Wednesday, January 9, 2008

No. 315: Surfer Rosa


Band: The Pixies
Album: Surfer Rosa
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: The Pixies' debut was a revelation when it was released in 1988, with throbbing basslines and Kim Deal's fine, fine vocals.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: I'm not the world's biggest Pixies fan, so I can't judge this well.
Best song: "Where Is My Mind?" is a good song. "Gigantic" is just all right.
Worst song: "Vamos" isn't great.
Is it awesome?: Nah.

Hey, you know what? This is the first album on the list to be produ-- sorry, engineered by the man who I mostly worship, Steve Albini. However I may feel about the record, the production is amazing and Albini's hand is perfect for the band.

"Surfer Rosa" is, in fact, a big reason Albini was recruited to engineer "In Utero," "Rid of Me" and the subsequent early 1990s bands he worked with.

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At the risk of disappointing some of you guys, I am totally ambivalent about this album, so I can't write it well. How's this for blasphemy? I liked the album as background music, but found it to be pretty boring.

That's right, indie rockers. I called the Pixies boring.

4 comments:

JR said...

You're right.

This is blasphemy.

Anonymous said...

yeah, well. I guess you'll just have to forgive us the same way I forgive you for liking anything* Pink Floyd did after Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

*except Careful with that Axe, Eugene, which is a helluva song

Garry Shuck said...

Wow...stunned and amazed...this is more inexplicable than your deep-seated hatred of the Lemonheads.

Ah, well, we've still got Tom Petty...

Adam said...

Is nothing sacred anymore?