Surfer Rosa

I mean, it’s the absolute opus by one of the best bands of the late 80s/90s alt rock boom? Listening to this with a more critical ear really brings out just how many people these guys influenced. Hard to hear the opening of cactus with that dirty guitar and not go ‘oh, it’s ‘roll with it’’. Brilliant album.

LOVE

Never goes away. Timeless and crazy genius that makes you feel better every listen.

ez 5 stars

Fun!

Dope

My love for Pixies began here. I knew 4AD as the label for Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance, but Pixies is entirely different from those two bands--and nearly anything else released on that label up to that point. Dave Lovering's drums are like gunshots throughout this album, and Black Francis' weird and funny lyrics, Kim Deal's (Mrs. John Murphy) cool, and Joey Santiago's barely-contained guitar freak-outs all add up to a WILD 33 minute ride. It's a desert island album for me, dog.

I love this album already lol

5/5 no notes

Super

Great album!

There isn’t a hard rockin band post 1988 that doesn’t have surfer rosa in its dna.

an all-time fave forever!

Enjoyable and it's on this list because it set the groundwork for the alternative/grunge genres which would follow.

It's class, can see why it was such a game changing album for the time but it holds up. Listen to a fair bit of Pixies these days off the back of this list so had already heard this. Can tell it cost nowt to record, as the Pixies are a bit rough and ready anyway I'd say I slightly prefer Doolittle. Still full of loads of great songs, even ignoring where is my mind which is the most obvious hit. Feels like it lasts about 5 minutes, flies by. Easy 5.

yeahhh just really really great. an absolute thunderbolt of the band's creativity and cleverness, and Albini's sound engineering style being just sooo present all across the record (in the best way!!)

I didn't have time to listen to it today. Lakly I know it very well. And absolutely love. My Pixies era was short but intense. I used to listen to Surfer Rosa and Dulitle back to back every day. Back then I wondered what in my opinion is the slightly superior album. I think the debut is. The rawness and energy are unmatched. Super strong. An AMAZING start to an incredible career.

I love this album, it’s raw and visceral and yet catchy and soft in parts. Obsessed with the guitar tones. I’ve got a tattoo based on one of the songs on this record because it’s extremely sentimental for me. I couldn’t not give this album 5/5.

Has some absolute bangers, and also enormously influential on lots of bands I love.

Fuck yeah, Pixies!

A really good album with some great songs. Discovering artists that I have missed even if they are as big as the Pixies seems to have been is the thing I had hoped for when I started this list.

A perfect album, albeit one that I’ve heard some songs from a bit too much over the years, but hearing it as a whole reinvigorated my love for it.

Top 5 album of all time

One of the best albums of the 80s and of all time. Break My Body, Something Against You, Broken Face, Cactus, Tony's Theme, Oh My Golly, Vamos, and Brick Is Red are basically running in loops thru my head at all times. (Along with half the songs from *Doolittle*.) Frank Black is one of the all-time great songwriters, along with Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Lennon & McCartney, Carole King, Tom Waits, and Prince. Surfer Rosa is like a brilliant whirlwind of jokey, avant-garde, cut-and-paste, art-rock, barely controlled madness. It's like a Jackson Pollack painting or a Donald Barthelme short story. Even today it still sounds like the future. This shit is fucking fire.

Yeah Pixies!!!

Great album

Long time lover of the Pixies, heard Doolittle when I was like 11 and its still one of my favourite albums today. Going into this I only knew Gigantic and Where Is My Mind?, which to be fair I still feel like are the best songs on this album, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it on the first listen. Its everything great about Doolittle but a bit less, more unfocused and not quite as catchy. That said, its brilliant. I love Frank and Kim's vocals, the songs never go where you expect them to, the guitars are either comically classic or noisy as all hell, it's a great album that sounds like a bunch of kids having fun. Also one of Albini's best production credits, the loose feel and live sound perfectly capture the energy of the music. I think the thing I love most about the Pixies is they can scream and yelp and get weird af in an enjoyable way, and then the song will be the poppiest catchiest earworm imaginable, and they dance between the two so effortlessly. Where Is My Mind? obviously a classic song, massively influential introspective banger, but for me personally Gigantic is the song of the album. The bassline is great, the single note guitars in the pre-chorus building up the tension into one the most catchiest and cathartic choruses of all time. Where I would (and will in the hopefully near future) give Doolittle a 10/10, I could comfortably give this an 8. I imagine upon going back to it a few times I could come to give it a 9. But since we are locked to 5 its getting the top marks. Favourites - Bone Machine, Break My Bones, Broken Face, Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind?, Cactus, Tony’s Theme, Oh My Golly!

Found myself deliberating all day on this record. It’s so solid, not a bad song on it, but it didn’t grab me like I hoped it would. The main highlights for me were Kim’s vocal harmonies, and having the snare on the 1 and 3 during Bone Machine the saucy gits. And obviously Where Is My Mind? Is an all timer, no doubt about it. So is it a 5? Well, I gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a 5 and this a better album. So yes, but damn if it isn’t scraping it. Bone Machine (8/10) Break My Body (8/10) Something Against You (8/10) Broken Face (8/10) Gigantic (8/10) River Euphrates (9/10) Where Is My Mind? (10/10) Cactus (8/10) Tony’s Theme (9/10) Oh My Golly! (9/10) Vamos (9/10) I’m Amazed (8/10) Brick is Red (8/10) 8.5/10

One of the best pixies albums

This was such an awesome experience to listen to. The last quarter of the album is pure perfection really.

Classic

pixies coulda wrote heart-shaped box but nirvana could never write tony's theme

BEST SONGS: - Where Is My Mind? - Break my Body - Vamos

I remember seeing this album as a kid in the record store... Good times

Just read the reviews for this album and the only logical conclusion I can draw based on the evidence is that some people don't deserve ears.

First impression pre listen: So I've already heard this album many times before. I really enjoy this era of Pixies. And while Doolittle is in my opinion a slightly better album Surfer Rosa is still fantastic as well. It's an instant 5/5 stars based on previous experiences. Individual track notes: Bone Machine I love the energy of this track. Fantastic guitar. Strange and dynamic vocals. The screams are wild. Impactful and rich drums. The bass grounds the track away from the eclectic craziness. Great. 4.5/5 Break My Body Fantastic guitar riff. The rawness of the chorus makes it even catchier. Solid bassline. Love the paired vocals. Fantastic. 5/5 Something Against You Blazing energy. The distorted vocals add a lot to the garagey sound. Wild and unfiltered. Does all it needs to do during its short runtime. Fantastic. 5/5 Broken Face Really weird. Fantastic fuzzy guitar. Again, love the energy. The verse melody is very distinct. Great. 4.5/5 Gigantic Fantastic bassline. Really catchy. Large and impactful chorus. Oozes of positive emotions. Nostalgic and pure. Fantastic. The guitar outro just slaps. 5/5 River Euphrates Ethereal and dreamy verse. Weird and abrasive chorus, great contrast. The siren like guitars add a lot of atmosphere. Great. 4.5/5 Where Is My Mind? From start to finish one of the most captivating songs to ever be made. The strange dream-like lyrics, the fuzzy and raw guitar and the infectious drum beat. Everything works to perfection. The howls are just amazing. Perfectly weird without being inaccessible. Sounds exactly like what the concept says it should. Fantastic. 5/5 Cactus Really weird. Instrumental, lyrics, presentation, it all is just weird. It's bleak and off-putting and the vocals sound pleading and pathetic. It all really works to create a surreal and interesting experience. Great. 4.5/5 Tony's Theme Fantastic energy. Charming lyrics. Great chorus. Thumping bass. Really like the distorted pastiche/parody of a tv cartoon opening theme, it's a fun concept for this sound. Almost has a cursed aura to it. Fantastic. 5/5 Oh My Golly! Guns blazing frantic craziness. The use of spanish lyrics with the latin sounding guitar adds a unique element to the song. Fantastic energy. The final part of the song is really awkward. Great. 4.5/5 Vamos A continuation of the Spanish themes from the previous song. Great drums. Frantic and fun chorus. Love the background screams. The weird experimental guitar effects are great. Really weird. Fantastic. 5/5 I'm Amazed Fun skit. Great guitar. Love the split vocals. Good. 4/5 Brick Is Red Infectious riffs. Solid guitar track. Really cryptic lyrics. Love the earnest delivery. Works well as an outro. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: Short and full of weird eclectic energy that is both entertaining and full of unique ideas. It feels like every song on this record was created from a sudden spark of creativity which gives it this raw and unfiltered aura. The band seems to not give a fuck about what others think, and are just playing whatever they wish to. It's experimental, noisy and wild, while still having moments that genuinely sound joyful and positive. The split male/female vocals, the squealing guitars and the driving basslines, along with the ever impactful drumming gives the album a unique sound which sticks long after you've finished listening. Does familiarity impact my rating? Perhaps, but it's still a banger. 5/5

I enjoyed this, will listen again in its entirety. Where is my mind? obviously excellent, but I also thought the rest of the album was great. True Indy sound, the OG

אלבום מצוין!!! השיר האהוב - Where is my mind מקום שני וקרוב מאוד - Vamos

Fantastic. Energetic. Unique. Just bloody brilliant.

So many great songs, i instantly fell in love. I liked this a lot more than other fives I've put.. maybe I should be more stringent. A couple weak/niche sounds here and there (earl sweatshirt LLL vibes), but can't win em all. I guess im more into punk than I thought.. jk I always knew probably. Could definitely groove out to this. FIVE!

One of the defining efforts of the coming sound of the 1990’s. This album, and later this band, changed my entire perception of what music could be.

What are my top favorite albums in absolute classic. Grunge before grunge was a genre.

Listened via YouTube music in the car. This is probably the Pixies album that I listen to the least, but it’s still a classic. The B sides from this are great too. Emilia enjoyed listening to it too.

I mean cmon

This is a great album even before we get to the song that starts with the word "Stop" that is so iconic. Favorite tracks: "Gigantic," "River Euphrates," and of course "Where Is My Mind?"

Amazing.

A unique album that defines indie rock of the 80s and beyond.

Best Pixies album - legendary.

this is THE pixies album - such a treat for the ears, their sound is just remarkable and it has been so interesting to hear this album with the fresh perspective into the development of their sound from their earlier work. bigly enjoyed.

Como me encantan pixie 😭 Que puedo decir, un muy buen álbum de rock alternativo q me gustó mucho pq estoy acostumbrada al sonido de esta banda, igual, me desentona un poco la voz de la tipa en ciertas canciones… (Puñeta! su mejor frase) (Dato super importante: este álbum salió en el cumple de mi mamá!!)

One of my favorite albums.

My favourite Pixies album

Fantastic classic album. Gigantic and Where Is My Mind? are the obvious standouts.

Explosive, catchy, furiously fun. It's a perfect blends of the heaviness, speed and dynamics of post-hardcore DIY indie rock with power pop hooks, surf bass + light hearted mood, and post-punk guitar textures + abstract lyrics. Just an unbelievable debut that right from the jump establishes a formula a million other bands have tried to do a million times.

A true gem.

God damn it, this is a great album. The Pixies time on this earth was too short.

Awesome!

One of my all-time favorite albums. This is just a classic-classic in my book.

Not really a big fan of punk/punk pop/ whatever this is, but I really enjoyed the album. It was interesting, in a way that I really enjoyed. Never boring. Plus... boobs. My Rating: 5/5

It's always nice to have an excuse to listen to the Pixies. I get that this is not for everyone, and that's fine. It's unhinged, beautiful, and bizarre. I love it.

'Our love is rice and beans / and horses lard'; 'Break my body, hold my bones, hold my bones.' Sadomasochistic, not so much: just up-front and in-your-face, involving lyrics that at times detail violence and upset. Few artists can do this gracefully, let alone tangibly, but that's what the Pixies pull off on this record. Black Francis and Kim Deal don't so much as sing as insist, a dynamic matched by the much lauded drummer David Lovering. This is what metal strives for but seldom achieves: if you want to go dark, go ahead, but it only hits when the brutality has intention and grit. This has all that and then some. Besides, no group remotely sounds like them, even tho you can hear the influences (Modern Lovers) and aftermaths (Nirvana).

a lovely, unkempt piece of sloppy madness. it's so weird and i love it top to bottom.

My favorite Pixies album

just a group of people having fun

This is #day270 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my first Pixies record on the list. That album cover alone makes me want to stare at it forever, or better yet, have it on vinyl and do both. The music? I kept thinking I was hearing In Utero-style drumming throughout. No surprise there: Kurt Cobain was a huge Pixies fan, and their influence on Nirvana is unmistakable. That raw, roomy sound? Classic Steve Albini. What a signature to recognize. If you're diving into the history of '90s alternative rock, this is your first stop. Also, "Where Is My Mind?" is such a classic... This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day271.

The band arrives with a bang with this debut. The formula would be perfected with Doolittle but the influence of this one was huge.

One of my top ten favorite albums of all time, from one of my top 5 favorite bands. I fell in love with the Pixies the moment I heard them....and this album, for me, is perfection. Fave tracks: Where Is My Mind? (one of my theme songs), Cactus, and Tony's Theme (because it always reminds me of my friend Tony who's one of my favorite people on the planet)

OK, it disintegrates a bit at the end, but it's still a beautiful album. Kim's voice and Joey Santiago's guitar, with Black Francis just a suggestion in the background, are just gorgeous together. It's always good to be reminded to listen to the whole album and not just the songs you hear all the time (and know from that weight-loss ad, ugh).

One of my favorite albums ever. This is a record that changed what I liked about music.

Anything by first time round Pixies is god like

My favorite pixies album

Love this album. Bone machine, Where is my mind… classics.

It was 1993 in Fort Lauderdale, my first time at Garageland, a storage place that hosted local punk rock shows. For many years I saw my life as something that took place before Garageland and after Garageland. I went through what I imagine is the normal process of learning about punk rock music. You start with The Ramones and Sex Pistols and then work your way back and forth until you find something that fits. Then you throw yourself into your first mosh pit but that's a tale for another album review. I was nervous when I walked into the local punk rock record shop, a small store near the north corner of the Sunrise and US1 intersection. I probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights but I did my best to hide my confusion. My heart was beating fast as I looked at the tapes. I didn't recognize any of the names until I saw "The Pixies". I'm pretty sure the first time I'd heard them was "Wave of Mutilation" from the "Pump Up The Volume" soundtrack. I grabbed "Trompe le Monde", paid and left. I know this review is for a different album but I do love me some Pixies, including "Gigantic" and "Where Is My Mind?" which are both on Surfer Rosa. Five stars.

I came to the Pixies a little back asswards. We didn't have college radio or anything of the like in Florida, so my understanding of what was cool mostly came from music magazines, and I remember reading about the Pixies just when I was getting into guitar/alternative music again. And, of course, they opened for U2 on a leg of the Zoo TV tour, which was enough for me to chase them down. Chasing them down meant looking for their CD in the used racks, because I wasn't really sure where to start. And, of course, the record that was found in EVERY used CD racked around 1991/92 was Trompe Le Monde. So I bought that, and thought, "eh, UMass rocks but there's not a ton here." Then slowly I started hearing more of their stuff, surely by college I was familiar with the hits on Surfer Rosa, but it was awhile before I actually got around to listening to the record itself. Anyway, at some point this stuff became part of the water in which I (we?) all swam. It was just something everyone agreed upon, so there it was, at every party, every dance night, etc. I tried going back and listening to this fresh as part of this exercise, but it's hard, the songs all seem so firmly rooted in a time and place for me. I'll sing along to Gigantic and Where is My Mind? when they're on at a bar, but wouldn't put them on. Still, the album tracks here more than make up for my exhaustion with the hits. 5 stars, good music.

A perfect band. So odd and lopsided but also simple and childlike all at once. Where Is My Mind however much I hear it remains a perfect song.

What a good surprise to see this album in this list! Back in 1988 came Surfer Rosa, this total UFO of an album that totally flopped when it first dropped… but which has since proved to have been a game-changer in music. To this day, this unique, proudly weird, wildly inspired…and even occasionally gorgeous album rivals anything garage rock has produced since. However, it isn’t their most accessible work.

Such a great musical roller coaster ride. Cut and paste approach of styles and wild production still sounds very fresh and raw.

Totalne złoto. Wprowadza mnie w nastrój "jest brud, zło, jest mi wspaniale"

9/10

The pixies are one of my favorite bands, and while surfer Rosa is a great album, I find it to be the least interesting up to trompe le monde.

LOVE THIS ALBUM! I can't get enough of it. It's unusual, energetic, and kooky at times. It takes me to a place where being weird is celebrated, like Austin circa 1988.

deze plaat kan NIET overschat worden

This is really a love or hate it thing, you're either into this energy or not, and let me tell you I am. While not every song is a structural or lyrical masterpiece, the energy this record has is a phenomenal achievement.

Man, the Pixies have such a distinct sound. Im much more familiar with Doolittle (and to be honest, I still prefer it), but SR was tastefully raw and so far ahead of the curve sonically. The front half is way stronger than the second half, but its a loaded 30 mins of fun with only a few skips Favorites: River Euphrates Bone machine Gigantic, Where is my mind 4.5 stars and rounding up.

Done

Good album

Oh Hell Yeah!! Great album with raw power to make you feel like you can take over the world.

fantastic

https://youtu.be/A7VhNjZXALU?si=_MeGCxH2axbJH3p3

I'm completely subjective about this one - it is a definite 5. This was the music from my uni years but it still sounds fresh and unique. This is energetic, no faff, fun, with elements from rock, punk and more. Gigantic - what a song, driven by an extremely simple but equally functional bass line and a penetrating guitar. And the energy! But there are lots of other great songs.

Absolute banger. 5/5

Such a classic!

This fucking ROCKS!

## In-Depth Review of *Surfer Rosa* by Pixies Released in 1988, *Surfer Rosa* is the debut full-length album by Pixies, a seminal alternative rock band that helped shape the genre's future. Produced by Steve Albini, the album is renowned for its raw production, dynamic sound, surreal lyrics, and thematic boldness. Below is an analysis of its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and its strengths and weaknesses. --- ### **Lyrics** Black Francis (Frank Black), the band's frontman and primary lyricist, crafted surreal and provocative lyrics that remain a hallmark of *Surfer Rosa*. The album explores dark and unsettling themes such as sexuality, violence, voyeurism, and alienation. - **Sexuality and Taboos**: Tracks like "Bone Machine," "Break My Body," and "Broken Face" delve into sexual taboos and deviant behavior. For example, "Bone Machine" juxtaposes betrayal with sexual imagery, while "Broken Face" narrates a grotesque tale of mutilation and incest[1][7]. - **Surrealism**: The lyrics often lean toward the surreal and cryptic. "Where Is My Mind?" evokes a dreamlike state with its existential musings, while "Cactus" uses minimalist imagery to depict longing[2][6]. - **Cultural References**: Songs like "Oh My Golly!" and "Vamos" incorporate Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico, reflecting Francis' fascination with Hispanic culture[7]. Francis' ability to blend grotesque imagery with humor and absurdity adds depth to the album's lyrical content. However, the abstract nature of the lyrics can make them inaccessible to some listeners. --- ### **Music** Musically, *Surfer Rosa* is a fusion of punk energy, pop sensibilities, and experimental tendencies. The band’s signature quiet-loud dynamics are prominently featured throughout. - **Quiet-Loud Dynamics**: This approach—soft verses exploding into loud choruses—is evident in tracks like "Bone Machine" and "Gigantic." This technique later became a staple in alternative rock[2][4]. - **Diverse Styles**: The album oscillates between aggressive punk tracks like "Something Against You" and melodic pieces like "Where Is My Mind?" This variety showcases the band's versatility[7]. - **Instrumentation**: Joey Santiago's distorted guitar riffs add a raw edge to the songs, while Kim Deal's bass lines provide a melodic counterpoint. David Lovering's drumming is dynamic yet restrained when needed[4][5]. - **Vocals**: Black Francis’ screamed vocals contrast sharply with Kim Deal’s soft harmonies on tracks like "Gigantic," creating a compelling interplay[4]. While the music is innovative and engaging, some critics argue that certain tracks feel underdeveloped or overly chaotic. --- ### **Production** Steve Albini's production is one of *Surfer Rosa*'s defining features. Albini emphasized a raw, live sound that captures the band's energy: - **Minimalist Approach**: Albini avoided overproduction, opting instead for natural reverb and minimal overdubs. This gives the album an unpolished yet authentic feel[4][5]. - **Experimental Techniques**: Albini employed unconventional methods such as recording vocals through guitar amps ("Something Against You"), adding an experimental edge to the sound[4]. - **Drum Emphasis**: The drums are particularly prominent in the mix, giving tracks like "Bone Machine" a visceral impact[5]. While Albini’s production style enhances the album’s raw aesthetic, it may come across as abrasive or unrefined to listeners accustomed to cleaner production. --- ### **Themes** Thematically, *Surfer Rosa* is rich and multifaceted: 1. **Sexuality**: Several songs explore themes of voyeurism ("Gigantic"), sexual otherness ("Bone Machine"), and taboos ("Broken Face")[1][7]. 2. **Violence**: Tracks like "Break My Body" incorporate violent imagery to evoke discomfort. 3. **Alienation**: Songs such as "Where Is My Mind?" reflect feelings of disconnection from reality. 4. **Surrealism**: The album frequently juxtaposes bizarre scenarios with mundane details, creating a dreamlike atmosphere[2][6]. These themes contribute to the album's unsettling yet captivating nature. However, its dark subject matter may not resonate with all listeners. --- ### **Influence** *Surfer Rosa* has had an enduring impact on alternative rock: - **Kurt Cobain's Admiration**: Cobain cited *Surfer Rosa* as a major influence on Nirvana’s *Nevermind*, particularly its quiet-loud dynamics and raw production[2][4]. - **Shaping Alternative Rock**: The album inspired countless bands in the 1990s grunge movement and beyond. - **Cultural Legacy**: Tracks like "Where Is My Mind?" have become iconic, appearing in films like *Fight Club* and gaining new audiences over decades[6]. The album’s innovative approach to songwriting and production set a blueprint for alternative music that remains relevant today. --- ### **Pros** 1. **Innovative Sound**: The quiet-loud dynamics were groundbreaking at the time. 2. **Raw Production**: Steve Albini’s minimalist approach enhances the album’s authenticity. 3. **Diverse Styles**: The mix of punk aggression and melodic sensibility keeps listeners engaged. 4. **Lyrical Depth**: Black Francis’ surrealist lyrics invite multiple interpretations. 5. **Cultural Impact**: Its influence on artists like Nirvana solidifies its place in rock history. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Inaccessibility**: The abstract lyrics and dark themes may alienate casual listeners. 2. **Unpolished Sound**: While intentional, the raw production might feel abrasive to some. 3. **Uneven Tracks**: Some songs feel less developed compared to standout hits like "Where Is My Mind?" or "Gigantic." 4. **Polarizing Vocals**: Francis’ screamed delivery can be jarring for certain audiences. --- ### Final Assessment *Surfer Rosa* is a landmark album that combines raw energy with artistic ambition. Its innovative dynamics, provocative themes, and unfiltered production make it essential listening for fans of alternative rock. While not without flaws—its abrasiveness and thematic darkness may deter some—it remains one of Pixies’ most influential works. For those willing to embrace its eccentricities, *Surfer Rosa* offers an unforgettable experience that continues to resonate decades after its release.

Most excellent.

Caged animal gnashing, dirty desert atmospherics, strange American characters, spidery surf rock and a library's worth of literature. In a blender.

Gigantic, big big love

Vamos a jugar por la playa Vamos a jugar por la playa Vamos a jugar por la playa Vamos a jugar por la playa Vamos a jugar por la playa

Super rad Forgot how good this album is

I guess I really enjoyed it because once the Spotify autoplay song came on after the album ended was jarring and disappointing. At only 34 minutes one of the shortest albums I've gotten so far and of course one of my favorites.

Absolutely essential and ground breaking guitar pop

Used to be my fav album for a reason

They probably didn't peak until Doolittle but Surfer Rosa is a belting album as well. I love the distorted guitars - just crank this MF up and it's hard to resist its charms. Loud, intense, chaotic but with catchy elements that you can sing along to in places. Massively influential on the grunge genre in the 90s but extremely fun in its own right too.

I was swimming in the Carribean

This album is weird, chaotic, and raw. It's full of energy and fun little skits. I love all the high energy riffs.

What a fantastic record. This has all of the right ingredients for a perfect punk record. Its fast, weird, silly, sexy, uncomfortable, loud, noisy, but it all flows together so perfectly. Its funny how much I value diverse sounds, and instruments blending together (the 2 soul / funk albums this week are good examples), but when I listen to this it, it really isn't that much different. Its just a wide variety of sounds, interesting guitar riffs, with overly distorted guitar, groovy bass lines and very snappy drumming. Then the vocals and lyrics are all over the place. Sometimes its ska, other times is Bowie-esque psych, then its hardcore and punk. It all just meshes to well and also so aggressively. This isn't easy listening, but its engaged listening. Which is why its so fantastic and so fun to get into. Pixies will always be an important band to me, and I had a blast going through this multiple times today.

4.8

So much screeching, lots of bangers I didn’t even know I knew top 3 1. Tony’s theme 2. Gigantic 3. Where is my mind

I’m not Black like Barry White no I am white like Frank Black is.

Ну это пиксиис это баааза

I'm the horny loser You'll find me crashin through my mothers door I am the ugly lover You'll find us rolling on the dirty floor Break my body hold my bones Hold my bones Yeah, this is a damn good album. Ahead of its time. 5/5

Nice. Great stuff

I listened to this album so much at the time I almost sickened myself. Also with age and familiarity the lyrics seem a little silly. But I sat and gave it a proper listen for the first time in years and it is an amazing piece of work. From a UK perspective it felt revelatory at the time ushering loud guitars back to a level of popularity after years of jingle jangle. Some simple four piece bands just have a special magic when they meet and Pixies had that on the first few records. They were also great live. This is also the record that cemented Steve Albini as a celebrity recording engineer. It still sounds extraordinary and arguably neither PJ Harvey or Nirvana were able to fully repeat the trick when they asked him to record their Surfer Rosas later.

Great record. Sick drum sound…!

Fantastic debut, one cant fault this album

Where is my mind?!?! anyone else solely relate the pixies to fight club?

Fantastic

Exceptionally raw emotion

Really cool album. Great drum lines. More varied than expected for a punk album, too. Can see why the Pixies are so influential. Where is my Mind is a classic, but I also love Tony's Theme and Oh My Golly!

This is just great music.

Nice

Awesome album

Best Pixies Album. Such an original sound. Indie rock, punk, grunge whatever you want to call it-Pixies are original and just plain bad ass. Every song on surfer Rosa is chefs kiss

I actually like Doolittle better but this is just such a great album. Too bad some of the videos on YouTube are age-restricted because I simply will not log into YouTube.

Amazing album

CLASSICO

This was the perfect album to listen the day after David Lynch dies. Noisy violent funny surreal American art that is still accessible & entertaining.

I think this album takes the best bits of different genres. The aggressive rawness of punk, the noisy garage rock sound with a slight tinge of indie. Despite it being a big influence on the grunge sound of Nirvana, I can't say I personally hear too much of that though I can see why it was an influence. I like both the male and female vocalists and I think they both intertwine well despite being a bit of a contrast to each other. The male vocalist in particular can shout. scream and shriek very well but I also love the more restrained singing he does, which is quite Jack White-esque. The female vocalist is perfect for the slightly more indie sounding tracks. The drum sound is huge. It powers through everything in its way particularly on 'Cactus' which I thought was going to explode into a loud massive wall of noise, but stayed very constrained which surprised me. 'Vamos (Surfer Rosa)' sounded like a throwback to surf rock from the 60's. Very Dick Dale I must say. 'Something Against You' gets in, screams in your face and gets out again before you know what's happened. I really didn't think I'd like this at all, but it was so good. An easy full marks for me.

an all time classic, one of the first CDs I ever bought

This is a Gigantic album for me. It's one of the 11 albums I am glad to have listened to before I die. Every song on this album. It's a big, big love. Now I need to go buy me a soda.

It's perfect. Also I'm not writing about it

classic!

I laughed with the kind of mexican ranchera intro of Vamos. Everyone knows that Where's my mind is a classic for a reason, great songwriting from a band entering its prime years. Nirvana borrowed a trick or two but Kim Deal's backing vocals make this one way better than what Nirvana did to rule the world (Nevermind) 9/10

What a great classic alternative album!!! It's important in the world of modern-day indie music, and it still holds up to this day. It's great!!!

Just a great album, and it holds up just as well today. It really is timeless and such a "quiet" revolution in music. It is fun to listen to while also having complexities and things that have changed indie and alternative music ever since.

One of the best things to come out of both Boston and the 80s.

Op Doolittle vielen alle stukjes op z'n plek en vonden the Pixies de ultieme mix tussen schreeuwen en cathiness. Op Surfer Rosa is het nog allemaal wat ruiger en meer lo-fi. Maar I love it. De eerste helft van de plaat is fenomenaal. Al met al ga ik toch te goed op het manische geblaf van Black Francis en het hoge tempo van de riffs en intro's. Pixies hebben een unieke eigen sound weten neer te zetten die geïnspireerd was uit punk-acts maar toch weer nieuw en actueel was in de tijd dat het uitkwam. Where is My Mind is de beste song van the Pixies in mijn ogen en heb ik (als ik het me goed herinner) ten tijden van de rrrrright2000 op #1 gepositioneerd. Iets wat ik hedendaags zomaar nog eens zou kunnen doen. De tweede helft (na Where is My Mind) laat wat te wensen over en is (lijkt me bedoeld) rommelig en slordig. Zoals in een nummer als Vamos. Maar ook daar komt het toch weer samen in de laatste 30 seconden, als ook Kim Deal gaat meezingen. Het is maar even, maar ook dat is toch weer even een banger. Door de rommeligheid wringt zich het legendarische uniek geluid van the Pixies. En de cover is fantastisch. 9/10 En dan moet Doolittle nog komen! Highlights Where is My Mind Bone Machine Gigantic Tony's Theme

If this scale was /10 ot would be 8.5 Then you remember it doesn't allow decimals so you round to 9 Then you divide it by 2 because this is out of 5 so it is 4.5 But then you remember again you cannot have decimals so you round it up to 5 That's the formula for working out this rating, but the formula for an amazing Pixies album is Black Francis plus Kim Deal plus distortion equals a really really good time.

This is a perfect album. "Gigantic" -- banger. "Where is my mind" -- slaps. "Broken face" -- perfect. I love the tension in this band between Black Francis and Kim Deal. It's salty and sweet all at the same time. I don't remember when I first heard this album but remember spending the year after college with this and Doolittle on heavy rotation. An album apropos for heavy life transitions that really nails the excitement and dread of getting older.

Easy 5

Fantabulous

Cualquier disco de Pixies, de su primera época obviamente, es esencial. Poseedores de una discografía imperecedera (hasta Trompe Le Monde, otra joya injustamente soslayada porque se publicó cuando Nevermind y el grupo estaba roto), con Surfer Rosa desde su impactante portada se convirtieron en el grupo referencia de cientos de bandas que intentaban, sin éxito, lograr su sonido. Surfer Rosa no es su mejor disco (Doolittle) ni al que más aprecio le tengo (Trompe le monde), pero es sin duda el más influyente. Temas como la inicial Bone Machine, con ese quiet-loud-quiet marca de la casa, el eterno Gigantic con Kim Deal tocando el bajo como si fuera una guitarra, la ultraradiada Where is my mind?, la guitarra de Joey en Brick is red, los coros de Kim por todo el disco, los aullidos de Black Francis, la proudcción de Albini... la máquina estaba prefectmente engrasada y sonaba tan diferente como genial. Bowie (que fundó Tin Machine), Bono (que pasó de Rattle and Hum y se lanzó a publicar Achtung baby), Kurt Cobain (que solo aspiraba a sonar parecido a ellos)... cualquiera quería sonar como ellos, pero era algo imposible: Black Francis-Kim Deal- Joey Santiago y David Lovering juntos eran algo único e irrepetible. Un grupo esencial en la música del siglo 20. La edición americana venía con el Ep Come on Pilgrim en el Cd, más crudeza y temazos (con una versión más salvaje de Vamos o una delicia como Isla de Encanta). Un disco eterno e imprescindible. En el 88 había cosas muy interesantes: Public Enemy con It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back , Daydream Nation de Sonic Youth, Lovesexy de Prince, Green de R.E.M. ,Talking Heads con Naked, el debut de Tracy Chapman, Eric B. & Rakim con Follow the Leader, Tender Prey de Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Morrissey debut con Viva Hate , I'm Your Man de Leonard Cohen, el debut de The Sugarcubes con Life's Too Good, Bug de Dinosaur Jr, Pet Shop Boys con Introspective, Vivid de Living Colour; Prefab Sprout con From Langley Park to Memphis, 69 de A.R. Kane, Run-D.M.C. con Tougher Than Leather, The House of Love de The House of Love, The Serpent's Egg de Dead Can Dance, Barbed Wire Kisses de The Jesus and Mary Chain, 101 de Depeche Mode, Bummed de Happy Mondays, Songhai de Ketama, Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ de Christian Death, Birth, School, Work, Death de The Godfathers, el debut de L7, Stronger than pride de Sade, G N'R Lies de Guns and Roses, Only life de The Felies, Today de Galaxie 500, Fisherman's blues de Waterboys, 16 Lovers Lane de The Go-Betweens, Spirit of eden de Talk Talk, Watermark de Enya, Cocteau Twins de Blue Bell Knoll, Peepshow de Siouxsie & the Banshees, Idlewild de Everything but the Girl , Conscious Party de Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, The First of a Million Kisses de Fairground Attraction, People de Hothouse Flowers, Straight Outta Compton de N.W.A, It Takes Two de Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, Nothing's Shocking de Jane's Addiction, Ancient Heart de Tanita Tikaram, Mary Margaret O'Hara con Miss America, La pistola y el corazón de Los Lobos, Talk Is Cheap de Keith Richards, Everything de The Bangles, el Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, Look Sharp! de Roxette, El Ritmo Mundial de Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Shaday de Ofra Haza, Straight out the Jungle de The Jungle Brothers, California de American Music Club, The Trinity Session de Cowboy Junkies, Isn't Anything de My Bloody Valentine, Pata Negra y su Blues de la frontera, The Pogues- If I Should Fall From Grace With God... No digo ya cosas como Robert Palmer, Eight Wonder, Boby McFerrin, Tiffany, New Kids on the Block, Jean Michel Jarre, U2, Martika, Milli Vanilli o Womack and Womack, que tuvieron su gracia.

It’s the pixies! 5/5

Dynamics, tension, power, excitement! It’s all here, and more! Like their Boston compatriots The Cars started the ‘80s within the ‘70s, here the ‘90s began in the ‘80s with a blistering scream.

This is a jam. Really like “Vamos”, “Cactus”, “Bone Machine”, and obviously “Where is my mind”. The albums plays through and flows well. Rounding up… 4.5/5

I always feel like I’ve just completed a successful workout after listening to this album. And that’s a good thing. There’s a lot to unpack here and I love how schizophrenic the record is. One music journalist called it “beautifully brutal”, which is a perfect description. This album was on regular rotation in college for me, ultimately culminating in my band even covering “Gigantic” which has always been one of my favorites by the band. Legacy, influence and unique style all play a part here. And how could you not like Where Is My Mind?

Simply one of the best.

Wish I could give more than 5 stars

Honestly bops

Favourite tracks: where is my mind?; gigantic; cactus; bone machine

Quick, and to the point. More albums should strive to be this punchy and cohesive.

I will never not love this album, even though my first experience with it started with my hate for Where is My Mind. Since then, I have come to love it. Although the lyrics don't really make sense, it adds to the vibe. This was such an important album in music history and it should be remembered that way.

Never listened to this band before and my lord, I've been missing out. What a great album that honestly blew me away. Was absolutely stunned this came out when it did.

oh look, a brand new scare

First and foremost, great tits on the cover. Was a little too heavy for me as an 18 year old, but not now. Definitely one of my fav album productions, the drum sound is incredible.

Bloody love this album and nice to go back to as haven't listened to for a fair while as the sheen got slightly taken off Pixies with them hanging around too long after the reformation and releasing a load of old shite. This and Doolittle are two of the best albums of the 80s for me and whilst Doolittle probably has better song songs, this has a frantic and manic energy alongside absolute beautiful bangers like Where is My Mind and Gigantic. Standouts: Bone Machine Something Against You Broken Face Gigantic River Euphrates Where is My Mind Vamos Most of the album then... Low Points: None

5 stars

Still love it. It's striking how rare originality is in music made after 1980. Nobody has ever sounded like the Pixies. Great melodies. Emotional journeys. Fully baked right out of the box. F#$ing amazing.

This was my introduction to the Pixies, and I loved it. You can tell how the band helped in the transition from punk, post-punk and grunge. Near 40 later this album still feels modern, like an odd mix of surrealism and protogrunge.

The first 35 seconds of "Bone Machine" is all you need as an introduction to the Pixies, the drums, the bass, the guitar, and Black Francis yapping in the background, thats it, get past that and you'll utterly appreciate this un-80s album that set the table for rock and grunge that came after it. Everything is short, punchy, and near perfect.

Always loved this album

i dunno probably changed my perception of music early on...packs so much punch and joy and attitude and melodies and riffs into 34 mins it's actually a miracle 10/10

It doesn't get much better than this. Listening with fresh ears, besides the overall songwriting, I find Joey Santiago's lead guitar stands out. It's such a different approach to lead guitar playing as he rarely takes a break to play rhythm, focusing mostly on some catchy, loud lick. What an amazing and unique debut album. Liked Songs Added: Something Against You Gigantic Where Is My Mind? Tony's Theme Vamos (Surfer Rosa)

Best 90s album to come out of the 80s. In all seriousness, Pixies were ahead of their time and I used to say they are underrated, but time has been kind and they are getting the appreciation they deserve.

i'm realizing every college basement show i ever went to in boston was just trying to be this

Ohhh yeah baby. 33 minutes of raw, relentless creative force and energy. My only complaint is that it isn't any longer, as it always keeps me wanting more.

"Is Surfer Rosa better than Doolittle?" is a question I don't think I could answer at gunpoint.

It's dumb to give an album five stars on the strength of one perfect moment alone. But then I hear the opening of "Where Is My Mind?" and I think hmm maybe it's not so dumb after all.

A great debut full length from a band that made excellent albums in a short period of time. This was produced by Steve Albini (RIP) and to this day still sounds excellent. I love this album.

A masterpiece - a little something for everyone on this album. The Pixies are one of a few bands that could take all their various influences and meld them into their own unique songs.

I really, really, really like this album.

I'd love to know how I'd rate this album if I wasn't already quite familiar with it. I've got a feeling that I might rate it a bit lower, and that part of this rating comes from familiarity, and being a fan of the Pixies work in general. The fact is, I do really like their style in general. I like their anarchic edge, their humour, the guitars, the dual vocals. This may not be as consistent as something like Doolittle, or have as many stand-out tracks, but the album still really works as a whole. They kind of hit the scene fully formed as a band, with a completely unique identity, and that's kind of cool. 4.5 rounded up.

Hard to fault this album, so I won't.

It's a bit rough around the edges, and not every song really hits, but for a debut album, this is fantastic. I can't even imagine listening to this before the grunge era really took off, this shit just seems so ahead of its time.

Wow, I have heard so much of this before but not in one go, that’s an extraordinary album.

Let’s start with the production of this album. There’s no doubt that the Pixies are a great band in their own right, but one of the biggest factors about this album and what gives it its timeless quality is Steve Albini’s production. Steve’s talent for having his minimal approach and being able to capture a room’s natural acoustics and ambiance, or his ability to capture the raw imperfections of the band’s performance, really shines through on this album. It gives you a finished product that’s very raw and unpolished, with a live performance energy and a gritty feel. Another aspect to point out is that Steve would place singers in unusual locations, such as bathrooms, to catch natural reverb. This technique is definitely evident in “Gigantic” with Kim Deal’s vocals. Now moving on to the band, I love how they have an abrasive element to their music, but they also have a knack for catchy hooks and melodies. I could keep going on and on about this album, but the last thing to highlight is Kim Deal’s basslines. Her bass steadily moves in the background, laying a rhythmic foundation for all the other layers and elements of the songs to be built upon.

Ahead of it's time and very influential to a bunch of huge acts. I love this album, high energy and catchy for the most part. Of course where is my mind is a classic and, for me, cannot be separated from the scene in Fight Club, so badass. With all of this being said and how much I like the record and The Pixies overall, this is getting five stars because of the beautiful tits on the cover, sex sells baby.

Superb as most Pixies albums are!!

Elite Album, one of the best Albums from one of the best Bands of All time. For me, doolittle is even better but still 5/5

The first and best Pixies album. Never gets old. Gigantic surely the greatest ever song written about a bloke with a big willy. Fantastically rough and ready. RIP Steve Albini.

All timer for me. I love this album.

The sweet spot of Pixies. Great songs like Gigantic, Bone Machine, and Where's My Mind.

Born of a garage And doused in pop’s charisma Shockingly good stuff

where would i be without it

Not quite up there with Doolittle for me but still pretty great.

love this album

After hearing tracks from this other John Peel show in '88, I was blown away. But not as blown away as my Mum, when I asked her to pick up my ordered copy from Andys Records in Bedford (Yes, if it was deemed too esoteric, then that was what you had to do kids!). When she got home from work, I could tell something about the record was not right, as she thrust it at me and said, "Don't ask me to pick up filth like that ever again!" When I saw the cover I got where she was coming from.... 5 stars for the cover. Musically, this is a wild ride of energetic guitar hammering, yelping vocals, mixed with great tunes, sometimes tender and more often than not feral. All helped along with Steve Albini's recording techniques, (the album that sealed his reputation as the go to man for guitar led indie bands), with his usual attention to detail with the drum sound. Stand out tracks - all of them, but 'Where is my Mind?' And 'Vamos' Steal the show. It's an album that shaped who I am and unsurprisingly in my top 50 albums of all time, so it's an obvious 5 stars for me.

This is debatably my favorite album and it may be my favorite album out of 1001 Albums. When every song is perfect and catchy and stuck in your head for days, that's a perfect album and Surfer Rosa is that album. I heard about The Pixies from Kurt Cobain and liked them as soon as I heard them. Around that time I think they were still disbanded. In college I saw Frank Black on his solo tour with his backup band. It was Halloween and he got locked inside his tour bus but the crowd patiently waited and then he came out with a mask on and played solo acoustic versions of quite a few Pixies songs. The crowd exploded. Frank's solo music is not bad but can't begin to approach the original Pixies. They reunited with Kim for a tour but I think the closest they came to me was Chicago and I couldn't go (that may have been high school). She again left the band and I missed my chance to see the original lineup. I dated a woman and wanted to take her to see the Pixies. We went to the show and things were going well but she walked outside through doors that had no re-entry on them. I left too missing half the show. I get outside and she tells me we should just be friends. And so she ruined the Pixies for me temporarily. But then j realize they are coming to Cleveland in a month and I grab tickets and my best friend and I say "I'm going to see the full show in Cleveland damnit." So we ride to Cleveland listening to the Pixies for most of the ride. And we see the Pixies and they are amazing. Joey Santiago is playing his guitar with a drumstick and frank is having a good time, only getting pissed off here and there but he doesn't throw a tantrum. Great show. I meet another woman and she's the love of my life. And the Pixies return. I have to go. And we get her niece tickets for her birthday along with Head Carrier on vinyl. We go to the show and it's fine. Not as much energy as the last show I had seen but nothing wrong. Anyway, I tell people I've seen the Pixies two and a half times because of the one show I partially missed. And Surfer Rosa is an amazing album. Some of their more recent music has been good but I'm not sure it will stand the test of time like this album and other albums from their original lineup have. Kim Deal was an integral piece of the Pixies puzzle. Paz was spunky and filled in nicely but her politics got her kicked out. I have not seen the new lineup, but I think it's interesting the revolving door of female bassists they've had. And numerous other bands like the Smashing Pumpkins have had issues with male/female band dynamics. All of that to say I love this album and always will.

I love when a record can capture energy like this. Of course I’m an alt rock guy who was a teen in the 90s so I’ve listened to this record a million times and I’ll listen to it a million more.

I know this album for a long time, as my older brother was listening to this in the middle of the '90s. I remember having mix feelings about Pixies because I found it too experimental and dissonant. Apart from Where Is My Mind, I did not listen for this entire album for more than 20 years. And guess what? In the meantime I've been listening to a shitload of noisy and dissonant music, so now I love it, of course. And all hail to Kim Deal, she's hell of a bass player and the vocal harmonies between her voice and Francis' are great.

5/5 - still rad, still weird

Oo yea

Best band of the late 80s / early 90s: Come on Pilgrim - Surfer Rosa - Doolittle - Bossanova are all easily 10/10 overall, and I would rate them in the top 25 of the 1001-list (even though so far the generator only generated Surfer Rosa and Bossanova).

Still sounds as great as ever: sublime album by one of my favourite bands.

Holy shit, this was their debut? They came into the game swinging. This is self-assured, concise, and kick-ass. I had always assumed there was at least half a decade of Pixies records before "Where Is My Mind?", which I'd argue is a perfect song. I walked away from my listen feeling strangely moved and inspired. Highlights: Break My Body, Broken Face, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?, Cactus

A lot of the tracks that haven't clicked with me did this time round. I did have this one below Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde but think it is above them now. Very strong and fun the whole way through. You can hear its influence in a lot of the 90s music that comes after it. Rating: 4.8

Curti muito! Ouvi direto, gosto muito a atmosfera que Pixies carrega.

Seminal

Classic.

I was something of a latecomer to the Pixies party - while they made it big in the UK's indie/alternative scene, it wasn't until they were in one of their comebacks that I finally caught up with them. Indeed, I bought Surfer Rosa as a triple vinyl LP set only a few years ago, packaged with Come On Pilgrim and a live album. It's a cracking debut, with strange, oblique lyrics and excellently produced by the late great Steve Albini. Later, the loud-quiet-loud style of Pixies' music became something of a cliche, but here it's refreshing and exciting.

Absolute K Town Banger! Loved this album so much. The Pixies have such an iconic sound which always puts me in a good mood. What a fucking cool band. So many hits on here

Excellent. I don't really listen to Pixies that much and I never know why cause they are so good, need to put them in my rotation a bit more.

Just the boost I needed this morning: thick bouncy rocking pop with quirky lyrics--lots of fun packed into 33 minutes. Gigantic was the only song I recognized and what a great song that is. This is an album I'll definitely listen to again. Thank you, Pixies!

As of posting this review, it’s been exactly one month and one day since the death of Steve Albini. Let’s start with the production of this album. There’s no doubt that the Pixies are a great band in their own right, but one of the biggest factors about this album and what gives it its timeless quality is Steve Albini’s production. Steve’s talent for having his minimal approach and being able to capture a room’s natural acoustics and ambiance, or his ability to capture the raw imperfections of the band’s performance, really shines through on this album. It gives you a finished product that’s very raw and unpolished, with a live performance energy and a gritty feel. Another aspect to point out is that Steve would place singers in unusual locations, such as bathrooms, to catch natural reverb. This technique is definitely evident in “Gigantic” with Kim Deal’s vocals. Now moving on to the band, I love how they have an abrasive element to their music, but they also have a knack for catchy hooks and melodies. I could keep going on and on about this album, but the last thing to highlight is Kim Deal’s basslines. Her bass steadily moves in the background, laying a rhythmic foundation for all the other layers and elements of the songs to be built upon.

One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. Aside from Where is My Mind (which isnt even the best track on the album, thats Gigantic) there are at least 8 other amazing songs and no weak spots at all.

I first saw and heard Pixies on opening night of their reunion tour in 2004 at Coachella. I flew out to California for this particular festival because of the amazing line up (check it out online!), but not for Pixies; a friend recommended checking them out and went on and on about how good they were. There are few bands that I see where I don't know anything about them or their music and am still thoroughly impressed when I see them live (turns out I did know "Monkey Gone To Heaven"). Radiohead followed them, saying that in college, "R.E.M. and Pixies saved my life." I've seen them a few times since. As a result of their spectacular performance at Coachella, I picked up their best-of collection "Wave of Mutilation" and loved it (it would not be until 2022 when they released a special live recording of that Coachella performance. That's me (and a chorus of 1000s) woo-hooing along during "Where Is My Mind?"). The best-of comp proved I needed more! I picked up "Doolittle" but stopped there, exploring the discography of other bands I fell in love with from the show. While familiar with many of these songs, this is first I've heard Surfer Rosa in its entirety. Of course, the best-of compilation rightfully included greats like "Bone Machine", "Broken Face", "Gigantic", and "Where Is My Mind?". I see why some of these were left off the best-of compilation, but I do still find merit in songs like "Break My Body", "River Euphrates", and "Brick Is Red." This is a band where everyone brings their own ingredients, and the soup is wonderful. Distorted and clean guitars play alongside each other, both noisy and melodic. Kim Deal holds down the low end with song-defining bass lines while providing a sweet vocal on the high end as needed. Frank Black's multi-faceted vocal delivery is at times tonal, screaming, quiet, sarcastic, punctuated, enlongated, and Spanish. He's all over the place in the best way. Amazing to think this came out in 1988, in the midst of hair metal, the light pop beats of Paula Abdul and Bobby Brown, and the world initiation to a collective Rick Roll. Tons of bands were influenced by them since, but it's hard to pinpoint Pixies' own influences; obviously rock with a punk approach, but nothing too specific. Pixies seem to have come into existence out of nowhere, from nothing. Truly unique and still holds up, even after the imitators spawned quality derivations.

Well I can't really say anything insightful or intelligent that hasn't been said before--look it up. Vignette: seeing Pixies at Pappy and Harriet's, they do Where Is My Mind, all 2,000 people sing along ecstatically, their faces turned up to the desert night. Indelible. When I see the cover, all I can think of is tasteful Catholicism, which I suppose is exactly what Francis Black Frank Black Francis wants me to see.

Fantastic, fun, funny, foundational. It still holds up all these years later. This is my favorite Pixies album. I love how they seem to care and not care at the same time; how loose and tight it is. Kim's and Frank's harmonies, like John and Exene's, shouldn't work but somehow do. Also, great production from Steve Albini. No wonder Nirvana wanted to work with him.

Probably one of the four or five most important albums in my life. There’s scores of bands I wouldn’t have discovered if I hadn’t listened to this at 16 and investigated more bands with a similar sound, multiple decades-long friendships that were made and enriched by being fans of Pixies and this album in particular, and also the songs just whip.

Contains the DNA of like the next 25 years of indie rock. Two bone songs in a row feels like a sequencing mistake but they’re allowed to do that.

Of course

meh

Surfer Rosa is the debut album from the Pixies, who combined punk-inspired guitar riffs, dramatic changes in timing and volume, and a male and female vocalist to harmonize on their abstract lyrics. Their edgy, melodic songs pushed alt-rock into the combination that became late 80s "pop music." Surfer Rosa captures the raw energy that made the band famous, and made their music remarkably influential on the alt and pop music of the 90s and aughts.

OK I think you need to be in the right mood for this album and I so was. Loved it. When I need grungy fuck it all feels, this is all it. It made me feel and I was intrigued the whole time.

No notes. Game and life changing

Untouchable thunderbolt

5 out of 5 All day long One of the greatest and most influential albums of all time from one of the greatest bands of all time.

Wasn't super familiar with the Pixies beyond them being a big influence on a lot of 90s rock. Loved this. 4.6

Can the perfect album exist? If so, I think it might be this one. It is the ideal blend of noisy apathetic rock music, and also catchy Melodie’s which ensure it never gets too dull or becomes an irritating noise (which I do find with a lot of noise rock). The tones are great here, and the mix of male and female vocals are fantastic. There is literally nothing I can fault with this album.

A perfect debut by one of my favourite indie bands ever! Every song here is just a perfect blend of madness and melody.

Oh my golly! One of my favorite records ever. Best debut?

Rip Steve albini

I don't really listen to the Pixies much because they felt a bit "just before my time" but they influenced all the bands I did listen to like Nirvana and so on. I have a passing acquaintance with their stuff and have definitely listened to Surfer Rosa and a couple of other of their albums before, but it's not stuff I return to on a regular basis. But I probably should be because it's totally awesome!

10/10 The...Pixies...absolute perfection. There aren't many bands that I like most if not all of their catalog. I won't pretend to be anything than a Pixies fan boy. 4-22-2024

Some of the greatest to ever do it.

Been losing faith in this project but this renewed my interest. Clearly influenced so many artists I love and is a great balance of discordant sounds and harmony. Loved this.

Brilliant, Fantastic, Powerful. Nothing more needs to be said

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

Stellar Album

I would like to play loud messy music now please.

This shit fockin slaps dood

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)

This album definitely sits in my all time top 10. Not their best album but still great and I simply love Pixies.

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

Great record. Easy to see what it went in to influence

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

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

Their best.

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.

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.

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!

Awesome classic, big fan

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)

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.

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

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!

I had originally only heard Where Is My Mind, but the rest of the album is also a banger.

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.

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!

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

Where have you been all my life?

Definitely one of my top 10. So ahead of its time and influential. True classic.

One my favorite Pixies albums -- solid from start to finish

•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

It’s Surfer Fucking Rosa!

I love it 5/5

I LOVE THIS ALBUM.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Best song ever "Where is my mind?"

fight club ruined one song

fuck yeah i love pixies sm<33333333 favorites: break my body, gigantic, river euphrates, and where is my mind?

A terrific album from start to finish.

boobs

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.

Oh fuck yes! How have I never listened to this album? This is the one with Gigantic.

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.

Incredible album

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.

No bad tracks! Really enjoyed this one! Never been huge into the Pixies, but I’ll have to listen to more of them!

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

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!

where is my mind

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.

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.

Best album ever

forceful aggressive still gets me

Some of my favorite Pixies songs. Absolutely classic. River Euphrates, Bone Machine, Gigantic. Bangs Bangs Bangs. 5/5

THE BEST