''The Air Force'' is the fifth studio album by

Xiu Xiu Xiu Xiu ( ) is an American experimental rock band, formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart in San Jose, California. Currently, the line-up consists of multi-instrumentalists Stewart (the only constant member since formation), Angel ...

. It was released on September 12, 2006 and was produced by Greg Saunier of

Deerhoof Deerhoof is an American musical group formed in San Francisco in 1994. It consists of founding drummer Greg Saunier, bassist and singer Satomi Matsuzaki, and guitarists John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez. Beginning as an improvised noise punk band ...

, who also performs on the album with band members Caralee McElroy and Jamie Stewart.

Production

The album was produced by Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, and released on 5 Rue Christine in September 2006. Stewart said that the year was "one of the first not dominated by personal tragedies" and that the album is about "making other people feel bad" instead of feeling bad oneself. Its major themes are "guilt and sex as opposed to sorrow and sex". Stewart considered it their best and most consciously pop album yet. They said that the band was obsessed with

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...

's '' Blue Album'' and

The Smiths The Smiths were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (musician), Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwrit ...

's ''

The Queen Is Dead ''The Queen Is Dead'' is the third studio album by the English rock band the Smiths, released on 16 June 1986, by Rough Trade Records. Following the release of their second album '' Meat Is Murder'', the Smiths retreated to Greater Manchester ...

'' while on tour, though the album does not reflect those albums particularly.

Track listing

Notes * "Feeding the Raging Heart" is the opening song to the 2007 Robby Reis film of the same name. * "Hello from Eau Claire" and "Saint Pedro Glue Stick" do not have vocals by lead member Jamie Stewart; instead, Caralee McElroy does all of the vocals on the former, while the latter is instrumental.

Personnel

Xiu Xiu

* Jamie Stewart - Production, vocals (1–6, 8–11), percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9), drum programming (2–4, 6, 9, 10), synthesizer (2–4, 6, 8, 10), guitar (2, 4, 5, 8, 10), bass (4, 5, 8, 9), sampler (3, 5, 7), harmonica (4, 6), piano (1), accordion (2), recorder (2), autoharp (5), mandolin (9) * Caralee McElroy - Production, vocals (1, 3, 6, 10), flute (2, 4), synthesizer (4), glockenspiel (9), cymbal (10)

Additional personnel

* Greg Saunier - Production, vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 10), sampler (2–4, 9, 11), synthesizer (1, 4, 6, 9), guitar (2, 4, 5, 10), percussion (1, 2, 5), piano (1, 8), drum programming (2, 4), bass (3), electronic drums (3), banjo (6), bass drum (6), snare drum (9), glockenspiel (9) * Devra Hoff - Double bass (2, 10, 11), bass (10) * David Horvitz - Koto (7) * Nedelle Torisi - Violin (9)

References

Xiu Xiu albums 2006 albums 5 Rue Christine albums {{2000s-indie-rock-album-stub