Album: Surfer Rosa
Artist: The Pixies
Released: 1988
Producer: Steve Albini
Label: 4AD
Vocals/Guitar – Black Francis
Guitar – Joey Santiago
Bass/Vocals – Kim Deal (credited here as Mrs John Murphy)
Drums – Dave Lovering
TITLE OF REVIEW: I Was Talking To Preachy Preach ... Read review
hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with ...
hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with ...
(Surfer Rosa Version) River Euphrates Where Is My Mind Cactus Tony's Theme Oh My Golly! Vamos I'm Amazed Brick Is Red Caribou - Come On Pilgrim Vamos Isla D...
A review by andystrong on Surfer Rosa - Pixies May 29th, 2003
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Advantages:
Best album by a brilliant band
Disadvantages:
One or two vocal growls and barks too many
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Album: Surfer Rosa Artist: The Pixies Released: 1988 Producer: Steve Albini Label: 4AD
Vocals/Guitar – Black Francis Guitar – Joey Santiago Bass/Vocals – Kim Deal (credited here as Mrs John Murphy) Drums – Dave Lovering
TITLE OF REVIEW: I Was Talking To Preachy Preach About Kissy Kiss
As part of my punk trilogy of music reviews, I decided I would write about at least one American punk band. It just so happened that the album I settled on – Surfer Rosa – influenced more 90s alternative rock bands than any other American indie/punk release I can think of. The Pixies are often described as an indie rock outfit, and I’ve seen some reviewers describe them as indie pop. However anyone who was had even a cursory listen to “Come on Pilgrim” (1987) and especially “Surfer Rosa” (1988), would have a different perspective.
I would describe Surfer Rosa as being one of the most important late 80s releases in my record collection. Whenever I dust it off and put it on it never fails to surprise me with its feral power and its oddness. The Pixies biggest gift to 90s guitar music – the clever deployment of huge distorted guitars behind choruses; which Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam all absorbed – is best showcased on Surfer Rosa. The band recorded the fourteen-track album with Steve Albini producing, or recording, as he prefers it to be known. Albini, for anyone not familiar with his production work, is best known for helping Nirvana on In Utero and for working with other cult alternative acts, such as PJ Harvey and The Wedding Present.
Before I dive in and describe the album (“and start waxing lyrical about how great it is” shout the readership in unison) I’d like to mention the artwork. The cover is a shot of some Spanish looking woman (I’m only going by the finger clicking pose and the Spanishy skirt) who is topless and leaning with her neck back at a most unnatural angle. The inlay art is even weirder – there are several blurred images of the same woman dancing, with an ever present cross (as in Jesus type cross) behind her. Then strangest of all there is a picture of a man sat with his back to the camera, who has a full blown back beard – yes 100% coverage. But enough of such pleasantries! What about the record in question….
The opening track on Surfer Rosa, “Bone Machine”, is a grinding, bass-driven hard rocking number. Albini’s trademark, the huge, heavy drums, are something of a statement of intent. Unlike on other Pixies albums where the early tracks serve as a lightweight intro to heavier subject and musical matters, Surfer Rosa, starts off feral and rabid and stays so. Francis howls and growls before muttering;
“I was talking to preachy preach about kissy kiss”
Which for some reason is a lyric I really like speaking (not singing) at the most inappropriate moments. I find it a great thing to say to someone if they are boring me in a public house but enough of my own smart arsedness.
“Break My Body” is the 70s punk aping second number. Searing guitars, whelping vocals, and a truly bizarre lyric mark it out as a career highlight for Frank Black and co. Black sings;
“I’m a belly dancer I’ll shake forever and I’ll never care I’m a building jumper Roof to roof You see me flying in the air”
It makes no real sense – it doesn’t pretend to. Things worsen (or get better depending on your lyrical cohesiveness perspective) on the next few tracks. On “Something Against You” the lyrics are indecipherable due to the part grunted, part howled vocals until you realise that all Francis is singing is; “I’ve something against you” over and over again in an increasingly savage voice. “Broken Face” is flat out hardcore – raging guitars, crashing drums and hundreds of chord changes. Francis whelps like an eight-week old puppy, distressed at not being allowed out on the lawn to pee. A distinct Mexican flavour is present on “Broken Face” and rears its head unexpectedly throughout much of the album. In fact, when I first listened to this album, I was amazed that the word “Gringo” isn’t even sung once during the 14 tracks.
“Gigantic” – the only song on the album not penned by Francis – is Kim Deal’s work. A huge anthemic monster of a song, it’s lyrical concern would seem to be thinly veiled sexual desire. Deal’s distinctive, drawl gives the song character and, what with Black Francis’ high-pitched backing vocals, it is a powerful example of two less-than-great vocal technicians making the best of their gifts.
That is not to say that this album suffers for any other form of technical proficiency. Lovering’s drums are intense, solid and massive, Santiago’s guitars ooze innovation and expression. Francis, despite his daft voice and bizarre, abstract lyrical mind, is a fantastic songwriter – as his solo work evidences. He is the brain behind nearly all of The Pixies music and is arguably still alternative rock’s best exponent of the huge, storm-after-the-lull, distortion-smothered chorus.
“River Euphrates” – a deliberately weird, grower of a track leads in to the albums highlight (and arguably the most flawless song The Pixies recorded) – the haunting, polished “Where Is My Mind?” A slow, repetitive guitar line and a strong vocal give the song an emotive edge on the rest of the work on the album. It’s not punk, like most of the material on this album is, but it’s the sign of a band at their peak, churning out gems like there is no tomorrow. Francis sounds quite convincing in this ode to insanity when he sings;
“With your feet in the air And your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse But there’s nothing in it And you’ll ask yourself Where is my mind?”
Musically it’s the closest thing I’ve heard to Talking Heads – albeit a very strange incarnation of Talking Heads.
“Cactus” is a solid new-wave track, covered slickly by David Bowie on his 2002 album, “Heathen.” After that three tracks of Spanish/Mexican flavoured punk are spewed out in succession – broken only by a 44 second extract of a telephone conversation. The least accessible of these three punk tracks –“Tony’s Theme” – features Frank Black barking the name “Tony” in the fashion of a dog. Despite the strangeness of the vocal and some very peculiar lyrical forays, Joey Santiago’s guitar saves the track from becoming terrible.
“I’m Amazed” is a classic track. Barely 100 seconds long, it is concise, raw and weird – everything that I like about the album in fact. “Brick Is Red”, the album’s closer features a brilliant chord sequence and a 1’12 introduction – which isn’t that strange I hear you say. Well it is when you consider the song is only 2’00 long. The version of this album I have came with the band’s first album (the 8 track “Come on Pilgrim”) stapled on at the end of Surfer Rosa – WHICH WAS NICE!
In conclusion, Surfer Rosa is a well produced, hurtling HGV of a rock record. I love the album for its punchy, punk basslines, weird acoustic and electric guitar shapes, frantically strummed chords and bold, militaristic drumming. Of the five albums The Pixies released (all of which are worthy of inspection except possibly 1990s Bossanova) I would pick out Surfer Rosa and Trompe Le Monde (isn’t that quite rude in French?!?) as being the two standout albums.
Trompe Le Monde (1991) is the sound of a band aware that they’d reached the end of the road and were ready to go their own separate ways. In stark contrast, Surfer Rosa is the sound of a band coming together and finding their feet. The Pixies pack a mean punch and they threw few better knock out punches than on their 1988 sophomore release.
THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT OF MY PUNK TRILOGY WILL BE POSTED NEXT WEEK. IT IS ABOUT MY FAVOURITE (IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF PLAYS AT LEAST) RECORD EVER….
Advantages: Impassioned Disadvantages: I was too young the first time !
Although I was a bit young to find the Pixies when I was younger (I'm only 20) after hearing a few tunes I invested in their best of Death To the Pixies, and sybsequenty the rest of their back catalogue. While always alternative, the Pixies managed to weld their dynmanics and passion to insanely catchy riffs and choruses, and Frank Black's lunatic vocals on Debaser are enough to grab the attention of any listener, but even the more restrained tunes ...
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17.09.2000
Wonderful!! Review ofSurfer Rosa - Pixiesby
Tarquin_Farquart
Advantages: Brillant songs Disadvantages: So badly recorded it's not funny
Surfer Rosa is my favourite Pixies release. OK, it's not as good technically as Doolittle, (in fact is one of the worst recorded things I've ever heard) but the songs still shine through - my favourites being Gigantic (sung by future Breeders singer Kim Deal under the name of Mrs John Murphy) and Where is My Mind? which showed that under all the shouting they could do a slow number. Overall though (especially when coupled with Come On Pigrim - as ...
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Advantages: Two albums in one... Disadvantages: n/a
...comes the re-vamped version...
Surfer Rosa... an influential piece made even better with the addition of Come on Pilgrim on the CD version sold over here in Britain. This was the first full-length album to be released by Frank and his motley crew, and is seen by many as the standard for modern alt rock/grunge that must be lived up to. Just ask people like Dave Grohl... (Ex-Nirvana drummer, Foo Fighter's frontman).
If you want to know about the ... ...detail as I'll end up writing this so many times in subsequent updates and have done so already - it's a four piece guitar rock group, encorporating very early grunge, alt rock, and even a bit of folk and Latino style.
The tracks are as follows (including the tracks from Come On Pilgrim, as most of us Brits can only get the joint copy) (*I apologise if they're out of order as my copy of the CD's at uni, so I'm getting them off the internet...):
...
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Actually there's not much to say. I couldn't beleive they split up to be honest. Very sad day...
Anyway Surfa Rosa (inc Come on Pilgrim on CD) is one of their best to be sure! Although I prefer Trompe Le Monde (Alec Eiffel!!) who could live without the Holiday Song? hmm?
Seriously (yeah right) The Pixies were (and still are to their fans)
one of the most interesting things to happen to alternative music in recent years. Their mixture of Hispanic ...
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helpful
31.07.2000
This is art Review ofSurfer Rosa - Pixiesby
phreek
Advantages: This album may change your life.... forever. Disadvantages: None.
...not commercial. At all.
Surfer Rosa was a great album that marked a whole generation of sensitive and artistic teenagers. Kurt Cobain, for example, referred many times of "Smells like teen spirit" as "a Pixies rip-off". And, while that would be stretching the true too much, there is an obvious influence of the Pixies in Nirvana's music.
This album kicks off with Bone Machine, a song that had repeatedly been defined as "a mess... a glorious mess". ... ...come from out of nowhere and stab you on your back. Where is My Mind? is a big hit. I has been covered recently by Nada Surf and, believe me, that song rocks!
In Vamos, Francis Black yells uninteligible things in a horribly pronounced Spanish. Caribou and Gigantic will rock you. Break my Body and Brick is red will make you shudder. And Tony's Theme and Cactus will make you laugh to death.
My recomendation is that you look for the Canadian versio, ...
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Advantages: A fine collection Disadvantages: Some people may find it just too alternative.....
...Some argue Nirvana were the definition of 'grunge', others say the Pixies were...I can't see the comparison to be fair, the Pixies rather encapsulate the definition of Indie and Alternative music, and this is the 'best of' collection that they deserve - 23 tracks to showcase the Pixies history from their five albums - 'Come on Pilgrims', 'SurferRosa' the classic 'Doolittle', 'Bossanova' and 'Trompe le Monde' - all made within a five year time-span.
The opening two tracks - 'Bone Machine', from 'SurferRosa', and 'Nimrod's Son' classify the alternative-ness to the Pixies style, and as my 'Disadvantages' state - it may just be TOO alternative for some, faint-hearted traditionalists, with the rhythm jumping about all over the place to Frank Black's shouting and grooving - to those new to the Pixies, you may instantly say "he can't sing...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Accessible, great fun. Disadvantages: None
...Trompe Le Monde is the Pixies final LP before the band split leaving a legacy of bad feeling between Black Francis and Kim Deal. I find the album more accessible than earlier ones such as 'Bossanova' and 'SurferRosa' which, although excellent, take more time to click properly. 'Trompe Le Monde' contains classic Pixies ingredients. Explosive, chaotic, adrenalin (probably amphetamine) fuelled music with twisted vocals screamed as if there's no tommorow. For example, 'Subbaculcha'("...drug running on this Panamanian Schooner....She walks the deck in a black dress and me I dress up in black.") or the sexual politics-(ish) of 'U-Mass' ("Oh kiss me cunt, Oh kiss my cock....."). The album contains an excellent cover of 'Head On' by The Jesus and Mary Chain, more speed and energy than the original. The production is excellent, a real wall...
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Advantages: Excellent primal scream therapy in audio format Disadvantages: Not for Radio 4 listeners
...One-time Big Black mainman Steve Albini is probably better known for being the knob-twiddler on Nirvana's "In Utero" album, as well as The Pixies "SurferRosa" and even...um...a Page and Plant LP. Albini has pioneered his own sound (angular guitar noise, sparse yet hard drums) for years, and "1000 Hurts" (it's a pun: "hertz", geddit?) has it in spades. Shellac are a more organic proposition than Albini's previous band (real drums rather than a machine) but no less intense. Lyrically, it concerns the break-up of a relationship and all the feelings of loathing and rejection that go with it. It's not easy-going by any means but, at 37 minutes long, it doesn't outstay its welcome.
The first track, Prayer To God, is a good indication of what the rest of the album will be like: jagged, slashing chords, thudding drums, and a screamed lyric...
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Album Notes: The Pixies: Black Francis (vocals, guitar); Kim Deal (vocals, bass); Joey Santiago (guitar); David Lovering (drums). Recorded at Q-Division, Boston, Massachusetts. Now seen as an important alternative band of the 80s, it is a pity they were not more appreciated at the time. The Boston-based Pixies exploded into life with this abrasive selection. Produced by enfant terrible Steve Albini, the album emphasized the quartet's scratchy tension. A vicious drum sound underpins the group's uncanny blend of urgency and melody, where Black Francis's rabid intonation contrasts with Kim Deal's more gentle perspective. Obtuse lyrics and barely controlled guitar accentuate the Pixies' uncompromising visions and emphasize an approach that both excites and intrigues. Terse, exhilarating and single-minded, SURFER ROSA is an audacious collection.
Album Reviews: Q (10/01, p.67) - Ranked #26 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime" Q (7/01, p.90) - Included in Q's "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time" - "...As cerebral as it is visceral....a relentlessly teeth-baring onslaught..." Alternative Press (8/01, p.112) - Included in AP's "10 Essential '80s Albums" - "...An alternatively explosive and tender opus..." NME (10/2/93, p.29) - Ranked #44 in NME's list of the `Greatest Albums Of All Time.' NME (9/25/93, p.19) - Ranked #14 among The 50 Greatest Albums Of The '80s.
Titles on disc 1
1.: Bone Machine
2.: Break My Body
3.: Something Against You
4.: Broken Face
5.: Gigantic
6.: River Euphrates
7.: Where Is My Mind
8.: Cactus
9.: Tony's Theme
10.: Oh My Golly
11.: Vamos
12.: I'm Amazed
13.: Brick Is Red
14.: Caribou
15.: Vamos (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
16.: Isla De Incanta (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
17.: Ed Is Dead (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
18.: Holiday Song (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
19.: Nimrod's Song (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
20.: I've Been Tired (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
21.: Levitate Me (Come on Pilgrim EP/CD)
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