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On the Shelf 115: Pixies
May. 3rd, 2014 09:52 amWell....
Let's talk about expectations first. This is 20+ years in the making from one of my favorite bands. Let's remember that we are not only comparing this to one of the greatest discographies ever, maybe best album ever (I am saying Doolittle), but also every Pixie-style song that has been released since.
Which means Nirvana, which means British Sea Power, which means Arcade Fire, which means Braniac, which means "Song #2". these are expectations no band can live up to and was why Maladjusted -era Morrissey was unloved when his Britpop sons and daughters did his music better than he could. Which means why Rancid were bringing in bigger crowds than Strummer and Jones in 1995.
It is worth mentioning that for all the airplay in their lifetime, you can't turn on a tv without hearing "Gigantic".
We could probably better temper our expectations by comparing to Frank Black's solo career. I have read reviews of this album and all of a sudden people love Frank Black's solo career.
I have been a huge advocate of Black solo, but he's never got praise like this. Black released a Pixies-style solo album (attributed to Black Francis) in 2007 called Bluefinger which comes close to matching expectations. At his most Pixies-ist, you can make a case for Teenager of the Year (as good as the Pixies)Black Letter Days, Fast Man/Raider Man (a bit too much filler) and I suppose Honeycomb (superb, though very unlike the Pixies) as albums that are high points along the way.
I missed out when news of the Pixies EP being released last year was a hot topic (This album is the first three reunited Pixies EPS released in 2013 and 2014) but universal press was bad.
Pitchfork gave it a 1.0, which is a useless review. That seems harsh for any band.
So, what is the real verdict.
Indie Cindy is truly disappointing. it is disappointing as a Pixies album, and even disappointing as a Frank Black album (the Cult of Ray blows it out of the water).
Most reviews will say it needs more Kim Deal, and although I wasn't going to say that for the sake of saying it, there are plain moments where that is true.
The biggest problem is that it is uninspired, especially by Black's standards, but even standards you would set for Pixies disciples.
So, is there a thrill in hearing Black scream about nonsense over a Joey Santiago guitar riff.
Absolutely.
I can't give on this album completely because that exists in 2014 and believe me that is worth something.
Oddly, I agree with the Guardian's review, although I thought it before I read it, this sounds very much like where they would have went from Trompe Le Monde.
I can't say it's anything but disappointing. Fans were annoyed when the only new music we got from the Pixies in decades was "Bam Thwok" (and that's pretty uninspired), but nothing really on here is as good as that.
So "Snakes" it is
It's a good, catchy song, but could have really used a real Frank Black lyric, and not one that sounds like a parody.
Let's talk about expectations first. This is 20+ years in the making from one of my favorite bands. Let's remember that we are not only comparing this to one of the greatest discographies ever, maybe best album ever (I am saying Doolittle), but also every Pixie-style song that has been released since.
Which means Nirvana, which means British Sea Power, which means Arcade Fire, which means Braniac, which means "Song #2". these are expectations no band can live up to and was why Maladjusted -era Morrissey was unloved when his Britpop sons and daughters did his music better than he could. Which means why Rancid were bringing in bigger crowds than Strummer and Jones in 1995.
It is worth mentioning that for all the airplay in their lifetime, you can't turn on a tv without hearing "Gigantic".
We could probably better temper our expectations by comparing to Frank Black's solo career. I have read reviews of this album and all of a sudden people love Frank Black's solo career.
I have been a huge advocate of Black solo, but he's never got praise like this. Black released a Pixies-style solo album (attributed to Black Francis) in 2007 called Bluefinger which comes close to matching expectations. At his most Pixies-ist, you can make a case for Teenager of the Year (as good as the Pixies)Black Letter Days, Fast Man/Raider Man (a bit too much filler) and I suppose Honeycomb (superb, though very unlike the Pixies) as albums that are high points along the way.
I missed out when news of the Pixies EP being released last year was a hot topic (This album is the first three reunited Pixies EPS released in 2013 and 2014) but universal press was bad.
Pitchfork gave it a 1.0, which is a useless review. That seems harsh for any band.
So, what is the real verdict.
Indie Cindy is truly disappointing. it is disappointing as a Pixies album, and even disappointing as a Frank Black album (the Cult of Ray blows it out of the water).
Most reviews will say it needs more Kim Deal, and although I wasn't going to say that for the sake of saying it, there are plain moments where that is true.
The biggest problem is that it is uninspired, especially by Black's standards, but even standards you would set for Pixies disciples.
So, is there a thrill in hearing Black scream about nonsense over a Joey Santiago guitar riff.
Absolutely.
I can't give on this album completely because that exists in 2014 and believe me that is worth something.
Oddly, I agree with the Guardian's review, although I thought it before I read it, this sounds very much like where they would have went from Trompe Le Monde.
I can't say it's anything but disappointing. Fans were annoyed when the only new music we got from the Pixies in decades was "Bam Thwok" (and that's pretty uninspired), but nothing really on here is as good as that.
So "Snakes" it is
It's a good, catchy song, but could have really used a real Frank Black lyric, and not one that sounds like a parody.
