Reviews (page 11 of 15)
Maybe their best album. So damn good. The Pixies always make me so happy. Such pure weirdness and no fucks given about how to write a song. I love this album
I don’t get it
a lot of noise
I always thought I might like the Pixies but never really listened to them. This is pretty noisy punk. I do remember the song Gigantic which was a highlight. Some other fun songs too.
So weird and so excellent. Love it
I like one Pixies song, and it's on this album.
Pretty great indie rock.
Really fun, whining, wailing album. Not supposed to be taken too seriously and has a great vibe to it. Half of the songs aren’t really anything but a bunch of nonsense, but it’s a fun listen. There’s a reason why Where Is My Mind? is still circling its way through the internet still. Standouts: Bone Machine, Something Against You, Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind?, and Brick Is Red.
Amazing album
Where is my mind, the highlight of the album. After that it was just ok. 3/5
Hardly music,mostly noise.
Stellar Album
the end kinda got away but i thought it was a good record
I would like to play loud messy music now please.
Feels like it encourages an almost bitterly energetic vibe which is really fun. I only really knew Where is my mind before but now Gigantic is a new favourite!
I think I was expecting a bit more punk from this album and I think it leaned a bit more toward grunge. Either way, I enjoyed it .
Good stuff!
This shit fockin slaps dood
I can see why this was so popular
I saw Frank Black when I was 13 at Tower Records on Clark street doing promo for Frank Black and the Catholics. I have loved that band since. However, I just cannot seem to get into the Pixies for all the times I’ve tried and hoped to. They are fine but I couldn’t get into this album once again even with that song from fight club which brings some nostalgia.
I feel surprisingly close to giving this a 5. Not my style, but this album planted one of the many seeds that became 90s alt rock, which feels pretty important, plus there's some real good songs here and it's solid from beginning to end, but still can't do it. Quantifying the qualitative is just tough, and I have to go with my gut over my brain when it comes to music. Solid 4
I didn't listen to all of it but I understand this album to be a jamie 3.
gatorjuice: was it the review about the 70s orgies? i think we should bring that back like Justin brings sexy back. Anyway, this website once again shows its love for bands second best record. This is still a very good record. It is one of the most DaDa records we've listened to. It's like the Pixies were trying to one up REM for the most cryptic lyrics. I dont think the Pixies lryics are about anything for most of this record.
All the Albini please.
this came out in 1987. that's bananas. vamos is good
I really loved the sound of this album and I'm planning on going through the rest of The Pixies catalogue, this is an amazing second album I've heard from them (Doolittle was first for me)
Awesome
This album definitely sits in my all time top 10. Not their best album but still great and I simply love Pixies.
Already knew and love this album, it’s 5 stars easy, if anything the only downside is Doolittle the following album surpasses this one
Not for me
Not listened yet
Decent, didn’t know much about them
This might be my favourite pixies album. it's a bit rougher all through, but in a really good way. Solid 5 stars for me.
A great pioneering alternative rock album that evokes memories for me of sweltering summer walks down route one from college Park to Brentwood MD in 2010. I love the guitar tone too.
Первые треки ощущались какими-то странными, но прослушав альбом, выключить его не смог, послушал еще раз
маниакально и очень животно периодически кайф, периодически хотелось выключить. если настроишься слушать, то отлично алкоальбом: настойка в которой червь гигантский
A damn classic. 4 stars.
I remember hearing the Pixies for the first time in high school. In the back of upperclassman Jeff Smith's car. Or actually I wonder if my first time hearing them was watching Fight Club. Either way, that era was definitely formative. Also fun fact a good friend of mine used to be Black Francis' brother's assistant lol. Anyway. C'mon. There were rumors... and the next thing ya know..
Boobs
Very rock n’ roll
Often imitated, never duplicated. This sounds as wiry, fresh and singular today as it must have when it was released.
What a diverse album that finds its way into 90s grunge, pop acts like U2, lots of female-led rock (Gigantic in particular feels like a formula for a song with a female vocalist that has resonated for decades after) and even hardcore/scream-o. Almost feels like two different bands recording with different personalities at times. Tony's Theme is a weird gimmick track but man it hits. Incredible for a first album.
Great record. Easy to see what it went in to influence
Great! Gigantic rocks. Yet feels like I need to listen multiple more times.
Not my jam
Шедевр; неправильный,сырой,странно сведенный но шедевр. Праздник мелодизма, безумия и гитарного фуза. Из интересного Курт Кобейн называл этот альбом одним из своих любимых так же упоминая что без этой пластинки не было бы Nevermind ибо почти все на том альбоме было позаимствовано отсюда. В общем добавить нечего люблю этот альбом и обязательно к нему вернусь
I wanted to write a longer review or whatever for this album, but some stuff happened in real life just before I got down to it that's stressing me the hell out as I write this, so I'm gonna make this a little briefer than I was planning. This is a fun album. I mean, **I** certainly enjoyed it. I can't hear **exactly** how it influenced Nirvana's NEVERMIND, but like I wouldn't take Kurdt at his word about it. It's clearly not for everyone—see the fact that the top-rated review of the album on this website, which gives it a 1, calls the it "just noise"—but if you click with it, it's a pretty enjoyable listen. And, hey, I'm just happy the superhero Tony finally got his own song.
A hectic, but overall nice collection of 80's Alternative. Plus, having Where Is My Mind? certainly helps, too.
A resounding 3. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate the album, but like… it just never clicked. There’s great energy on here, and one all-timer in Where Is My Mind?, but past that, for my tastes, I think what’s here is a cacophonic, unwieldy, jumbled up mess of an album that occasionally shines through in a way that clicks. More often than not though, even with my newfound level of patience to an album with this sound, I just felt like I was listening to glorified noise. To be more succinct: the guitar gets too harsh sometimes, the percussion is mixed way in the front where it overpowers the vocals, the vocals themselves are sometimes studio quality and sometimes sound like they were recorded off of a microphone hanging from a string 25 feet away in the air in a wind tunnel. When all of those things aren’t happening, and they take a more traditional sound, the album works well for me. It just felt like those moments were more rare than I’d like. Still though, I can hear part of why Kurt Cobain took at least some inspo from this album. It’s not that bad, it’s just not my thing. Hence, the 3.
I absolutely love the song “Where is My Mind”. It’s become pretty ubiquitous in media/pop culture, but I enjoy it every time I hear it, whether Pixies’ original or a cover. It makes me want to eat a bunch of gummies, put on headphones, and (depending on my mood) either lay on a beach or hole up in a dark room. Unfortunately, I didn’t particularly enjoy the rest of the album.
No thanks
Not for me. It's certainly interesting but I wouldn't want this in my collection as I would not listen a second time.
Didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would
I actually don't really like this as much as I thought I would
I knew the name of the band, but didn’t know any other stuff. Much better than I expected, very interesting.
My third Pixies album ...still don't like their music.
No
bom 4
Surfer Rosa stands as a cornerstone of alternative rock history, showcasing the impeccable production work of Steve Albini. This energetic debut album from the Pixies bursts with raw vitality and a distinctive quiet-loud dynamic that would become a trademark of the band's sound. Albini's touch is evident throughout, capturing the band's ferocity and intensity with remarkable clarity. Kurt Cobain famously cited Surfer Rosa as a pivotal influence on Nevermind, praising its blend of heavy noise and pop sensibilities. Indeed, the album's raw power and unapologetic approach left an indelible mark on the alternative music landscape of the late 1980s. From the haunting beauty of Where Is My Mind? to the blistering aggression of Bone Machine, each song on Surfer Rosa contributes to a cohesive and unforgettable listening experience. It's a testament to the Pixies' enduring legacy and Albini's unparalleled talent behind the mixing desk. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 10 STAND OUT TRACK - Gigantic
High 5 some good bright spots that showed what they’d become soon
Their best.
Good classic album. Can hear how they influenced Nirvana.
the sweet spot for me. Quirky different well made and energising. Completely my kind of music. Almost every track is a winner. a riot of sound and fun and yelling/singing and theres a sexy grungey sound to it , and the cover art is notable and tastefully titilating too (but wheres the flamenco?). To be played loud proud and carefree - maybe thats what it means.
This album sure got a flogging in Scratches Record Shop in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Pixies were a much-loved alternative band. The only single released from the album was Gigantic, definitely the standout track. And always remembered as the tune Simon & Sascha left the church to on their wedding day - and didn’t it sound even better in that church. The other standout for me is the opener, Bone Machine. Apart from those 2 trax, the rest of the album is a noisy mix that time has definitely not dimmed. When Simon & I saw Pixies at Sydney Opera House around a decade ago, this album was well-represented on the setlist. Champion band.
Peter from Scratches Records in Newtown put me onto Doolittle when it came out. I loved it immediately, and quickly chased down Surfer Rosa and the Breeders' Pod (a fantastic record by Kim Deal that really should be on this list). I have listened to Surfer Rosa so many times that every song is imprinted on me. This is an album that I could listen to every day and hear something new in it. It has all the things I like; noise and aggression, energy and space, melody, energy, anger and melancholy. They really wrote the book on the loud/quiet/loud thing. Gigantic is my favorite Pixies song ever -- played it at my wedding. This album was massively influential on what 'alternative' rock sounded like for the next decade. Nirvana, PJ Harvey, and Smashing Pumpkins all talk about how much this influenced what they did, and Nirvana and PJ Harvey subsequently recorded with Steve Albini to utilize his raw, live approach. This is the first album he recorded for a band other than friends or acquaintances, and it really establishes his professional credentials. He said some unkind things about the Pixies in the years after, but has since apologised and recanted. He has said he wished they had only had a week to record, instead of ten days, as they would have experimented less. I think he is a little embarrassed by the inclusion of studio chat between tracks, but it is hard as a listener to separate those weird moments from the overall experience of the record. On its surface, this is a very straightforward rock record; nothing too flashy, very straightforward live-in-the-room sound from a standard four-piece guitar band. But if you start paying attention, you get to hear how weird the thing is. The lyrics are pretty out there, and Black Francis is a pretty out-there singer. It's like someone explained to him what a rock singer does without him ever having actually heard rock music, and he then did what he was told; scream and yelp and holler. Similarly, Joey Santiago's lead playing is just sort of all wrong. That guitar solo at the end of Bone Machine is basically just one chord followed by random scrubbing of the fretboard. But it sounds so great. Notably, this album contains what is probably the Pixies' best-known song 'Where is my Mind?". this song has become a common needle drop in films and television, ads, and even as a wakeup song for the Mars Rover. It is probably their most covered song. never a single, and certainly never a hit, but it is a song that is becoming more well known and pervasive as time goes on, and might even be regarded as a 'classic' song. Who would have suspected when this album came out over 35 years ago? (Read Brain Coney's article for a thoughtful survey of the song's enduring legacy: https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/42783/1/pixies-where-is-my-mind-fight-club-covers-classic-song-retrospective ) The whole thing is noisy and wild, but with a lot of space and melody in in. A real mix of pop tunes played in a really aggressive punk style. Peter and I are still friends, and we saw the Pixies together at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall in the 2014. It was professional and tight and loud, but not as raucous as I would have thought they were in their initial hey-day. Kim Deal was notable in her absence, and there just wasn't the life in it that I was expecting. Not that I begrudge them the right to cash in on their legacy, and they certainly weren't terrible, but it didn't have the spark that this album has. Not a terribly sympathetic venue, perhaps. Might have been better to see them somewhere like the Hordern Pavillion. Or get in the way-back machine to 1989 when they were at the height of their powers.
This is my 2nd album in a week where the main qualification to be on this list is, 'Kurt Cobain liked it' I liked the guitar in Where is My Mind? and the vocals on Gigantic. The vocal delivery reminded me of David Byrne.
Une expérience assez unique, pleine de personnalité, qui devait vraiment être quelque chose en live.
4.5/5. Doolittle is my clear Pixies favourite but this one is just as weird and awesome. Gigantic and Where Is My Mind have a memorable place in alternative rock history.
good
Very strong album
2 Not my style
I should have listened to this one sooner. I like the unpolished aspect of it. Will I listen to again: 100%
I love the Pixies. Obviously, I've known Where Is My Mind? off this album for a while, my girlfriend introduced me to it. However, this whole album is a perfect little pill of indie-alt-rock. It's honestly great that it's only 33 minutes, making for a nice quick listen, but of course, I also wish it were longer at the same time. Also I can't believe this is their first album... They really hit the ground running!
Awesome!
1988, Alternative rock, indie rock, art punk, grunge Their debut album Standouts: Where's My Mind, Gigantic, Cactus 3.75
Stor 3
Very poor discordant not to my taste
Absolutely horrid, noisy instrumentals with screamy vocals over the top
The music was quite good, but the vocals were awful in my opinion.
Good stuff. 4.
I think I like the idea of Pixies more than I like their music.
hmm, it was interesting and I actually liked it, and Idk why but their songs/music feel like that one beautiful shade of rust (as in colour). overall:6.8/10
A great album that I enjoyed. The singles were well known but the reason this gets 4 stars is the album tracks were also excellent.
4.35/10 Top 3 Songs 1. Where Is My Mind? 2. Cactus 3. Brick Is Red
Where Is My Mind is the best part of this album. The rest was ok, not great.
4.5/5, their best album.
Nice classic grungy album.
I loved this, but my college self would have really LOVED this
Not bad, got a couple solid bangers on it but not super consistent, clearly very influential on bands like nirvana
Don't like them.
Awesome classic, big fan
Het voelt als die lekker foute "garage" rockmuziek uit de jaren '90. Het schuurt tegen valsheid aan, maar het klinkt eigenlijk best lekker.
1/5. Painfully hard to listen to
Was decent, not what I usually listen too so sometimes felt it lacked variety but was not bad
A fun, noisy and influential album. The 90s sounds so different without Pixies. Where is my mind is obviously a stand out but there are other great tracks throughout. The first half is stronger but there are still great moments in the second half. Fav songs - Bone Machine - Something Against You - Gigantic - Where is my Mind
Ehhhhhh, for me it's a hit or miss for 90s rock or alternative, or watwber genre this is. This was a miss
Kinda sloppy, a little rough, but had some charm. I didn't really enjoy any one song besides "Where is my mind". A few parts of this album annoyed me so I probably wont revisit.
Fürchterlicher Krach.
Angsty, but weirdly I didn't find it distracting while trying to do work. \"Where Is My Mind?\" is one of those tracks I didn't knew I knew
Gigantic kinda makes the album. I regret not walking over to the Somerville Theater to see them play now though.
Can hear a lot of this album's influence on subsequent music genres like grunge and alternative rock. Often messy and raw
My rating scale is based on ability to listen while I work. Pixies was fun but not a work vibe.
good stuff. \"where is my mind\" feels like it was made with a lot more care and effort.
Favorite Track: Where Is My Mind? 🦴🧠🌵🌊
Huh zit er ook een zangeres in pixies Wel leuk, beetje kort
There is something primal and irresistibly urgent about the first run of Pixies albums. The line up... David Lovering on drums: Straight forward pop/rock sensibilities and just TIGHT AS FUCK. As many drummers find they have to do, David is the glue that keeps the madness together. Driving where he needs to, sparse where it calls for, with whip crack punch he creates the canvas...the skeleton...the outline. Kim Deal: During the credits to the film "Empire Records", two characters argue about the best bass players. There is an argument for Big BassAPotomus style badassery ala Les Claypool from Primus, but the counter to that is Kim. You can play as ballsy, flashy, crazy as you want to....but can you play the perfect bass line for the song? That is Kim's super power. They are often simple and repeating, but they are the hook and the line. They catch you and make you groove. Added Bonus: Her back up vocals are utterly enchanting and unexpected(especially in this era) Joey Santiago: Mad Fucking Genius Guitar Wizard. Master of feedback and sound. Coaxing and willing the screams from his guitar with black magic. I saw them after they got back together and watched Joey perform the solo to 'Vamos'. He took the guitar off his shoulder, placed it in the his guitar stand, and he made the most spectacular sounds emerge; walking around it as he would circle, attack, retreat and repeat. It was like watching a wolf chase it's prey. Frank Black: A vocalist with the range from an unassuming whisper to a soul wrenching scream that wakes the dead. A lyricist to blend the mundane and surreal to teach you of the biblical to the extra terrestrial and everything in between. A rhythm guitarist that knows how to punish an acoustic. A songsmith that could do more with 3 minutes or less than most bands accomplish with their entire discography. An unassuming front man that lures you into his world with a calm presence before exploding with volcanic frenzy. When they first hit the scene they always seemed right on the cusp of exploding. They had major proponents and fans with the likes of David Bowie(who would go on to cover the song 'Cactus' from this album) and U2(who had them open up for ZooTV Tour). I once read a quote, and I am paraphrasing here, that while not everybody heard the Pixies, everyone who did wanted to start a band. Surfer Rosa, the first of their studio albums. They had 'The Purple Tapes' and 'Come On Pilgrim' floating around and making noise in the music world, but Surfer Rosa was their first real chance with a label. With Steve Albini set to produce, they booked 10 days in a Boston studio. Albini is the one who set the tapes to keep recording to get all the snippets of the band in mid conversation which he then used to intersperse between the tracks. Some breadcrumbs between the bars. LOUDquietLOUD is used quite often to describe the sound. The songs are short, sweet, fast, brash, and can turn on a dime quick enough to give you whiplash. "Bone Machine" starts the record off giving you a taste of what is to come. Some guitar driven rock with a mix of loud and sweet vocals. "Break My Body" takes off next with a harsher tack and Frank really starts to lean into the scream and show you just what he is capable of. Joey sounds like he is beating his guitar as much as David is pounding the drums. The accents that Kim uses on the bass line are subtle and sweet. "Something Against You" continues with the attack and builds the pressure, just like something pressing against you. A sonic affront that gives you a moment or two of respite before smothering you again even stronger. "Broken Face" is sporadic and hectic, staccato vocals and airstrike guitar. Bass and drums drive it relentlessly off the edge. "Gigantic" gives us Kim in the vocal spotlight for this voyeuristic love letter. Creamy and silky smooth bass before David kicks on the door and Joey with the quick attack before dropping into the background. Let's do it again and again. A Big Big Love. "River Euphrates" starts you on a lazy river float but this is the Euphrates and you are gonna RIDE THE TIGER. And while it might slow down around the curves you won't be safe. Side two begins with one of the quietest tunes: "Where Is My Mind?" Frank Blacks' Caribbean adventure makes you feel like you are listening to it underwater. Sonic calls and hidden depths for an iconic song. "Cactus" - A prisoner missing his woman, pleading for any contact. With imagery like "bloody your hands on a cactus tree, wipe it on your dress and send it to me" " a letter in your writing doesn't mean you're not dead" evokes isolation and desperation "Tony's Theme" - This song is about a Super Hero Named Tony!!! "Oh My Golly!" continues Frank Blacks use of Spanish/Spanglish/Esperanto interspersed with an English chorus to bring you back in. 11. "Vamos" RE: My description of how Joey plays his guitar and this solo in particular. While the Bass and Drums Beat and Bear down on you like a train, Frank Black screams and spits and gnashes his way through the song "YOUR MAMA'S A PRETTY THING" Vamos a jugar por la playa(Let's Go Play at The Beach) "I'm Amazed" Bombastic drumming, with a battle between Frank and Joey to see who comes out on top Vocals or Guitar, all while Kim dances sweetly across the fretboard "Brick Is Red" closes out the disc and if you are not too exhausted from the whirlwind of an album, Frank Black pleads with you "It's not time for me to go, It's not time for me to go" so maybe flip that disc over and Ride the Tiger. 10/10 - no notes, everybody. Don't change a thing. (and this isn't even my favourite Pixies Album)
This is pretty good, nice and noisy, abrasive, weirdo, outsider indie rock. I think I still prefer Doolittle, what with its more prevalent moments of occasional pop bliss, interspersed with the brash freak-out moments. This has a really great energy though. What I appreciate most is the drum sound on this album though. Big and impactful, on some neanderthal shit, really helps a lot of these songs especially like "Bone Machine" and "Where Is My Mind?" in particular punch above their weight.
Very 90s. Very grunge. Not for me. And I really hate the drums in this for some reason.
Alright. I liked River Euphrates.
One of the best that they put out
42/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
I have always wished that I could enjoy the Pixies. Unfortunately, I think I’m just too uptight. There is the well known banger on this album: Where is my mind, which of course I love, but other then that I find the rest of the songs all a bit too shouty, piercing and fast.
Not everyone can write songs like Lennon & McCartney... And it shows
Short but not sweet.They found a balance between fantastic songs and genuinely dreadful ones on this album. I’m cool with never hearing it again but appreciate the contribution to the genre.
Very good
Cool instrumentals, but very irritating vocals
Boo
There’s no mistaking The Pixies’ sound. I never would have guessed they were from Boston.
Noise
Loud, discordant and distorted. Confusing lyrics, but fun.
first listen kinda boring
So good. Still really fun. This album has aged well.
I don’t know if this is the best Pixies album, it might be, or that might be Doolittle. I don’t know if the Steve Albini production works better for them than the other albums or if the others are the truer Pixies sound. All I know Is that there were rumors he was into field hockey players…. There were rumors
My favorite album from one of my all time favorite bands. This is one that I try to imagine it’s the first time I’m hearing it whenever I listen. This band is greater than the sum of their parts. Every member is essential to what they made.
3/5
I am very confused by this album. I enjoyed the orchestrals but the lyrics are very meh. Favorite song on the album was Gigantic. Euphrates was awful. Just terrible noise. I don’t know how this band is considered to be so influential. This album bkows
Ah another rock album I don't really care for other than that meme song
Where is my mind
Oh my golly, this album and I go way back. I had a cassette I took everywhere with me all through my college years, I listened to it so much. Thanks for letting me feel 19 again for a minute. Surfer Rosa isn't as polished as the Pixies' later albums, but it has this raw, vital quality that's still startling over 35 years after it came out. This is the band at their twisted, ramshackle best. Noisy, disjointed and irreverent. Weirdly cryptic. Jaggedly melodic. Winkingly profane. The band burns through 34 minutes like a freaking brushfire, but every second of this album is completely riveting. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?, Bone Machine, Cactus, Brick Is Red, Vamos, Oh My Golly!, Break My Body, River Euphrates, Broken Face, Tony's Theme, Something Against You, I'm Amazed
I had never been into the Pixes and had never listened to this album before. My first exposure to the band was a few years ago when a friend invited me to see a Pixies/Weezer concert. I was not very impressed with the Pixies set. It seemed lackluster and uninvolving. So ok, I had to give this a second listen, to be fair, but I am afraid it did not improve my overall impression of this. I find this to be a mix of college rock and garage, too many repetitive lyrics and some spots are just unintelligible screaming. I never really felt this one, a couple of good songs. Bright spot "Where is my Mind?"
Good if you like punk.
After listening to the first few songs, I was really enjoying this album... then gigantic came on and I remembered why I never got into this band. Still going to give them a three star review because the first part of the album was great.
So this is the album before 'Doolittle' huh? I gotta say, this album is all over the place. Very few highs and mostly very strange and inconsistent lows. Really raw-sounding and gruff throughout. Kind of had to force myself to finish the album after 2/3rds of the way through. Guess I'll wait until I draw 'Doolittle' (assuming it's on this list) to give my true opinions on the Pixies.
I feel like better than half of this album is what I feel represent the Pixies for an early effort. Clearly - Where is my Mind was an extremely high water mark and stands the test of time. Something against you, Broken Face, Cactus, Vamos, Brick is Red are tunes I feel have that first full-length album edge. Engineering wise, I feel like the guitar is too scratchy and weak while I was always looking for heavier bass and drums. In the end I think I would always prefer the Pixies live.
Never really listened to the Pixies but boy I have got to listen to them more in the future. So much of this album I just felt I needed to listen to it more and I would love every single second of it. Really lovely album.
Meh
A bit too grungy for me
If I'm being honest, about 50% of this album was a chore to listen to. The other 50% was good. The album is weird and not in a good way.
The recording is far too quiet, maybe I should just turn up the amp!
Loud, disjointed. aggressive sounds and very hard to listen to if you are not in the mood for a sound that is all over the place. it is still good and things like where is my mind and Gigantic stand out like a lighthouse in a sotrm. over all I was not a fan but I feel like that was more a mood driven thing and on a different day this could have been much more enjoyable.
Gefällt mir nicht.
Classic. Short burst of great rock. 4 stars
# 173 : Sounds like a garage band throwing their instruments around. A bit too noisy for my liking. One great song, a few ok tracks, and a lot of noise. Gigantic was my pick off this.
3,7. Alleine schon wegen Where is my mind.
This is a kick-ass indie rock & roll album. Don't believe me, just ask Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke, Isaac Brock, or any of the countless others influenced massively by this record. I have to admit I was only vaguely familiar with this record from "Where is My Mind?" and "Gigantic" (and maybe a couple of others) being played a lot on my favorite satellite radio station (XMU), but it was a real treat finally sitting down and listening to the whole thing. My patented dead-head connection trivia tid-bit - both the Grateful Dead and Pixies got their name by randomly selecting something from a dictionary. Great tactic for anyone out there starting a band! I love the anecdote that they started "Black Francis put out an ad for a female bass player who liked both the punk band Hüsker Dü and the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary." I don't know if it is blowing my mind enough to be a 5 bagger, but it is a very strong 4. I'd give it a 4.5 if that were possible.
"bone machine"? That's they call me too Ja where is my mind isch ja eifach scho so riesige banger zu demm muess meh glaub nüt sege Boah ich bi scho soviel Albe am noche lose dasi garnüme checkt han was grad lauft. So schlecht chas also nid sie. Ich fühls. Solids 4/5
bone machine hani sochli semi cool gfunde. break my body. irgendwie rededs chli viel vo chnoche. Something against you chuntmer bekannt vor. no nice? broken face funny aber au huere dark? gigantic. kim singt cool. oke where is my mind isch mega bekannt. und sochli film-shorthand dür trurig-nostalgisch. aber s het au öpis. sehr guete song. gitarreriff iconic, nume bass schlagzüg au geil. cactus sher cooli gitarre und drums. albini weiss waner macht. Tony's theme segeds afoch zerst um wa de song goht hahaha. vamos haha fuesball vamos. brick is red. er isch würklich.
wie scho bim letschte album findi pixies mega schwierig zum ihschätze? was mached sie für musig?? something against you sehr punk und upbeat ich glaub es lauft ufs gkuche usse wie bossanova: finds spannend und alles aber schlussendlich catched mich nüt mega und ich chan sie nöd recht griife? WHERE IS MY MIND KENNTMER JA ich lieb dass es tönt wie wenn d gitarre immer liecht hinderherhinkt
Pixies (and Kim Deal) ended up being a massive force in the modern music era.
It was a fun listen not sure if I will return to any of these songs in particular.
Not the best album I've listened to. Some of it is just like wtf specifically river euphrates..
Great album. Too harsh for the mood I was in, but a nice walk down memory lane.
Along with Come On Pilgrim and Doolittle, one of the best trilogy of albums ever. And such an influence on the acts that came after. Classic!
Perhaps it's just noise to some others, but hearing the absolute chaos this LP encapsulates was a much-needed trip after treading water in the bland monotony of other albums I've had here recently. The loosest of threads holds together what very nearly sounds like a bootleg studio session, but thanks to some searing guitar melodies and Black Francis' inordinate screams there's a clear envelope holding together an organic mess of feedback, chatter, and explosive tracks. Amazing how prescient this LP feels on the cusp of the 90s, eschewing the 80s' gluttonous decadence for raw, organic noise. With grunge right around the corner, it's definitely clear how much of an impact the Pixies had on the genre and era as a whole if they were this early to the game.
I had originally only heard Where Is My Mind, but the rest of the album is also a banger.
Pixies
Słabe. Taka muzyka dla "uhm uh jestem zajebisty i slucham pixies i pije tanie piwo z puszki pod czarnym kotem"
(5,3/6) Where is my mind! (7.) Hear maybe again: 1,5,6,8,13 13 songs/34min.
5/7 a perfect score
Not my favorite Pixies album, but it's the best representation of their style. It's loud then it's quiet, it's melodic then it's dissonant, it's creepy then it's cute.
Driving, joyful, strong female vocals. It is as good as it is too much, all at once.
Onhan tämä sitä parempaa ysäriä selkeesti. Hieno levy kertakaikkiaan! Osuu ja uppoo aika useaan tilanteeseen. 4/5
Ohan tää kova, vaikkei ehkä ihan Doolittlen tasoa. Where is my mind on kuin nappi silmään levyn kaoottisuuden keskellä. Steve Albinin merkityksen monelle artistille oon tajunnut vasta tässä levyhaasteessa. Saanut aikaan punk-menoa, josta minäkin nautin.
Erinomaista, jollain tavalla jopa nostalgiaa herättävä levy. onpa ysäri olematta ysäri. 4/5
I've obviously heard of the pixies but never actually heard their music until now. The music is really good, punk/thrash metal/whatever you want to call it. But the vocals are a real letdown, just not really adding anything. Disappointing.
Amazing album
What a joy, pure amazingness in music, i have no idea what thyre on about but its great. Love the sound, the energy.
I can't be objective about this, it's a 5. One of those pivotal music moments that happen in life and change things forever.
A fucking masterpiece. Surreal and real and noisy and sentimental by turns.
Was close to giving it a 4, but those crunch bass lines pushed it to a 5!
'80s college vintage
Crazy how influential this is, but outside of the famous tracks I think I prefer Doolittle and Teenager of the Year. 4/5
I'm just not very into grunge, and this seems to take a lot from grunge, so it was just alright to me. The male vocalist sounds whiny and annoying.
I was excited for this album because I always liked Where Is My Mind, but the rest of the album is nothing like it. A lot of harsh sounds and screaming lyrics that I just don't enjoy.
Simultaneously LoFi and overproduced. Loud, grating and melodic. Boring but experimental
Day 2 - Surfer Rosa (1988) So, the Pixies huh? I've heard that they're famous in the alt-rock scene; it wouldn't hurt to finally give them a listen although the reviews are controversial. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── I had initially done a song-to-song review but the review didn't save, so instead I'll be giving a brief overview: Alright, so many of the reviews noted that "Surfer Rosa" is straight up noise - loud, atrocious, directionless noise. And they're CORRECT. "Surfer Rosa" is not alt-rock, it's grunge: and a horrible slice of it as well. To start off, the songs are disjointed, "screamy," the harmonies are weak, no, straight-up horrible and unlistenable and if you don't believe me, just listen to "Bone Machine." A bit ironic for a band called the "Pixies..." In addition to being disordered, the album is repetitive - every song sounds the same (I didn't even notice when "Bone Machine" transitioned into "Break My Body"). By listening to "Bone Machine," you know you'll either 1) enjoy the entire album, or 2) despise it, given that every song has the same formula and arrangements. Unlike Kurt Cobain, another famous grunge vocalist, Black Francis sounds like nails on chalkboard - his vocals are slurred; the lyrics are lazy and completely unintelligible. Occasionally, if he's feeling up to it, he'll even throw in an ear-throbbing wail... Need I go in depth more? The Pixies are comparative to a group of drunk high scholars whom, after a night of partying, decided to record the album in their garage half-wasted. The only upside to the album was that it was only 33 minutes long. Had it been longer, I might've had to rush to the hospital for a cluster headache. The 5 star reviews have got to be trolling. Please, for the love of God, skip "Surfer Rosa." Unless you're INTO noise-metal... Overall, I'm unsure how "Surfer Rosa" was elected into the Top 1000 Albums. I really hope that their debut doesn't define the Pixies as a whole, that would be shameful.
Mucho mejor que el disco anterior que me había tirado la app, Doolittle. Este es más consistente, con un sonido más pulido y firme. La cantante participa más y eso le suma otro color. Igualmente hay cosas que no me convencen o no son propias de mi estilo.
Ok with hints of the greatness of Doolittle Bone Machine- great album starter Something against you - a little too rough and punky for me these days. Where is my mind - the melodic stuff that comes to mind when I think of pixies Nothing much else stood out to me.
Liked the ones with female vocals. Didn’t expect to know where is my mind. Favorite songs: Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where is My Mind?
hard to understate how important the pixies are to my ideas about music and sound. not to mention their influence on so many other artists i find important... doolittle definitely stands a bit higher in my mind. but so much of what makes that album great was getting formed here. kim deal forever. also where is my mind is genuinely one of the greatest songs ever made
Despite having the best song about a big black penis that was featured in iPhone commercial, I maintain the normie position that Doolittle is a more consistently good album. But also Surfer Rosa has the Albini production / inspired Nirvana cred so idk. Update: I re-listened to Doolittle and I think the adult me prefers Surfer Rosa now shrug
What I find refreshing about the pixies is the screeching raw sound that they produce with each track. It’s not a screech of horror, and it certainly is not unlistenable, but my primary experience listening felt like I was drowning, screeching, guitars, and wailing artists. I don’t know if any of the songs will be particularly memorable or ones that I will seek out to listen outside of the album, however, that is not a knock on the album quality nor it’s experience.
Raw
Never really listened to any Pixies. This album is super fun and reminds me of other artists I listen to that were very clearly influenced by it.
I love this album, although maybe not as much as I used to. I don’t know why, perhaps my strongest musical preferences are in other directions. I’m still giving this 4 stars because it’s a tremendous album. Gigantic and especially Where Is My Mind are amazing songs. Bone Machine is so weird and weirdly lovable. But some of the tracks in between just don’t resonate with me. I think it’s a classic and a tremendously influential album that helped shape much of the popular rock music of the early 90s, but perfect it is not. Still rocks though and there was probably nothing like it before.
I love this album! Well, actually I really only love that one song, “Where is My Mind?” The rest you kinda just have to put up with. However, this group inspired one of the greatest bands of all time: Nirvana. And many will disagree with me, but it’s no use. Kurt was the best rockstar and his drummer went on to make the Foo Fighters. I haven’t seen any nirvana in this list yet, but I’m still early in the process. I bet Nevermind is on the list. In Utero is their best album, though. Anyway, this is supposed to be about The Pixies.
not my jam but i'd understand if its urs
Where Is My Mind is good but the rest of this album is steaming garbage. Wtf
7 / 10 Garage - Punk - buena instrumentación, voces reguleras. Muy influyentes en el resto del Garage.
Really enjoyed this one on my second play through even more than the first. Really tough debate whether or not to go 4. Ultimately it’s a 3.75 for me. Definitely hear a lot of what early Nirvana was influenced by.
a classic
not my thing
Where have you been all my life?
Definitely one of my top 10. So ahead of its time and influential. True classic.
Was good when i was out of my mind while thrifting but idk when else it would be my vibe. I get why where is my mind trended on tiktok
Punk meets alt rock. It was pretty good but I think I still prefer punk and alt rock
Meh
VEEERY average College radio noise from the 90s. I played it a few times on the radio. more noise than substance. A couple of tracks are worth it. That's all.
This was great until the vocals started.
Other than that one song, generally okay
Otro discazo de pixies. Quizá no el mejor, pero es un disco que va muy por delante de su tiempo.
One my favorite Pixies albums -- solid from start to finish
Massively influential on alternative music. Great dynamics, interesting song structures, I like the mix of vocalists. Never realized just how sexual the lyrics are before.
This wasnt bad but it wasnt interesting. Very rowdy and energetic but there wasnt much else in it for me. Also didnt appreciate being surprised by a bare chested lady in the album art.
I am aware of Surfer Rosa and The Pixies place in the mainstream crossover of alternative music. I've listened to Surfer Rosa and Doolittle, and frankly Doolittle is the better album, and the more critical album to the genre. After the tracks "Where Is My Mind?", "Gigantic", and maybe "Bone Machine" the rest of the album is largely inconsistent. I think many are allowing their nostalgia to spackle over the huge flaws. They get a 3 for one all time great track and this album's influence on better realized alternative musical ideas that would result.
driving on route 3 speakers blaring life-changing to be 18. Grit.
•Owned •From the off kilter opening track until the drop off ending (the latter they would perfect on Doolittle), the Pixies chew their way through songs about who knows what?: there's the unearned yet true lust of "Gigantic"; the unhinged passion of "Cactus" that bleeds and feels warm; and then there's "Where Is My Mind?" which is owned by anyone who's heard it. The vocal harmony between Kim Deal and Black Francis would be short lived, and for a band that created their own, unique sound, Surfer Rosa is where this element of it peaked. We're still gifted with tracks where Deal leads and her day-after-screaming-all-night voice might still be the album's rawest aspect. Producer Steve Albini's presence is subtle yet looming; Surfer Rosa is a great example of Albini's ability to capture a band in the studio, not limited to the tape blips to studio chatter. (Fun fact: the ending of "Where Is My Mind?" *is* the sound of the tape ending—it had ran out while they were recording the backing track and they left it, leaving Deal's isolated vocal to take the song out.) •5/5
Not a big fan of Pixies, and not quite sure the idolisation they sometimes get is justified, but A) Really enjoyed listening to this properly for the first time and B) You really can't deny how influential these guys were on music going into the 90s. I can also see why they were initially more successful in the UK, they have some of the genuine anarchy and disinterest in genre that British bands such as The Fall had. We've still got some great big tunes on here that are now pretty legendary, and the rest fits together well and has the energy of a band discovering themselves and finding it good. Good.
Super influential, bangs
Pretty good. Kind of a mix between punk and goth of the era. Where is my mind became pretty iconic and is a great tune. 3.4.
It’s Surfer Fucking Rosa!
Let's stay in the 90s forever. I think this is great. The perfect amount of not taking themselves too seriously and really good music.
I was surprised to see this album was released in 1988 as I always thought Pixies was a 90’s band. Where is my Mind? is a song I’ve heard before and really thought it was a typical 90’s song. Learning something new every day!
I love it 5/5
I FUCKING KILL YOU 8/10
Why do people like the pixies?
Way better than the last pixies album, and good enough to be called average!
I have loved "Where's My Mind" since the first time I saw Fight Club. The rest of the album was great as well. I recognized more songs than I thought I would.
Pretty cool album. Feels a bit ahead of its time. The production is very cool.
Where is my mind fettester banger, schon seit jahren in meiner Playlist sonst eher mid :(
This is how you do haunting dissonance correctly. The Pixies have a beautiful dysfunction to them. Can I listen to them everyday, no. But they do this sound and feelings so perfectly.
Song: Where is my Mind? I'm quite familiar with this song, but it's been a while since I've heard it. I forgot how good of a song it was, honestly, really solid song and really enjoyable to listen to.
Nicht meine Richtung
I really love “Where is My Mind?” The rest of the songs are a big meh for me.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM.
Alternativ rock, lidt for irriterende
I went on a rollercoaster with this album- which is surprising, given that it’s only 33 minutes. I love this album. I listened to it twice. But I almost didn’t finish it at all because, in the first listen, I hated the first two tracks. They sounded ugly. And while God loves ugly, I just wasn’t in the mood. I also couldn’t take the first two tracks because, whenever they sing about bones, all I could think of was that Tim Robinson where he sing about the day all the skeletons came to life. It’s a funny sketch; if you haven’t seen I Think You Should Leave, please do. So, those first two tracks were ugly and I was fighting back laughter the whole time. Not a great start. But the rest of the album was banger after banger and it left me wanting more, which is why I jumped right back in. Hadn’t heard it before and it is probably my favorite album so far.
Good, in places.
I really didn't care for this album :(
It was fine. Not my type of music and couldn’t really get into it.
Matig... heavy vooral
‘Bone Machine’ ‘Gigantic’ ‘Where Is My Mind’ The rest is whatever.
The best part of the album was the cover, otherwise forgettable.
One great song, a few ok tracks, and a lot of noise.
weird punkish sound. Pretty decent.
Fond memories
Punk good
Where is my mind
I like some Pixies stuff but this is not my fave
Good, but not good enough to make me want to buy it.
I liked this one. Pretty sure the app served up a reward after that terrible tango album.. .
Got a lot of white stripes vibes. Or maybe the WS were vibing off the pixies. Was good.
Most of the albums that I’ve listened to so far through the generator, I’ve really never heard of, this one I am intimately familiar with, and is one of my favorites of all time.
Just a lot of noise. I did not like any of the songs.
I have loved this album since I traded a Temple of the Dog cassette for a copy of this with my friend George, who bought it because he heard Kurt Cobain considered them an influence but he hated it. His loss, this album rules.
Nr. 103/1001 Bone Machine 3/5 Break My Body 3/5 Something Against You 2/5 Broken Face 2/5 Gigantic 4/5 River Euphrates 3/5 Where Is My Mind? 5/5 Cactus 3/5 Tony's Theme 3/5 Oh My Golly! 3/5 Vamos 1/5 I'm Amazed 2/5 Brick Is Red 3/5 Average: 2,85 So this was an interesting listen. First album where I rated songs with 5 & 1. Where Is My Mind ranks among the best songs I heard through the project. Vamos among the worst.
Oof - so man, I love the where is my mind song from the Pixies. I figured I'd like other things from them but I think they're just a bit before my time. I still give 4 stars due to their influence on the scene from back in the day.
This used to be one of my favorite albums. Hadn't listened to it in a long time. It's still one of my favorite albums. Overall I think Doolittle, Bossanova, & Trompe le Monde are slightly better albums but I'm still giving it a 5. OH MY GOLLY!
Black Francis’ violent scream! Those loud/soft dynamics! Super cool Kim Deal on bass!! The Pixies’ Surfer Rosa is a stone cold classic album whose influence can be heard everywhere: Bush, Everclear, David Bowie, Veruca Salt, Green Day, Weezer, The Breeders (Kim Deals awesome post Pixies band), even R.E.M, and many many more.? Tony’s Theme makes me giggle with 13 year old glee. Something Against You and Broken Face are cathartic violence without actually hitting anyone. River Euphrates is rolling bliss. Gigantic is the best song ever made on the topic of big D. Five big huge stars for one of the best albums of the 80’s that ended up defining the 90’s.
Great album, loved it. I didn’t explore the Pixies much when they were really blowing up, I only know a few of their songs, so I was excited to really enjoy a full album.
3.5/5
Frank Black's guttural howling, David savage on the drums Joey with timeless guitar and Kim being Kim. 38 years later it still blows my mind.
Bone Machine - good instrumentals, eh vocals, I don't like the lyrics Break My Bones - good instrumentals better vocals, lyrics are a bit better Something Against You - even better instrumentals, the vocals are better, lyrics could be better Broken Face - great instrumentals, great vocals, great lyrics - best song so far Gigantic - instrumentals a little worse, vocals are great, good lyrics River Euphrates - instrumentals were good, good vocals, mid - good lyrics Where Is My Mind - GREAT INTRUMENTALS, GREAT VOCALS, GREAT LYRICS - best song so far Cactus - good -> great instrumentals vocals and lyrics Tony's Theme - good instrumentals, good vocals eh lyrics Oh My Golly! - great instrumentals, good vocals, a good lyrics Vamos - good instrumentals vocals and mid lyrics I'm Amazed - great instrumentals vocals eh lyrics Brick Is Red - decent Instrumentals, decent -> good vocals and lyrics
I’m cool enough to have already listened to this one a few times. Still good.
Not my jam
I don't know there's just something I love about the chaos of this album. I can see why it inspired so many bands and artists after them
Not for me. Where Is My Mind is alright, the rest of the album was rough...
Good vibes
Surfer Rosa is a chaotic raw album that is all over the place. This is a hard album to get into but it has a lot of great sounds that the Pixies would perfect on their next album.
Recognized, Where is my mind, good song. The rest is ok.
Definitely not my kind of music.
Where’s my mind was the only one I really liked and I think the covers better
This album was (and is) a bomb of aggression and noise. All neatly tied with a keen sense of poppy hooks. It reverberates through music to this day.
Weird without being pretentious. Pixies came out of the womb fully formed, somehow. I always forget how heavy their stuff is. Gigantic is such a catchy, avant-pop song, as is the ubiquitous "Where is My Mind." Joey Santiago's solo on Vamos brings out the ghost of Andy Gill and is a thrilling surprise. The best albums (of which this is one) bear repeated listening and it seems like each time you play it, you hear something new. More accessible than some of their other stuff, possibly. One complaint: that song Cactus is trying a little too hard to sound like Nirvana ;) And yeah, I give a lot of five star reviews, what about it?
Not my cup of tea. Too chaotic
I guess the Pixies aren't my thing anymore?
Best song ever "Where is my mind?"
Super solid album even without Where is my Mind?.
fight club ruined one song
This is a pretty good album. They have a pretty unique sound. I like Dr. Doolittle better. Rounding up.
1 meme song (and I can't even remember the meme format it goes with).. the rest are not that impressive. Why do I even bother with the review they'll all be about the album cover anyways. 2/5
fuck yeah i love pixies sm<33333333 favorites: break my body, gigantic, river euphrates, and where is my mind?
This music makes me feel like I'm in a carpeted basement with 30 other people and I'm sipping on a Coors Light. Gigantic has a really cool bassline, I wasn't surprised to learn that the bassist, Kim Deal, wrote it!! Also liked River Euphrates. Only ever listened to a few songs but I appreciate their unique sound.
It’s a little noisy for me but not bad.
I'm a fan of the Pixies but it isn't a band that I would sit and listen to an entire album. I prefer rocking out to the occasional song.
Clearly iconic. I've heard *of* this album but never heard it. Well, except for "Where Is My Mind?". Nirvana and all the rest clearly came from this.
Didn’t care for this one at all. Tried a few songs and gave up.
Meh. Where is my mind is older than I thought. Good song.
Very entertaining and fun to listen to. Great sound and style. Fun and spunky.
Had this album in college.
I already tried to liked Pixies but it's just not my kind of tune. Maybe is too heavy, noisy.
Thought I’d like it more than I did. See why it’s good, don’t like it personally
Not for me
I didn't listen to all of it. Not much my style.
A terrific album from start to finish.
Cool and influential, but a little meandering for me.
It def needs more than one listen to appreciate it. Overall it was alright.
I had forgotten how many songs I like off of this album. It's a great listen.
I did not enjoy the album at all it was to dyslexic for me.
boobs
I think i like the pixies
Pretty great
Had a good time with it.
Oh. It's another Pixies recommendation. Yep. It's still like listening to construction work.
“Where is my mind?” is a banger as anyone who has seen Fight Club would say, and I guess it’s kinda true. Other than that, just disjointed noise really
Excellent
It could grow on me, I liked one song a lot, the rest were just ok.
pretty good
Meh
Fun album. Unexpectedly easy to listen to. Lots of lyrics in spanish. Grungy