Pixies and Perfect Rock Music
I just burned a CD of Pixies for a friend in Banff. And I'm listening to the music and just love it. Now, let's not forget the seductive allure of the discovery of a band during a phase of life that you've already decided will be a part of your "I was 22 once and I never will be again" nostalgia; but this shit rocks.
"This shit rocks"? You might exclaim. "I've heard that before!"
The Pixies recorded tunes that are technically simple, the kind of stuff that you can cover in your garage. But the quality of song-writing and arrangement are just unbelievable. And you know what? My teeth were cut for the Pixies years earlier (than my 21st birthday) by the Talking Heads. Tight, almost neurotic rhythm guitars laying a base for short, exciting tunes. The Pixies have more groove than Talking Heads, for sure, but there's a similar approach--fast, tight strumming and a poetic, somewhat aggressive vocal delivery. Pixies, however, tapped into a root of classic (perhaps retroactively?) "rock" rhythms and sounds that betray a quality of energy and delivery that always kicks my ass.
Just cue up "Planet of Sound" on yer music device and tell me that I'm full of shit.
Or their cover of "Head On".
"Wait!" You say. "Both those songs are from "Trompe le Monde, the Pixies's most COMMERCIAL album!"
Ha. Non-believer. Trompe le Monde was inevitable, and still my favourite Pixies album. What the Pixies always did was rock hard, and with Trompe le Monde they managed to unite some of the "punk" (I use the term with some reluctance) sound of their earlier work with a show of pure crotch-strumming licks to perfection. There's nothing wrong with a crowd-pleaser, wankers.
"This shit rocks"? You might exclaim. "I've heard that before!"
The Pixies recorded tunes that are technically simple, the kind of stuff that you can cover in your garage. But the quality of song-writing and arrangement are just unbelievable. And you know what? My teeth were cut for the Pixies years earlier (than my 21st birthday) by the Talking Heads. Tight, almost neurotic rhythm guitars laying a base for short, exciting tunes. The Pixies have more groove than Talking Heads, for sure, but there's a similar approach--fast, tight strumming and a poetic, somewhat aggressive vocal delivery. Pixies, however, tapped into a root of classic (perhaps retroactively?) "rock" rhythms and sounds that betray a quality of energy and delivery that always kicks my ass.
Just cue up "Planet of Sound" on yer music device and tell me that I'm full of shit.
Or their cover of "Head On".
"Wait!" You say. "Both those songs are from "Trompe le Monde, the Pixies's most COMMERCIAL album!"
Ha. Non-believer. Trompe le Monde was inevitable, and still my favourite Pixies album. What the Pixies always did was rock hard, and with Trompe le Monde they managed to unite some of the "punk" (I use the term with some reluctance) sound of their earlier work with a show of pure crotch-strumming licks to perfection. There's nothing wrong with a crowd-pleaser, wankers.
posted by Manitoba Erratic at 7:35 p.m.
3 Comments:
THE PIXIES are also known as THE SHIZNIT, by me. an outstanding band.
if you like, i have a copy ready for burning of their LIVE REUNION SHOW IN WINNIPEG -- they began the set by covering Neil Young's "Winterlong"
yes. pixies. yes.
"This Mon-key's gone, to heaven... This Mon-key's gone, to heaven..."
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