here; https://xiuxiu.bandcamp.com/album/xiu-mutha-fuckin-xiu-vol-1 and my review can be read below.

Xiu Xiu: Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol. 1 (Polyvinyl Records)

Released 16th January 2026

Covers albums regularly result in artists being heaped with scorn, the usual complaints being that they are lacking in originality or merely being lazy. In many instances, these criticisms are well-founded, after all, how many “punk” versions of classic songs do we really need? When they’re done well, however, a great cover song can often eclipse the power of the original —Johnny Cash’s version of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt being a particularly well-known (and oft-quoted) example. What makes a great cover is often open to interpretation, some argue it must be recognisable and retain the spirit of the original, whilst others favour the burn it all down and start again approach. 

Xiu Xiu are no strangers to the concept of the cover song —or the covers album for that matter. Their discography is littered with stand-alone singles, B-sides and deep cuts which are (often radical) reinterpretations of another artist’s work. In 2013 they released Nina, a collection of songs made famous by Nina Simone, in 2016 —the rather self-explanatory— Xiu Xiu Plays The Music Of Twin Peaks and, since 2021, they have released a total of 69 singles (traversing Kylie Minogue to Current 93) as part of their XMFM Subscription Covers series.

Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol. 1’s twelve tracks are culled from the —rather overwhelming— 69 song collection of subscription covers. The Vol. 1 in the title seems to indicate that this may be an ongoing series, what remains a mystery, however, is the band’s criteria for choosing what warrants a proper release over others. It may be as simple as these twelve being (Xiu Xiu’s members) Jamie Stewart, Angela Seo and David Kendrick’s favourite, but, try as one may, no pre-release information appears to confirm, nor deny, this fact. Regardless of the selection process, Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol 1 is a strikingly diverse collection of homages and reinterpretations that showcase the full power of this incredibly unique band.

Opening with an organ-drenched rendition of Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer, Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol. 1 kicks things off with a bang. Sounding all at once familiar and of another place, Xiu Xiu add an additional dose of menace to David Byrne’s ode to Norman Bates. It is unlikely anyone listening to the original would have imagined Byrne capable of murder, Stewart’s frenzied delivery, however, leaves one feeling far less certain. Throbbing Gristle’s Hamburger Lady, on the other hand, does its best to live up to the horror of the original but —if one is being pedantic— ends up being marginally less unsettling.

There is plenty of familiar territory covered within this collection —Soft Cell (Sex Dwarf), Coil (Triple Sun) and The Normal (Warm Leatherette), to name just a few. Xiu Xiu’s riffs on their stylistic fellow travellers are generally great, they capture the spirit of the originals, but on these tracks it feels like they don’t need to try all that hard. Where they do succeed however, is when they venture so far beyond the confines of the familiar to create something without parallel. Dancing On My Own, originally by Robyn, and Some Things Last A Long Time by Daniel Johnston are both affecting, moving and shockingly beautiful. On these two songs in particular Xiu Xiu are no longer paying tribute at the temple of the original work, they occupy and own it.

There isn’t another group quite like Xiu Xiu. They have spent years honing their craft, refining and then redefining what they do and how they do it. Each new release carries an air of excitement, mainly because they revel in the thrill of the unexpected. They lack predictability and this is precisely why they continue to create interesting, absorbing music; even when performing the work of others. There are very few good or sensible reasons to go to karaoke, but if Xiu Xiu were hosting, you’d be foolish to decline the invite.

Nick Stephan