Xiu Xiu would rather make music

Singer/songwriter Jamie Stewart says the most difficult part of being in the band Xiu Xiu is dealing with his own insecurities.

"My brother said something to me the other day that kind of took me by surprise," Stewart said by phone from his apartment in Oakland, Calif. "He said, 'You know I don't have a critic when I go to work.' And I thought about that and it's true. I have to deal with music critics every day. And I'm an insecure person as it is.

"I have been trying my hardest not to read any critiques of my albums. Even the positive ones. Because even if I read a positive review I'll ask myself, 'They liked this part but didn't mention the other part.' I guess I'm just crazy that way."

Stewart actually has no qualms about his state of mental health. Heck, when he decided to pursue music as a livelihood, he had to clear it with his therapist. "I was studying sociology at the time. And I felt extremely guilty about playing music all the time. But my therapist told me that the best job for me to do was something that I enjoyed doing. And I can't think of anything else I'd rather do."

Music has been with Stewart since he was born. His father and uncle were musicians and music was everywhere. "When I was in fourth grade I played the tuba. That was weird because I was relatively small. I remember seeing the flutists packing their flutes in their lockers, but I had to sit with my tuba during recess because it was so big.

"Finally when I was 14, I said, 'Enough of this,' and picked up the guitar." Stewart has played in bands ever since.

His band Xiu Xiu has been described as a Goth-pop band. Others have called it dark pop-folk rock. Stewart says it's just an artistic statement. "The style developed over the years. I was in bands since I picked up my guitar, and didn't really get serious about music until I was 25. And since then the style has just developed as things went along."

After a few lineups, Stewart and bandmate Caralee McElroy formed Xiu Xiu. "Caralee and I are the permanent members," said Stewart. "We do have friends who help us with the albums and tour, but Caralee and I are the two who actually do all the touring."

Xiu Xiu's new album, "La Foret," is the band's fourth full-length album. "We do try to do different things with each album," said Stewart. "There are things we do the same because it's part of the recording procedure and we've found they work better than other procedures. But each time we go into the studio, we try to do different things with the sound."