Reviews (page 12 of 15)
Probably like a lot of millennials (whether they realize it or not) I was familiar with this from MIA's sample of "Where Is My Mind" on "20 Dollar" from Kala. When you listen to this, you really can hear so many later albums that it influenced...but it's not quite for me. I love the energy, love the general alt-rock sound, but I just need a bit more melody.
I think that this album does have a lot of moments where it absolutely makes no sense. There’s a part in Vamos where it’s just noises of a car crash? The highs of this album are enjoyable like “where’s my mind” and “bone machine”. A lot of the songs on this album are really forgettable, and just are irritating.
Ana: all of them (the songs) are pretty cool. I kinda of want to rest, but it doesn’t help. This drum part is my favorite (“Oh My Golly”). It’s (“Where’s My Mind”) kinda funny, sometimes it makes me laugh.
Amazing alternative/punk/grunge album. Hearing distorted surf rock (Surfer Rosa?) and the influence of bands like the buzzcocks and Husker dü. Love the spoken word and that bones are the topic of the first two tracks. Definitely some weird creative people feeling free to make music! "Gigantic" is a standout and cool to think that "Where is my Mind" had such staying power when it's smack in the middle of the album.
What a fun album! I was already familiar with a couple of the songs, but I really enjoyed the rest. Upbeat, fast tempo, alternative/punk.
In 1988, I was listening to Guns 'n' Roses, Poison, Def Leppard, Kiss, and Motley Crue. I didn't know this existed until many years later. First time hearing a full album from them. Listened twice. Good stuff, reminded me of the band X in some tracks. There's a topless woman on the cover.
Pretty strong overall. Energetic and enjoyable. Although I give it 3 stars, it would be close to 4 stars
Hmm. Did not care for this. Lots of screaming. Reminded me of 80s punk.
Oh fuck yes! How have I never listened to this album? This is the one with Gigantic.
Like the energy and chaos of it.
The Pixies are not my cup of tea. I prefer music with more subtlety and musicianship.
Not my kind of music.
I’ve heard this album when I was in college but a lot of the songs I completely forgot about and it felt like the first time listening because of this. I wonder if jogging your memory is also as healthy of a brain workout as listening to a new album every day.
I like some of it but then there is the element of noise for noise sake that I don't like. The music is enjoyable (most of the time) the vocals aren't my style (a lot of the time)
One good song
Reminds me of silversun pickups with more punk influence. One song surprised me and I really enjoyed it - it's in a lot of movies and such (Where Is My Mind?). Overall I'd give it a 6-7/10
Love this one
Unfettered creativity. No Censor. Discordant and fun.
Sehr unterschiedliche Musikstile, wirkt nicht wie ein "Werk". An sich 3 Sterne, aber wegen "where is my mind" dann doch 4.
Where is my mind? - A band that considers Hüsker Dü as one of their inspirations must be good.
Incredible album
Good, if not quite as good as Doolittle. It still has the hugely strong songwriting, but just isn't quite as interesting. Gigantic was a song I didn't know (or at least didn't remember) and it's brilliant, really sticks in the old noggin.
Not a fan at all…a bit wailing
A New Years treat! I've listened to this album more times than I can count. I possibly love it even more than Doolittle. 35 years old, and still holds up.
the tiktok song! jk this album is everywhere
Was alright
There are some good tracks, but this falls off post-cactus.
No bad tracks! Really enjoyed this one! Never been huge into the Pixies, but I’ll have to listen to more of them!
Nice
Amazing album! Some of my favorite songs on this one! Bone Machine, Break My Body, Gigantic(!), Where Is My Mind, and Cactus! All great. Also, for 1988, really important for indie rock.
No skips, no notes
Perfect length for this kind of project. Fires on all cylinders and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Add the 2 big songs and we’re cooking. (3.5/5)
This is what I envision people hearing when they say my music is "noise". I guess I'm old, but I did not find this super appealing. A lot of sonic sound and zero interesting lyrics. I didn't hate it, but I didn't enjoy it. Fav track: Where Is My Mind?
BL: the pixies are a band I’m only really aware of for “where is my mind” and “Monkey gone to heaven” the former of which I have some pretty negative associations with unpleasant people I used to know and the whole fight club chud male boys that haunt me as someone who works in an industry full of them. It’ll be good to hopefully create some more positive connotation with this band AL: this album was a swing and a miss for me. Maybe it’s because it’s always going to be tied to some horrible times in my life, however “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by The Smashing Pumpkins was from the same friend group and the same time period in my own life and I still fondly listen to that. Therefore I’ve come to the conclusion while sonically there were some interesting ideas, this album didn’t do too much for me. FT: “Something About You”, “Gigantic” 2/5
I'd never really listened to the Pixies before they disbanded. I was just a bit too young and, even though I worshipped Nirvana and had heard of the Pixies' influence on Kurt, I never investigated. I did listen to a the Breeders a LOT in that early to mid 90s period. Then a friend introduced me to them around 2000 and I was just kind of like, "meh... I don't know what the big deal is." While some of their stuff is still just a bit too noisy and discordant for my taste, they have really grown on me since then. Their music is so rich and unique.
30+-year-old first impressions hold true: seems more like raw material to me, a first step. It rocks and the sharp edges are undeniably ear-catching. But there's a monolithic feel across tracks -- a slab of marble they'd better hone on future releases. Only "Gigantic" really stands out. Maybe Albini shoulda spent more times on the vocals.
I have no idea what I would think of this if I was so familiar. All I can say is that I loved every second of it.
This album has been in rotation since I was a kid and every time I listen to it I find myself discovering smoething new. Surfer Rosa is seriously fun and unintentionally timeless. Personal highlights include bine machine, river euphrates and vanos/I'm amazed. Go UMASS!
0 ja tisside eest 1
It's gets a 3 for where is my mind
So I actually liked doolittle more than surfer Rosa coming into this one. Listening again, I like how off the wall and unhinged this one is. Like broken face, bone machine and the last three tracks as a sort of disjointed medley. Where is my mind also is maybe the best song they have. Good album
where is my mind
От группы Pixies слышал только where is my mind из бойцовского клуба. Очень много секса (да вон на обложке голая девушка), очень странные описания (твои губы в волдырях и вкус у них как у всех людей вокруг), тексты ГРЯЗНЫЕ, музыка грязная, вокал неряшливый. Несовершенство просто сочится из всех мест. Не могу решить, гениально это или говёно. Музыка для фриков получается. Солист про "where is my mind" говорит "не могу понять, почему эта песня так нравится такому количеству людей, даже странно, не знаю что вам там нравится, ну простая она, на две ноты, наверное это". Забавно, что это пока первый трек на этом альбоме, который не про жесточайшие сексуальные девиации, а про... дайвинг и потерю самоидентичности. Интересно, что в нём нравится людям? И со следующего трека -- снова и опять. Скучаем по минету в тюрьме, трахаем служаночку-Марию, абсолютно игнорируем суицид жены, потому что мы такие фрики, мы живём в обществе. Не могу. Не могу решить гениально это или говно. Это как... не знаю, это как смотреть на фотографию мёртвой шлюхи. Да, она красивая. Но она умерла, она разлагается и больше её трахать нельзя. Но хочется. Будет три. Середина между пятью и единицей. Но тут стоит сказать, что я мог бы оправдать ЛЮБУЮ оценку этого альбома. Вау. Эмоции, по крайней мере, он у меня однозначно вызвал.
Historically important, but didn't have to be. The Pixies would be better if Kim Deal wrote most of their songs.
So much pixie. Some tracks were nostalgic, dyone were bland or irritating
Where is your mind är ju en fyra iaf
timeless
I haven't had my total "a-ha!" moment with this one yet, as I did with Doolittle, but still very good. 4/5
I have trouble believing that I am 49 years old hearing this album for the very first time. I am utterly blown away. I... I'm just going to play it again.
All right! I can’t be objective—I love this album!
I remember obsessively listening to this on repeat summer of 2000. There’s not one wrong note on this thing.
First exposure to the Pixies outside of "Where is my mind" because of that one movie, and is in this album. Most tracks don't stand out to me. Only enjoying WIMM. 1*. When Spotify shuffled away from this album at the end and went to 12:51 by the Strokes I actually said "oh thank god, actual music"
It was alright
One of the most Influential albums of all time, happy to have been born and lived to be able to have heard it in its entiret. Simply amazing.
4 SONGS WERE BANGIN. THE REST WERE NOT MY FAVORITES.
Very noisy
So much nope.
Not my preference but really good
meh? a lot of bone talk. marilyn manson esque. quite liked “where is my mind”, would definitely listen to it on my own volition :)
3.38 per track (excluded [untitled]). This is pretty good actually.
Listened to every song . Just not my jam . Gave it 3 stars for being a band and creating music .
Just too punk and noisy for me, except where is my mind
4/5
Crunchy 80s indie rock. Not my thing.
1. bone machine - 1 2. break my body - 1 3. zomething againzt you - 1 4. broken face - 1 5. gigantic - 1 6. river euphratez - 1 7. uuhere iz my mind - 3 8. cactuz - 1 9. tonyz theme - 1 10. oh my golly - 1 11. vamoz - 0 12. im amazed - 13. brick iz red - 1
Very good. Not as good as Doolittle imo, but very good.
Haven't listened to this in probably 25 years. Didn't like it as much as I did then.
Best album ever
Cactus was good, Where is My Mind is a classic. But overall I wouldn't die without this album.
I’m quite sure there was a place and a time for this album. Having missed out on that time and place makes listening to this album for the first time a rather miserable experience. There are sections here and there where songs begin to sound pleasing, but those moments are seemingly intentionally ruined - if nothing else then by the absolutely atrocious vocals. I’m confident that they sound as they do intentionally, but that to me only makes it worse.
Fun album to listen to!
forceful aggressive still gets me
A great start.
Favorites were "Break My Body", "Where Is My Mind" and "Oh My Golly!". I didn't exactly like the lyrics - mostly because i could barely hear them and didn't feel like blasting my ears to be able to understand. I realized it was punk rock 30 seconds in and the overall sound did not surprise me, that is, if I take into account the album is 30 years old and a lot of older punk feel 'loud' just for the sake of being loud. Will give two stars because I think I would really jam to the songs I mentioned if they came up at the right time.
I remember the first time I ever listened to this album. It's an incredible debut from a band that would go on to influence a whole genre of music. They'll hit their stride fully in a few years, with Doolittle, but the early genius of the band is so visible here.
A couple of great songs. The rest is a bit meh. Much better than the previous Pixies album we had
Might be that i've given a lot of 2's and 3's recently and want to be a little generous, but i did enjoy this one, and will probably come back.
more pixies, some of it great, most of it not so great
Classic pixies
Some of my favorite Pixies songs. Absolutely classic. River Euphrates, Bone Machine, Gigantic. Bangs Bangs Bangs. 5/5
"He bought me a soda and he tried to molest me in the parking lot" This is an album that I've listened to before, and upon the initial listen, I think I convinced myself that it was a really good album (probably mostly due to whatever website ranked it as top 10 alt rock albums of all time). I am a big fan of Pixies, and I was worried that albums like this one were going to flood my 5-star rankings with stuff that I already knew I liked. I was surprised that after listening to it today, I didn't really feel any sort of strong connection, and despite my premonitions telling me it was going to be a 4 to 5 star album, it fell pretty short of that. Compared to Doolittle, Surfer rosa has very little to offer in terms of stand-out tracks, with "Where is my mind" being the only huge hit off of this album. I decided to add it as the playlist track for this album, despite it being overplayed. This album reminded me a lot of going to see Pixies live, lots of noise and what felt like songs that they wanted us to hear, but that nobody in the crowd actually wanted to hear. Then they played "Where is my mind," everyone freaked out, and subsequently left the concert. I'm pretty disappointed with this album, mostly because of how much I hyped it up in my head, but also because of how directly influential this album and band was on Nirvana, the Strokes, Radiohead, etc. I wish I could restore the way I viewed this album after my initial listen, but as it stands, this album is getting my most surprising 3/5 yet.
Ok. Where is my mind is the standout
Known Before: Band Standouts: 4.5
Known before: Band, one song (you know which one) Standouts: 01. Bone Machine Rating: 7.5
Known Before: Band/One song Standouts: 5. Gigantic 7. Where Is My Mind? 5.0
Solid
Great album that balances huge rockers with an obvious pop edge which it fascinatingly loves to neglect. The band a tight, the melodies are fantastic, and there's some real heart on it. Of course, Doolittle would do everything better a year later, but the visceral energy of this first record is never going to not be thrilling.
THE BEST
I love it!
Really liked this album. Wish some of the songs were a little older, but it was really enjoyable, and felt way more like modern surf punk thank I anticipated
Really fucking good. Really really good. Still not a 4.
Un album qui ne se laisse pas apprivoisé facilement. Mélange post-punk, rock, même métal par endroit. Je n'ai pas détesté mais nécessite plusieurs écoutes encore pour que je puisse apprécier pleinement
they're good
Very fun album with the highs being Where is my Mind along with Gigantic, however the rest of the album flowed well. I liked how it sounded like they had fun recording it, along with the song Cactus which sounded more bittersweet yet managed to sound like a cactus song with the raw yet sharp instruments lighting up the entire track.
Classic
For me, this album starts really strong but sort of falls apart as it goes on. Maybe it's an A-side / B-side thing (assuming in 1988 this would have been most consumed on cassette) but the first half is these weird pretty interesting messy post-punk tunes, and the latter feels mostly straight-ahead rock (with a bit of pop sprinkled in).
Biased review. Already loved it
These are all basically the same song. Trying way too hard to make an impression for being so very esoteric after jumping on the bandwagon 10 years too late. I looked up this band and they were exactly what I imagined.
Another great one. Not their masterpiece, but a band that has come into their own.
11/14/2023 Este lo escucho con frecuencia y aún así cuando me apareció sentí la emoción de escucharlo otra vez en el contexto de esta lista. Es un álbum top 10 o top 5 en mi lista personal al igual que el Doolittle que supongo no tarda en salir.
Guwno
Experimental, but not in a good way.
Pretty good
Obviously I've heard Where Is My Mind?, it is such a great song, but I don't think I've listened to a full album from Pixies. This feels very 90's and I know it was released in 1988, but you can see their influences on grunge, punk and the alternative rock genre. Honestly, if it wasn't for all the slapstick, this would have been a great album....I just love the sound of the drums on this album. I also love that both Black Francis and Kim Deal share the lead vocals. Standouts: Bone Machine, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?, Tony's Theme
Pervy rock with great bass lines
:))
can't say i enjoyed this one too much as a whole but still kinda cool very questionable lyrics lol where is my mind is one of the most recognizable tunes that i never knew the origin of favorites: gigantic, where is my mind
Rating: 9/10 Amazing album. The Pixies always had an interesting and creative way of blending alternative rock, noise, and pop into a very enjoyable experience. The songs sound demented in the best way possible, from the instrumentation to the vocal melodies and harmonies. Sometimes it does not always land for me 100% but still an impressive debut album, they definitely had their sound figured out here, even though I think Doolittle improves on this formula. Favorite songs: Bone Machine, Break My Body, Where is My Mind?, Gigantic, River Euphrates, Cactus, Brick is Red. Least favorite songs: Oh My Golly!, Broken Face.
Love the beat and energy. Lyrics are enigmatic. Wanted to really like this album but it was a cross between engaging and WTF. Would be fun in concert.
"Surfer Rosa" is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Pixies. The listed genres are alternative rock, art punk and grunge. I don't know about the grunge. The album was produced by Steve Albini and is known for its interesting lyrics (voyeurism, multitalation, references to Puerto Rico, nonsensical), experimental recording techniques and distinctive sound. The band is Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals), Joey Santiago (lead guitar) and David Lovering (drums). The album was recorded on the British label 4AD and was initially only available in US as an import. The album did not chart upon its release but has since been certified gold. Critically, it is widely considered one of the best albums of the 1980's. "Bone Machine" opens with sort of tinny drums and Santiago's surf-sounding guitar. Black Francis is screaming something. Kim Deal joins in on the chorus. The song turns more chaotic. I think we have something here. The surf guitar assault continues on "Break My Body." The song gets a groove going especially with Deal's bass. A great guitar hook. Multilation and self hatred. The lone single released "Gigantic" has Kim Deal on lead vocals. The drums, the bass line and Black Francis howling. Great vocals by Deal. Hey, is the first time we hear the soft-loud-soft dynamic from them? It is based a film which involves an illicit affair between a white woman and a black teenager. Black Francis said they used gigantic for the way it sounds. Oh, I think it was used for an entirely different reason. Yeah, huge wouldn't have worked. An acoustic guitar goes right into those signature guitar chords in "Where Is My Mind?" More howling. Black Francis talking which is buried beneath the guitar. Supposedly, it's about a small fish chasing Black. An interesting song is "Cactus." Slow electric guitar. There's a dark edge to the sound. Probably for the best as we hear a prison inmate ask his girlfriend to send him her dress smeared with blood. The album closes with "Brick Is Red." Mostly an instrumental. A great guitar jam. This is a great album and deserves its place among the best alternative rock albums. Short, catchy songs. Weird lyrics that keep you guessing the meaning if there is any at all. And if you can make out the lyrics. The music sounds like a cross between the B-52's, Hüsker Dü and punk in general but has a unique identity of its own. The best Pixies' album seems to change for me but this one is always near the top. A must hear.
I wish I could give this a 3.5. I would tolerate this album again.
Pixies how I love you. Infectious and fun.
lit af
Yksi hyvä biisi, muut kamalia. Mieslaulajan ääntä ei isossa osassa kappaleista olisi halunnut kuunnella lainkaan.
Not quite a fan of the genre, but short and packs a lot of cool small ideas
Hard to rate since I really like some songs but some are downright annoying
Excellent! Another “why haven’t I listened to this before??? album. Added
Excellent
So lound and weird and shouty and good.
All time one of my all time favorites of all timeeeee. Yes I know it sounds like shit just give it a few tries.
Almost as good as the album cover
Longest 30 minutes of my life
Love it!
bitch lasagna
I love this album. Probably my second favorite. Listened to it many times.
dov'è la mia mente
I thought some of it was really interesting, but I didn't love most of the wailing kind of singing. Some songs were incredible, some I just didn't enjoy listening to, so kind of inconsistent. Fav songs: where is my mind?, gigantic
Bone Machine, prima traccia, davvero bella Inaspettato trovare anche la loro canzone più famosa in questo album, mi sono stupita, avevo idee e pregiudizi differenti rispetto ai Pixies, quest’album mi ha sorpresa Attinente al mio gusto personale sono indecisa se 3 o 4 su 5
Too weird to enjoy but definitely an impactful album
Interesting album. Wikipedia classifies it as alternative / punk rock - it has the energy of punk but quite a few years after punk rock peaked. The vocals - some of which are in Spanish - vary in style, sometimes depressing, sometimes angry, often distorted. My favourite track is "Vamos" because of it's driving beat.
Nič pre mňa
Where's my mind reminded me of playing in a band in my teens. Other than that the album didn't quite catch me. Not bad, not bad at all, but also not close to my heart. Might be that this album inspired so much music that it sounds sort of generic now.
Psychotically hooky. Still as vital as it was 35 (!) years ago.
Classic and vital in every way. This album made the 90s possible.
It feels cumbersome to me. In searching for more backstory, I ended up finding really shallow backstories (Well we just thought it would be cool...). This is kind of meta to the genre it helped define, but it's not for me. While recognizing that it was influential for it's time, I don't see myself returning to this album.
Love the album, really think it was ahead of its time. For some reason always thought it was early/mid 90s, not 1988. Convenient timing to listen as it was recorded by Steve Albini, who also recorded In Utero by Nirvana which is celebrating 30 years currently.
When I listen to this I can hear where the '90s came from.
I mean I love the pixies
Will listen again! Love this sound, loved the vocals
Very energetic and experimental. Sometimes I missed more melodic vocal lines.
college
Classic Pixies, not my favourite album but some great tracks.
A hard listen for me to be quite honest — but I can see the and hear the talent this band has … unfortunately it doesn’t suit my listening tastes.
1..5, they must have taken quite some drugs to write this. Where is my mind is mainly enjoyable because it wakes the memories of Fight Club.
I appreciate that the Pixies were at the forefront of punk and blazed a trail for a long time but its not a sound I really find appealing so this album is a miss for me
Legendary song "Where is My Mind?", really creative, adventurous album.
Did not enjoy. One good song. Seems like this is the genesis of a lot of metal, emo and angsty music... Send it back to the kitchen please chef.
It’s pretty okay! But I dunno wouldn’t run back to it.
Exceptional album. Love screams. The beginning of 90s alt music that starts in the end of 80s. Love Pixies
Great album
Interesting obvious inspiration for bands in 90s 2000s
Punk! Sometimes ska, always short, loud, fast, fun. Listen to this album when you want to have fun screaming. S/O: Bone Machine, Broken Face, Gigantic, Where is my Mind?, Tony's Theme, Vamos
not my thing but well made :)
Decent album, don't love the vocals. Enjoyed "Where Is My Mind?"
not sure of Pixies could do any wrong back in the day everything they made was so genuine it's awesome. Unencumbered creativity that makes you love the songs even if they aren't necessarily pleasing to your ear initially. Glad to have pulled it back into the rotation when assigned this album
Pushed all the right buttons for me. Rough but cheeky ;)
Absolute garbage
one and a half good songs, where is my mind and tommys theme. rest is cringy trash
Enjoyed this album from the Pixies.
Not really my style, 3/5
Curto demais 😃👍
Tää oli vähän siinä 2 ja 3 tähden vålissä, mutta tipahtaa kummiskin 2 tähden puolelle. Instrut ihan ok, mutta välillä taas tahallaan paskaa ja mahdollisimman häröä. Laulu tyyli ja ääni rasitti Where is my mind on kummiskin tällä levyllä
Naa, no likey Fav: where is my mind?
This early pixies stuff gets a good grade from me. I love the thing at the end of Oh My Golly! where there is the misunderstanding when BFrancis says “You fucking DIE!” Holiday Song has got to be one of the best pixies tracks ever. So good. I kind of wasn’t looking forward to this - we had Bossanova recently and it kinda pissed me off haha I felt like I was listening to a band breaking up But Surfer has a much better vibe and it feels like Kim (my favourite part of the band) is both engaged and being given some space to shine a bit. Gigantic is def one of my top Pixies tracks and it’s on this record also.
De vorige keer was dit ook al niet om aan te horen. Een gemiddeld schoolbandje neemt vrijdagmiddag in de aula betere dingen op. Gelukkig sloeg Youtube de helft van de nummers over wegens 'mogelijk ongeschikt voor sommige gebruikers'. Het zal best een heeeel belangrijke rol in de muziekgeschiedenis hebben gespeeld, maar mogen wij dit lelijk vinden? Ja, dit mogen wij lelijk vinden.
Man...man...wat is dat valse gezang verschrikkelijk om naar te luisteren. En dan lijkt het nog wel met opzet vals. Ik ben blij als het album af en toe een break biedt. Met een dame in the lead bij Gigantic bijvoorbeeld of met het pop-achtige Where Is My Mind.
In het top 100 jaaroverzicht uit 1988 van de top40 staan Bill Medley en Jennifer Warnes op 1, en Glenn Madeiros op 2. Verder nog eervolle vermeldingen voor Womack en Womack op 4 en Billy Ocean op 8. Een stukje verder vinden we achtereenvolgens Terence Trent d'Arby, Taylor Dayne en Tiffany op 18, 19 & 20.(Bron: https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1988) Dit album komt dus ook uit 1988. Niets van dit soort gitaarmuziek te vinden in het jaaroverzicht. Terwijl een aantal jaren later, pak bijv 1992, guns n roses, nirvana en metallica wel in de top100 staan. Het is maar om nog een keer aan te geven dat de Pixies al lekkere gitaarherrie maakten in een tijd dat de muziekwereld er nog niet aan toe was. Met Gigantic leveren ze een gigantisch lekker nummer af, dat in elk afspeellijstje mag wat mij betreft. Deze week levert toch een stuk betere muziek af dan de vorige paar weken. Omdat ik het bonuspt al een keer eerder aan de Pixies heb gegeven en deze plaat toch redelijk rauw en wazig is, maak ik er deze keer een 4 van, maar het hadden er net zo goed 5 kunnen zijn.
This is a classic of the genre.
i like this album, in a funny way. its like the songs you make about random shit with your friends in school but way cooler because this guys can actually play instruments and found someone who could make it sound amazing in a studio. 5 stars! seriously though, its influential in everything it does, the lyrics, the singing, the playing, the production, the whole vibe of it makes it clear a ton shit of bands of the 90s and later loved this album.
Excellent. Not as good as Doolittle, but excellent nonetheless. Early punk-ish sound without the angst. Need listen to again.
Where is my mind
All filler, some killer. The good songs are extremely good but the rest is the definition of album track
Listening while high, the music is tickling me !
Definitely not for me, though “Gigantic” is pretty good
Not my vibe!
Handful of songs I liked, but the album as a whole didn't stand out too much to me. Again, I was working in the lab while listening, so I could come back to this.
Liked it :)
Not for me
So many fantastic hits from this album, absolute banger.
A very wild ride that covers a large range of vocal styles, and genres.
My relationship with Pixies is becoming quite complicated. On the surface, it seems like I should like this a lot more than I do. But so much of what they do, vocally in particular, just feels weird for the sake of being weird. Favorite track: Bone Machine
Who doesn't want a big big love
Surfer Rosa was a pleasant surprise. On the first listen with speakers, it felt like chaotic noise. I really wasn’t sure I would like it. By the third listen with headphones, I was amazed at all the little details added to the songs. There is so much intention with this album to sound exactly as it sounds. This album was not phoned in. Instead, it was brought into this world with all the care of a newborn. I also appreciated that the Pixies could keep coming up with new song intros that grabbed my intention throughout the album. That is a really hard thing to pull off for many albums. I really grew to appreciate the disjointed vocals between Black and Kim. There is such a thin line between intention and what looks like lack of ability when going against music standards. The Pixies walk that line with creativity and talent abound. I heard the highlight of the album ‘Where is My Mind’ before but I didn't realize it was a Pixies song. Still a top-notch song all these years later. I love the restraint of the song. Less is more here. It creates wonderful dynamics. The haunting synths and spotlight on the bass guitar really make the song standout from the rest of the tracks on the album. Overall, this album feels like the bridge between 80s punk and 90s alternative that later dominated the radio. Influential is probably an understatement.
Some good hidden gems on here . They don't feel like an 80s band .
Schrecklich. Wirklich grauenhaft. Ich bin schlechten Gesang gewohnt, aber dieses Album ist nicht auszuhalten. Sehr, sehr, sehr schlecht.
Controlled Chaos, Doolittle is better, but this album is still bangin’
A good album but doesn't do much for me - bit too arty and don't feel the lyrics - cactus/gigantic/where is my mind are nice tracks though can't deny.
First time I've listened to it in its entirety; I was only familiar with a few tracks. Loved the dual panned guitars. Nice cheap thin guitar sound on some tracks which I loved. Also enjoyed the thicker more saturated sounds. It sounds like a bridge between new wave B52s and the punkier end of grunge. Also reminded me of Clinic in places. Bass lines absolutely rock solid throughout. Like the ringing snares gated heavily. Simplicity, energy, rough. Loved it.
Day one strange but awesome
I can appreciate how impactful this record was in 1988 for the eventual grunge/indie scene, but aside from a few bright spots, it felt a bit uninspired to me. I might need to give it a few more listens before passing judgement, though.
Quality production, and the band sounds good, but the songs strike me as being a little underwritten. Only a few seem fully fleshed out, and the rest are shorter-form and usually lacking significant lyrics. Still fun and easily listenable but for me.
Not really my kind of music. Was surprised to hear Cactus. I know this song but than the version by David Bowie.
Some interesting ideas and phrasings peppered throughout the album. Generally a tad bland. Very straightforward instrumentation.
One of my favorite albums. The band worked so well together on this album. Kim and Black Francis styles just melt perfectly together, lightning in a bottle.
This a really strong record, one I hadn’t really given enough time to when it came out. Which is odd because I’m sure I would have liked it. Raucous and noisy indie rock that satisfies an underlying pop structure. And really no weak links on the record. Worth going into the rotation.
All their albums pre breakup are amazing. Depending on the day this is my favorite.
This is an easy 5. One of the best "college radio" albums of all time. The loud-quiet-loud dynamic is super present, with awesome hooks. And I love how they can be super punk and super pop (well as pop as a band like The Pixies can be) on the same album. Amazing album.
Not my favorite album. I was excited for this because I really enjoyed doolittle but this wasnt doing it for me. Too much noise and feral screaming for me. Where is my mind was great tho. No wonder its the standalone hit from the album
Oh, Where is my mind is on this. That's why we have it. got it. Nvm gigantic goes hard too. What I've noticed with Pixies is they have both a high ceiling and low floor for their music. Something unbearble will play and then one of the best altrock songs youve ever heard will play right after
Bone Machine- 4.6/5 Break My Body- 3.9/5 Something Against You- 4.1/5 Broken Face- 4.8/5 Gigantic- 4.8/5 River Euphrates- 3.4/5 Where Is My Mind?- 5/5 Cactus- 3.7/5 Tony's Theme- 5/5 Oh My Golly!- 5/5 Vamos- 4.9/5 I'm Amazed- 3.8/5 Brick Is Red- 4/5 Total- 4/5
Des voix particulières, des chansons qui n’essaient pas d’être mélodieuses, une énergie impossible à endiguer. Je connaissais déjà la plupart des chansons, mais les retrouver rassemblées était vraiment jouissif.
I missed the Pixies in the 80s, and I’m not so sad about that. The sound is distinctive and I can appreciate the craft, but it isn’t music that moves me body or soul.
Where is my mind? and Cactus are ok. Don't like the others. Too chaotic for my taste and the vocals are not my cup of tea. Rating: 1 -S I liked 2 songs of the album but its very inconsistent and sometimes too experimental. -A
still that good shit. fav song cactus
Gritty punk. Always a fun listen.
This is great! Just a short alt/grunge bop with some excellent songs, some fun interludes and studio banter and a lot of experimentation - This must have really been pushing musical boundaries in 1988. Much like Doolittle, this must have had a lot of influence on the rock scene going into the 90s. I think this beats Doolittle for me. It has the immediately recognisable "Where Is My Mind?" but this ended up being way more than that. Pretty much every song here was amazing. It's often funny, often insane, but it gives off the vibe of just being a total jam session. Really sounds like they all had a lot of fun with this. Overall it's an excellent album. Favourite: Where Is My Mind?
Es un album bastante variado y muy bueno para escuchar en cualquier momento!
It's a lot of fun 3.5/5
Realising I have largely just listened to the Wave of Mutilation comp over and over again and rarely the individual records. This was a treat as its own piece with lots of my favourite tracks on there. Love how anarchic and silly it is, so much character in the vocals, with surreal lyrics that nonetheless create incredibly distinct images. Not quite 100% winners as I think at points it gets slightly too scratchy for its own good, but it's close. Four and a half. Fave track: Gigantic
A stunner of a record and improves each time I hear it. Crunchy and punchy guitars, scary and funny lyrics, and a strange dynamism and blend of contrasting noises that nobody does better. Four and a half. Fave track: Gigantic
Yes, excellent. Screamy Also Beeeeeeeewwwwwwwbbbs
This album just did not strike me.
Probably something for guitar lovers. Good grove and something new happening on every track, but it didn’t appeal to me.
Love this album. Love it love it love it
I love the Pixies. Elements of this record are brilliant. There are other albums that are more consistent from top to bottom but the highs on this one rival the highs on any Pixies record.
Yes
Such an exciting debut. I love this album so much. Not much else to say other than that.
One of those albums that comes up in the list and you think 'yes, I want to listen to that right now, how did they know?' Fact is, it's always a good time to listen to this noisy, disjointed, hell of a good time album. Also reminds me just how amazing David Bowie was at covers. Cactus on Heathen is better than the original, if that's possible.
Liked the female vocals, the male vocals are weird and not in a good way. 3 for Gigantic, Bone Machine and Where Is My Mind
I understand why only one song is still talked about
where is my mind är ju en av världens bästa låtar och det finns några andra låtar på albumet som är riktigt bra men det räcker ändå inte till mer än en stark trea.
Couple of classics on here and a few modes as well. Overall a good record.
A little more raw than later releases, but nonetheless still full of punky spirit. A solid album which I thoroughly enjoyed
I like the Pixies (was actually introduced through this challenge), but I really did not enjoy this album. I’ll have to go back to the others to compare and figure out why, but listening to this nearly five times in a row, while doing tasks, it was not the greatest. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song:
It’s good. I can see why Nirvana and other bands were inspired by this.
Very fun album. Something different I liked hearing their music that wasn't "where is my mind" 3.6
Not a massive fan. Bit obnoxious and callous, but ‘Where is my Mind’ is and will always be a classic.
Where is my mind
Ok album, wouldn’t listen to it again
I can’t imagine finding this in 1988. I would’ve loved it a few years later but in 1988 I was still listening to pop and chart music. It feels out of time in 1988. Pretty good though
Not a fan tbh
Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: Yeah, it’s got great range and is very somber Favourite song: Track 5 - Gigantic
ta bien
3.5
One of my favorites. For me, this was one of those strange albums where you're not sure if you're really into it on first listen beyond a handful of tracks, but the more you listen, the more you grow to love the whole thing, and the weirder parts the most.
the hits hit and the misses miss. A little annoying and poppy sometimes but Where Is My Mind? Timeless classic
This was pretty rough. Really liked the other pixies album but only really enjoyed one song on this one
Genres: Alternative rock, art punk, grunge Formed: Boston, U.S. in 1986 Run time: 13 songs, 34 min, 7 sec The album has a Punk feel to it. The tracks are usually quite intense and often feature nonsense lyrics. I’ve not heard anything else like it. Spotify: Least popular song: almost 3M Most popular song: >733M plays. “Bone Machine” is above the narrator's love for Carol and her continuous infidelities. It was apparently the result of a dream (nightmare) about a woman with a “Bone Machine” inside her. Given that information, I think the title should be taken literally as someone who goes from one sexual encounter to another. "Break My Body" is about the desire to rebel against societal norms, regardless of the cost (physical or emotional). It is a throwback to the days of Punk. “Something Against You” is very Punk-like with its frantic guitars and screamed lyrics. Basically the singer really dislikes someone but it doesn’t say why. “Broken Face” starts off talking about incest and then facial dis-figurement. This may be a metaphor because the consequence is being unable to speak. It’s not a pop song! “Gigantic” is about a woman singing about her lover, Paul. The lyric mention him taking her to a “shady place”, which I believe is talking about unconventional (depraved?) love. It has been suggested “Gigantic” refers to the depth of their love, but given the context, I suspect it is referring to the size of Paul’s equipment. “River Euphrates” is an exploration of the war in Gaza. “Where Is My Mind?” speaks about the inner turmoil. It is best summarised in the line "feet on the air and head on the ground." This is of course the opposite of being grounded and in control (head in the air and feet on the ground). “Cactus” is about longing to have something (an article of clothing) to hold onto in the absence of the person. It isn’t clear why the person is absent (left or dead). The singing is quit muted perhaps to reflect the fleeting nature of the relationship lost. "Tony's Theme" is about a superhero named Tony who rides around on his bicycle. This would suggest Tony is a child wanting to do good and be great. “Oh My Golly!” has lyrics in Spanish and English. It seems to be a bit nonsensical. It mentions the character “Surfer Rosa”. It mentions killing someone, then claims it was a joke. “Vamos” is about a couple living in New Jersey. Life seems to be good but they think it will be better in California. “I’m Amazed” starts with kids talking in (high) school and the half a minute of nonsense. “Brick Is Red” is more nonsense. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
Excellent album - chaotic and discordant as you'd expect from Pixies, but some incredible moments in there. Where Is My Mind is the obvious highlight, but the whole album is worth listening to multiple times
Had to listen to it twice, at least. Such a good album. I can see why so many musicians have it as one of their main influences.
The best
First time giving Pixies an actual listen. Actually liked it. 3.75/5
Real good fun this one.
Mulla on ehkä irrationaalinen Pixies-viha, joten se vähän värittää kuuntelua. Tää on kyllä bändin parhaimmistoa, Where is my mind on täyttä ysärifiilistä. Ei kuitenkaan jätä levynä mitään makua suuhun, vaikka tosissaan tätä on selvästi tehty. Vähän tylsä.
Kunnioitettava yritys luoda kokeilullisesta näkökulmasta jotain muutakin kuin kivaa ääntä. Silti hieman liian suuri pala purtavaksi.
I only knew where is my mind? And damn did not expect what I heard. Love it. Amazing.
I remember this one well from high school. It's really-really good, but not something I want to hold on repeat forever. 4/5
Where Is My Mind offered a glimpse of what a good early grunge album this could have been, but there was still room for improvements to the lyrics and vocals. The rest simply didnt cut the mustard
Big time Talented People Doing Absolute Weirdo Shit music. There were moments when this album lost me, but for the most part I was very on board.
Not bad, just strange. I like Where Is My Mind and Vamos a lot more than the rest of the songs. I don't really get this album, maybe there's something I'm missing. 3 stars for solid musicianship.
one of my faves of all time
I can get down with some Pixies. Surf-punk-rock chock full of meaty bass, raw guitar, and "interesting" vocals; what's not to love? Album opens with Bone Machine that puts pretty much everything I love about Pixies on display. Just feels so loose and natural. This gives over to Break My Body which is supported by a groovy bass line and a fairly metal chorus: "break my body, hold my bones." Something Against You comes in with a ska-infused guitar lick that keeps in line with the overall "surf-rock" aesthetic, but in a very different way. This is a good song for frantically shotgunning beers on the beach and running headlong into the ocean. Broken Face has one of the weirder vocal intros with the falsetto "I've got a broken face" + laugh. In spite of that, this is and always has been one of my favorite songs on the album. The instrumentals capture so much clean punk energy. Gigantic is one of the bigger hits from this album. The reasons are fairly evident; this song puts Deal on lead vocals (much more palatable to the average listener), has a smooth bass melody, and a chorus that you can actually sink your teeth into with a pretty standard rhythm / progression. This is a highly effective song on which Pixies tap into traditional elements while not diluting what makes them great. Where Is My Mind? is easily the most well-known and recognizable Pixies song. This song is a certified jam; I have never heard this song and not been completely sucked into its groove. Its so simple in construction, but the composition is genius. Smooth bass with raw drum and guitar with a melody that immediately sucks you in. I love that they didn't compromise at all on the lyrics or delivery; this is weird in all the right ways. Oh My Golly! is a fun one that taps into punk elements and feels like it was mixed in a dingy basement. Drums go absolutely nuts to propel the manic sections of the song. Vamos is the longest song on the album at 4:22. It features as an energetic showcase for Santiago to perform noodly fretwork over top of a manic drum beat. I get how Pixies could not be everyone's cup of tea; Francis' vocals are a polarizing element. But I am firmly on the side that loves them. I am all about the raw sounds that they construct, the strangeness of the vocal delivery, and how effectively they tap into different styles across a 33 minute runtime. Surfer Rosa is among their best albums (Doolittle being the other that comes to mind). I find myself engaged the entire way through. 5/5
This album was alright. Some punk sounds to it, but not entirely punk. Some parts shred, some parts didn't. Didn't listen to this one too closely. Tony's Theme would be a great song to listen to if you have a friend named Tony who warranted a theme song. TOE - NAY!
Where is my mind is a great song. The rest of the album not so much. A little too disorganized and shouty for me.
Excited for this. I liked Doolittle but saw a few songs of theirs at Roo and wasn't impressed so we'll see! 2 songs in this shit is dark. They really like singing about bones. Definitely like the punk sound wayyyyy more than the usual boring ass punk albums we've listened to already. Didn't even know they had a girl singer. 6 songs in and this is just raw af bordering on some noise rock but the guitars I actually fuck with. Where is My Mind is a 5/5 song but no shit there. Whooaaaaaa a superhero named Tony?!?!?! If you don't like this dudes voice you will probably hate this album lol. Also some Spanish goin on. This is some angry shit! Definitely hear some Nirvana in this. But like the really raunchy raw Nirvana where Kurt Cobain wants to kill the world. Not bad I can see myself getting in a mood for this.
For having that dramatic cover, the album is pretty funny.
"Where is my Mind?" seems out of place with the rest of this album. I kind of preferred the frantic nature of the other songs. 4/5 would listen again.
Surfer Rosa is the debut album by the American alternative rock band Pixies. This is considered to be one of the best Pixies' albums and a great rock album overall. It's been certified gold in Canada, US, and UK. The hooks and guitar riffs are memorable and unique which was praised by critics. I thought this was an amazing album and I'm glad I got to listen to the Pixies' debut album for the first time. I agree this is a staple of alternative rock and everyone should give it a listen.
Fantastic record, easy 5 stars very familiar with this, can't get enough of it, they really were great!
I never really gotten into Pixies, and listening the whole album kinda made it a bit worse? THey're a bit too weird for me. Musically interesting, it takes some cool shifts and turns in the songs. But whenever the vocals kick in, either by Black Francis or Kim Deal, it bugs me. Maybe another album works better, but it seems this is their magnum opus, so I kinda doubt it. 4,5 out of 10
I really liked the atmosphere of this one. I was more excited for Doolittle, but I'm glad I got this one. It's nice to know some more Pixies songs. Man, writing reviews is hard. My favourite song was Where Is My Mind?
Hadn't put this on in literal years, and so of course I had to listen to it like 3 times in a row. My sister gave me the CD of this for my birthday back in like '05 and it blew my little Sonic Youth obsessed mind. This was formative to my taste, but I feel like I like it even more now than when I first heard it. Easy 5.
Hyviä teemoja pistää ajattelemaan.. filosofinen teos ja elämälle uus suunta..
The first two records from Pixies feel so absurdly ahead of their time. While not quite as hard-hitting as Doolittle, Surfer Rosa still sounds fresh even though it has evidently influenced everyone from Nirvana up to Interpol (who shamelessly copied the riff from 'Where Is My Mind' on 'Rest My Chemistry').
I’m not sure we could have physically entered the 90’s without Pixies doing what they did in the late 80’s.
нравитца
I owned this on a cd with come on pilgrim so it's weird to me to listen to it separate. As a teen I'd have called them my favourite band for a while and they were very influential on me starting my own band, as they were for so many others. I love that this is a chaotic breath of fresh air and full of energy and weirdness, but I don't quite love it like I used to do. Still a really important album and more interesting than most indie
4*
I've listened to this record countless times since discovering it in my teens. It's the pixies' crackhead album, some highs and lows but a great album nonetheless! I think one of the members of radiohead described it as "a band that's playing in your living room" and I think that's the best way of putting it.
Pixies aren't my jam, but this is a tasty album, with a cover that is iconic.
begging this fucking webbed site for half stars options. 3.5. anyways miss deal i am on my knees pls give me one chance i’m dying here. anyways thinking about how much more complicated my children trying to get through their moms music would be than getting through my own moms music like this is. this is all raw emotion and not an endless parade of self and culture referential cryptology.
Puolikkaita ei voi näköjään antaa. Ihan ok albumi, antaisin 2.5/5, mutta kun ei puolikkaita niin 2/5. Muutama hyvä biisi, kappaleet sopivan lyhyitä ja vaihtelua oli biisien välillä. Voisin toisteki tän kuunnella, mutta en ajatellut pixiesin muuhun tuotantoon tutustua.
3.5! Love me some Pixies. Särökitaraa ja viimeistelemätöntä touhua, tykkäsin. En ole koskaan kuunnellut tätä levyä, vaikka moni biisi on tuttu.
Had heard only "Where Is My Mind" before. Interesting sound and production, some tracks could have been omitted but overall great stuff.
Nautin vääristyneistä kitaroista, haistakaa vittu -meiningistä ja sopivasta (33min) mitasta. 3.5/5, mutta pyöristetään ylöspäin.
I bought this album back when I first heard of the 1001 Albums list, mostly because I was already familiar with "Where Is My Mind?" being played at the end of Fight Club. For better or worse, the rest of the album wasn't really like "Where Is My Mind?", and I didn't care for the album too much. Over the years though, The Pixies have grown on me quite a bit. I love the heavily distorted guitars, Black Francis's vocals, and the sometimes manic weirdness of the majority of the songs ("Tony's Theme" nearly broke my brain when I first heard this album). It's hard to imagine nineties alternative rock without the influence of this album. This is a fantastic album that had a significant impact on alternative rock.
Pixies are metal lyricism in a old rock body. The generally vulgar themes they use are inspiration for much music down the line
Pretty hard to argue with such an important album as this one is. I learned today. I always think of The Pixies as kind of punk, but Wiki says I'm wrong and they are "alternative rock". Anyhow, Where is My Mind is the high point for me personally, but the driving drums, the strong basslines, and of course the epic male and female vocalists on one album (always a great choice, think The XX, Sonic Youth etc..) make this a terrific choice. Bone Machine is great too. Broken Face is my least favorite, but it isn't dislikable enough for me to tax it a star. It's ot my favorite Pixies album, but I mean, what a band. What a sound.
Anybody who says there's "nothin' good" on this album hasn't seen the cover art.
"Doolittle" was only released a year later, but there is such a difference between the two albums. "Surfer Rosa," the Pixies debut, generally feels like the chaos is leading the way, a band out of control and letting it all fly in the recording studio. Sometimes that makes for great moments in songs, but sometimes it can be a bit too much. On "Doolittle," it felt like they found the right balance. The chaos is still there, but the band is controlling the chaos and using it to pointed effect. The major exception here is "Where Is My Mind?," my favorite Pixies song. It is the best example on "Surfer Rosa" of the chaos controlled. While the album falls short of "Doolittle," "Where Is My Mind?" gets all the stars.
The middle third of the album was great. I have a special place in my heart for Gigantic since my roommate in college originally thought the lyrics sounded like "amphibian love" instead of "a big, big love". I still like to sing it that way. Ultimately, this album is not my favorite Pixies album, it doesn't feel as intentional as Doolittle, but I still love the Pixies sound.
Noisy noise
Salvo "Where is my mind", bastante olvidable...
It was very bipolar. Some of the ones were amazing and others felt like it was made by a schizophrenic. The good ones are worth listening through the weird ones though.
This is hard. I LOVE where is my mind, but lord this album was bad. It sounded like generic counter culture punk rock. DNF.
"Huh, this sounds like it should have came out in the mid-90s..." then I realize the albums in the mid-90s are trying to sound like this. Sometimes you just don't realize how influential something is before all the puzzle pieces fit together. It's messy-- almost a bit too messy for me to get a proper handle on it sometimes. The backhalf definitely gets weaker, but Gigantic to Where Is My Mind? is some of the absolute best that indie has to offer. A ramshackle 3.5/5.
It's dirty, chaotic and angry, which can make it hard to listen to at times. At the same time, it has a certain freshness and some pretty interesting guitar and drums sections. Mixed on this one. I don't have a desire to re-visit, but I do see the appeal.
Not bad for a first effort. Good energy and decent riffs. Is there anything that really jumped out at me? No. Would I sit through it if it came up in the playlist? Yes.
Excellent tracks, weird, cool American alternative rock. If you like the pixies you're probably a pal. I used to bitch all the time about their truly awful lyrics when I was a young poseur but I have grown up since. Iconic album, iconic tracks.
pretty good
Pixies are ok, this album is ok
1 star for songwriting, 1 star for musical skill, 5 stars for somehow finding an audience?
Best Pixies album in my opinion. It's not really a hit songs album other than the obvious ones. Most of the songs are little funny,weird songs but they compliment eachother really well.
kun albumin parhaalla biisillä on 30x kuunteluja seuraavaan biisiin verrattuna huoh, EI OLE HYVÄÄ LUVASSA VAROITAN......(jos vähiten kuunneltu biisi paras = hyvä album,) kuulemma hyvä albumi noh KUULOSTANEE IHAN PERUS INDIE POP PUNK ROCKILTA MEIKÄ POJAN KOROVIIN:....... EI KOVIN HYVÄLTÄ SIIS.. eilen sama albumi jota kaikki vihas....sanoin ehkä ok general public...ei enäää....samasta albumista tykätään nyt...VEDETTIIN NENÄSTÄ KUN KARJANKOIRA KONSANAAN... LAMMASTA LAITUMELLE... where is my mind
It was okay
Where. Is. My. Mind. “And die”!! - No I was saying it to Kim. She said “touch my shit” and I finished her sentence.
Maybe one for the teenagers amongst us
It's just amazing. Funny, witty, catchy, dangerous, and funking cool. Like going to a dodgy bar which will occasionally erupt into a fight but has amazing live music, and the coolest people you can ever meet without becoming pretentious. Doolittle is still better though. 18/07/23
Thought I was going to like this. Potentially good. Debut album = potential wasn't meet. Some tracks are really bad.
Amazing album, the basis for a lot of great 90's bands that came later. The raw energy on this album is unparalleled, and the music is unconventional and interesting.