Xiu Xiu has always been a tad strange, but I’m sure they could care less if people didn’t listen to them. They would continue crafting fine music regardless. But people do love them, and they’re quickly becoming one of the more popular indie bands.

Xiu Xiu (pronounced “shoe-shoe”) have actually created a much more accessible album with their sixth studio release, Women as Lovers. I might even go as far as to call it “pop music” (if pop music started wearing its mother’s clothing and dropping acid, that is).

Women as Lovers is an anxious, dissonant stroll through the park of pop and folk music. You’re constantly bombarded by strange electronic noises and discordant horn sounds that keep your senses on their toes. That being said, the album is downright infectious. For every bit of ruggedness this release throws at you, there’s a beautiful and utterly catchy part that pushes right back. Singer and founder Jamie Stewart has a fantastic voice, and it’s showcased throughout.

The album’s lovely highlight is “I do what I want, when I want.” Well, about as lovely as a song containing a metaphor about hog-tying a person could possibly be, anyway. Take these lyrics: “Could it be you were the one / who is waiting insanely for me / to bind your limbs stoutly / to feign deafness to protest.”

Your music collection is getting stagnant and you’re tired of the norm? Keep an open mind and Women as Lovers might become one of your favorite new albums.