Pixies
albums
change in music. They showed us that you don't have to be the best technical guitar player or singer, and also can
look like you just crawled out of bed to play rock shows. All that said, it's not like Pixies were a bunch of slobs who
just happened to throw together some songs; Black Francis (a.k.a. Frank Black) was one of the greatest
consistent and diverse songwriters ever, covering a very broad range of styles albeit with his own overall "harsh"
tone. Pixies could do it all really, and over the course of only four records, they never made one that wasn't
completely awesome. That is not something you can say about almost any other band. Their time together might
have been brief, but that might make a great point for all band's being more concise and to the point.
Band Members: Black Francis - Guitar, Vocals
Kim Deal - Bass, Vocals
David Lovering - Drums
Joey Santiago - Guitar
Best Album: Surfer Rosa
Biggest Influences: Pere Ubu, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Cheap Trick
1988
Surfer Rosa - 9/8
"Urgency" is the word to describe this record. Surfer Rosa did not reinvent the rock landscape by itself, but it
signaled a change was needed. In the days where the charts were ruled by bad metal and horrible synth pop (hey,
kind of like twenty years after the fact...), Pixies showed something to the world. They gave where others just
copied and imitated. Black Francis doesn't sing his lullabies to you, he wails them! "Break My Body", "Broken
Face", "River Euphrates", these were themes of frantic abandon and whirls of punk fury. Surfer Rosa is not a
record that just flies by with a bunch of fast songs though; for every "Tony's Theme" there is a controlled, calmer
song like "Cactus". There is as much of a singer/songwriter in Francis as there is a kind of wild Iggy Pop character,
and that complexity shows through on the album. It is only about 35 minutes long and often feels like wayyy longer
than that (which is a good thing in this case). The band is not without it's influences: for one it screams Modern
Dance in every way, especially with closer "Brick is Red". That song might as well be called "Humor Me Pt. II"! Pere
Ubu is not the only influence here, but it is the most traceable (both band's have maniacal, hefty lead singers). It
has to be said that some of the greatest rock songs ever propel this record forward: "Vamos" is a charging mess of
Spanish themed obscenity; "Where is My Mind" is a likable song about nothing in particular (should have been a
hit); "River Euphrates" is easily my favorite Pixies song with its demented, out-of-this-world- guitar play and off key
dual vocals meets surf-music approach, what the hell indeed! Last but not least, the album is crafted well from start
to finish, with moderate rockers, screaming anthems, and even some softer ballad like songs put it an order that
influenced generations to come; some might even say "indie rock" in all its forms began with this album. No matter
what I really say in this review there is only one point I want to make - Surfer Rosa is one of the greatest debut
albums ever, or just albums period. - Trevor e.y.
1.bone machine- 4
2.break my body- 4
3.something against you- 4
4.broken face- 4
5.gigantic- 4
6.river euphrates- 4*
7.where is my mind- 4
8.cactus- 4
9.tonys theme- 3
10.oh my golly- 3
11.i said- gf
12.vamos- 4
13.i’m amazed- 4
14.brick is red- 4
1989
Doolittle - 8/8
I think Doolittle has a better reputation than its predecessor because it is more fun and light hearted. I mean
this album is actually cool and hip sounding, where as Surfer Rosa almost jumped out and shook you around.
Therefore I have a theory: masochists like Surfer Rosa and sadists like Doolittle! I mean look at the songs titles:
"There Goes My Gun", "Gouge Away", "Debaser"....ok, enough clowning around Trevor! Right the review!
* Ahem * Doolittle is a great follow up to Surfer Rosa because it expands the bands sound without really changing
the formula. It's the same kind of album, done over with more...pazzaz! That might not make it better, but it sure
makes it more accessible, and to follow an abrasive debut like Pixies had, Doolittle succeeds and then some. Some
of the fury is still in the band's heart on songs like "Tame", "Dead", and "Crackity Jones". Mostly though, a kind of
sophistication shines through on "Monkey Gone to Heaven", "Here Comes Your Man", and "Hey" that cements the
band's importance in rock history. These songs tell great stories but they also have a kind of likeable, powerful
sense of humor that is so present and confident, no one can deny its power. Doolittle has great structure to it, the
songs vary so all members of the band have show cases like Lovering's singing on "La La Love You" or Deal's
background vocals on "Silver", "Debaser", "Monkey Gone to Heaven", etc. It should be said that Deal and Francis
are one of the best vocal teams in rock music, a fact often over looked. "I Bleed" in itself is a harrowing journey just
by the childlike recitation. So, in all, in conclusion, to sum it up....is this the band's best album? Well, its all opinion.
My s&m argument aside, this record is more "accessible to most tastes". Then again, I had Surfer Rosa first so I
might be sentimentally attached. Then again, they are both in my top 100 albums and are both really awesome
and fun to listen too, as well as very consistent, as well as yes Doolittle rules. It breathes beauty and humor into
rock music, and is one of rock's most monumental achievements. - Trevor e.y.
1.debaser- 4
2.tame- 4
3.wave of mutilation- 4
4.i bleed- 4*
5.here comes your man- 4
6.dead- 4
7.monkey gone to heaven- 4
8.mr. greeves- 4
9.crackity jones- 4
10.la la love you- 4
11.number 13 baby- 4
12.there goes my gun- 2
13.hey- 4
14.silver- 3
15.gouge away- 4
1990
Bossanova - 8/8
They calm down on this record. That doesn't really mean anything accept more of the songs are "drifty" then
"yelly". Bossanova is underrated because it is seen as some sort of step down; untrue. It takes the band's sound to
a natural-feeling, different direction, that is all. Do "Veloria", "Is She Weird", "Alison", and "Hang Wire" sound like
the Pixies of old? Well of course, it could not be anyone else with that signature sound! This is a fun, consistent
album, full of psychedelic journeys ("The Happening", "Veloria"), beach song lullabies ("Ana", "Havalina"), and
terrific, riff driven songs ("Down to the Well", "Blown Away"). There is only one bad song, "Stormy Weather", and
the album takes more absorption to understand than its predecessors, but Bossanova would be considered any
other band's masterpiece. Just because it is, yeah, the band's "weakest effort" doesn't mean it is bad at all. I'd give
it a lower 8/8 than any of the other albums, but it is still a beautiful record because of its consistency, confidence,
and melodic brilliance. It deserves the same high regard as any of Pixies' albums, and its the 3rd straight
masterpiece in a row. - Trevor e.y.
1.cecilia ann- 3
2.rock music- 4
3.velouria- 4*
4.allison- 4
5.is she weird- 4
6.ana- 4
7.all over the world- 4
8.dig for fire- 4
9.down to the well- 4
10.the happening- 4
11.blown away- 4
12.hang wire- 4
13.stormy weather- 2
14.havalina- 3
1991
Trompe Le Monde - 8/8
Well, the band adopts a different kind of edge for this album. Back is the humor and toughness of Surfer
Rosa, mixed with the tempo changes of Doolittle, combined the psychedelics of Bossanova, and it really is a mixed
bag. As usual there is that one song I just don't like on the album, "Bird Dreams of the Olympus Mons", but even
that song illustrates the influence here: The Jesus and Mary Chain. One of that band's songs is covered, "Head
On", and many people agree that Pixies do it better (I am one of them). There also some beautifully structured
songs here: "Alec Effel" is my favorite, where the songs chorus is insane and doesn't make no, SENSE; "The Sad
Punk" is kind of two songs in one, harking back to Husker Du's "Back from Somewhere". Francis writes his greatest
Pixies ballads on this record, "Letter to Memphis" and "Motorway to Roswell", which are purely timeless and
beautiful. Meanwhile, "U-Mass", "Planet of Sound", and "Distance Equals Rate Times Time" rock your face of in a
great way, reminding us all we are alive. Two of the more stranger songs are in the middle, "Space" with its
obsession with "Jeffery with one 'f' Jefery" and "Subbacultcha", which proves lyrical nonsense can exist and be
completely believable. You know, only a band with as much confidence as Pixies could pull of a song like
"Subbacultcha" and not have it be laughable. Well I hate to leave out any songs on here, this is my 2nd favorite
Pixies album after Surfer Rosa, but I'll just say "Palace of the Brine", "Lovely Day", and "The Navajo Know" are just
a good as the aforementioned ones. Turns out, the band broke up after only their forth record which was truly a
tragedy. Deal's side project, The Breeders, became her full time band (kind of...) and Black Francis changed his
name around to Frank Black for a solo career. Trompe Le Monde sums up everything great about Pixies, and I
could easily see it as someones favorite album. It has everything you could ask for in rock music, but also makes
the Pixies the only band I have ever reviewed (with a substantial amount of records) to have every rating 8/8 or
higher. That doesn't necessarily make them my favorite band ever, but I think it is fair to say that it makes them a
perfect band. Not many other band's knew how to make records as consistent and fun as these guys did, and I am
glad they existed. - Trevor e.y.
1.trompe le monde- 3
2.planet of sound- 4
3.alec eiffel- 4*
4.the sad punk- 4
5.head on- 4
6.u mass- 4
7.palace of the brine- 4
8.letter to memphis- 4
9.bird dream of the olympus mons- 2
10.space (i believe in)- 4
11.subbacultcha- 4
12.distance equals rate times time- 4
13.lovely day- 4
14.motorway to roswell- 4
15.the navajo know- 4
 |  |  |  |  |
