Reviews (page 4 of 14)
I love it!
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
Biased review. Already loved it
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.
:))
"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.
lit af
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.
Love it!
bitch lasagna
I love this album. Probably my second favorite. Listened to it many times.
dov'è la mia mente
Psychotically hooky. Still as vital as it was 35 (!) years ago.
Classic and vital in every way. This album made the 90s possible.
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.
I mean I love the pixies
Will listen again! Love this sound, loved the vocals
Exceptional album. Love screams. The beginning of 90s alt music that starts in the end of 80s. Love Pixies
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 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
Curto demais 😃👍
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.
So many fantastic hits from this album, absolute banger.
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.
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.
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.
still that good shit. fav song cactus
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!
Love this album. Love it love it love it
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.
A little more raw than later releases, but nonetheless still full of punky spirit. A solid album which I thoroughly enjoyed
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.
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
I only knew where is my mind? And damn did not expect what I heard. Love it. Amazing.
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
Fantastic record, easy 5 stars very familiar with this, can't get enough of it, they really were great!
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.
I’m not sure we could have physically entered the 90’s without Pixies doing what they did in the late 80’s.
нравитца
Had heard only "Where Is My Mind" before. Interesting sound and production, some tracks could have been omitted but overall great stuff.
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.
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.
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
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.
Body parts rock
2nd listen. My favorite Pixies albums are Doolittle and Bossanova, but I like this one too. Not sure what my favorite song is from it. This is a short review for 5 stars, but there’s not much to say about it.
This is one of the handful of 5-star albums that I have been looking forward to and the first to come up on my list. A most excellent album, and my favourite Pixies album by far. An excellent album, even though they had an idiot of a producer and this wasn't a massive hit when it was first released. Looking back, this is an interesting album, it has some of the signs of what was to come later, more refined, but ultimately a bit more boring. Along with the surfer rock/ punk combination, there's shades of the Velvet Underground here and there. Fantastic melodies, interesting strong structures, amazing sound. Nobody really stands out above the pack in this album, it's a definite team album, with the whole standing way above the sum of its parts. This is also a very short album, just over 30 minutes of excellence.
Tens, tens, tens across the board.
ROSAAAAA OOOOHHHHH ROSA ROSA
Amazing album
Man this is a good album. The classic quiet-loud dynamic and the vocal interplay are excellent. Neither of which would matter if the production and mixing weren’t so spot on.
This is one of the craziest albums I’ve ever heard. Like it is pretty much indescribable. Nonetheless I’ll try my best to describe it. This is essentially garage rock from the 70s mixed with avant garde lyrics and musical choices that really just takes punk to a whole different meaning. There’s some Mexican folk influences and noise rock influences but it cannot truly be described. This album sounds like it influences a number of grunge bands like the Smashing Pumpkins (I know they changed their sound but their early stuff is definitely grunge) and Bleach era Nirvana, among other bands, but that’s what I picked up the most. This album is truly something else. This avant-punk record really defines what grunge and punk music is to me personally. A great album and groundbreaking album; a 10/10 from me.
Great album. I prefer Doolittle but this is still a great listen. 4.5 but rounded to 5.
Great. Also, boobies!
On a bit of a roll here, five 5s in a row! This is another of my favourites from my teenage years, such raw energy and great songwriting on here. Quite unhinged and funny in places too. I really don't think music today would be the same without this album and Doolittle. Favourite songs: Bone Machine, Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where is My Mind.
34 minutes of sheer perfection. I've been listening to and loving this album for years and for some reason, it hit even harder today and I needed to listen twice through. Insane.
An all time classic 100/100
Listened to. Many times. Gigantic caribous riding the waves. Of mutilation.
Шикарный альбом. Особенно понравились треки: "Bone Machine" и "Where Is My Mind?". 10/10
So far so good.
This is great!
Good stuff. Not much more to say than that.
This album is absolutely insane but also amazing. Songs with a more normal structure like ‘Gigantic’ and ‘Where is My Mind?’ ground the album and give you some breaks from the ones that are super crazy like ‘Something Against You’, ‘Broken Face’, and ‘Oh My Golly!’. It adds up to a frenetic and extremely unique album.
Classic
Finally the Pixies! This one had everything: exciting rhythms, brilliant shouting of Black Francis short addictive songs. Weird lyrics. And Kim Deal singing Gigantic. Top of the bill. Three reasons I call one of my cats Rosa. Rosa Luxemburg, Rosa Parks and of course Surfer Rosa.
Liked the album. Starts out strong and then keeps going strong. Would definitely listen to it again
Heavy pop. Or is it grunge? I liked this. Probably deserves another listen. Somehow tickles the White Stripe fan in me. Favorite Track : Where Is My Mind. 5 / 5
I'm going to give this one 5 stars. I'm going to say it's in the top 5 of greatest albums of the '80s. And then I'm going to say Doolittle is better. Man I love this band.
This is foundation. I can't decide if Surfer Rosa or Doolittle is better... I suppose it depends on my mood. But at this point (2023), I find it hard to believe this album was released in 1988. To me, this album had the cultural shock impact of an album like Jane's Addiction's Ritual de lo Habitual, but two years earlier. Every track on this album is a gem.
I do love this album, and I never really realized how much Kim Deal adds to The Pixies sound. But the remastered edition on Spotify is cack! I had to bump the volume up to hear the details and it just made it sound like complete trash. Give me shitty 80s production over this weirdly spiky mix any day.
The perfect balance between chaos and whimsy in rock.
I love the Manic Coastal energy on this record.
Stonking classic. Pixies announce themselves to the world
Great album. Really enjoyed
Great stuff. Hard rocking, simplistic and lots of driving energy
Another opportunity to really listen to a band I only knew a few songs. Great album, not what I expected.
Easiest 5* for me, absolutely timeless and sounds as fresh today as it did 35(!) years ago!
Love the production, of course it’s Albini. Pop in a Nirvana way but everything is a little weird, which is right up my alley. So many good songs. One of those albums that always sounds like it was released “a few years ago”
Wauw, what an album. Love it! 5/5
It could be ten, but then again I can't remember half an hour since a quarter to four Throw on your clothes, the second side of Surfer Rosa and you leave me with my jaw on the floor
My favorite Pixies album. Start to finish this album delivers its surrealist rock with devotions to the Saint of Broken Bodies, the dual Saint of the Caribbean Moon and Voyeurism, as well as the howling Saint of Feedback. I don't even mind the interstitial skits that much.
Best, cover, ever.
One of the best albums from the 80s alternative scene. No wonder why early Pixies has received so much praise. What a combination of eerie sounds and weird Spanish lyrics… I don’t know how, but it surely works!
Gigantic
De zanger klinkt alsof iemand met een rasp over z'n balzak aan het gaan is. Het is vaak onsamenhangend, experimenteel en maf. Ze kunnen hun eigen teksten niet goed uitleggen, want tekst wordt vooral geselecteerd op klank, schijnt. Allemaal redenen om het af te schrijven en weg te gooien, maar ik vind het geweldig. En met 13 nummers in 34 minuten kun je je nooit lang storen aan een nummer. Ohja, en tieten! Makkelijke 5 sterren.
😎
This is great 80s weirdness in all the best way. I always thought that Pixies were sort of like David Lynch movies - strange and chaotic. You either loved the work or didn't get it. I was in from day one and this is one of their best. This is what independent music was meant to embrace. Steve Albini's production, which allowed pop and noise to co-exist was enormously influential.
Very ahead of its time, with a very soulful sound.
Rosa Sparks.
Pixies get an automatic 5*. The moments of gathering energy, chaos barely controlled, followed by frantic eruptions still kill me. I love Kim Deal maybe more than any other musician. I was at the rock and roll hall of fame and the thing that geeked me out the most was that they had one of her basses. This album was tested under extreme conditions today—running late to school with my son and he was freaked, but this insane record somehow calmed him down.
Seminal.
fucking pixies, man. so, so foundational on my early journey into developing my own music taste at 12 or 13. surfer rosa is a frequent listen for me. this album is badass. everybody knows gigantic and where is my mind, but this album is painted top to bottom with iconic alternative tracks that served as the basis for so much of the music i love today. pixies is on the list of inspiration for any indie rock artist. the instrumentation isn't necessarily mind-blowing now, but i can't imagine it not being life-changing when it came out in 1988. it's got incredible guitar tones used on really smart and interesting riffs, and some really memorable but simple bass lines (especially gigantic. that line will stick in my mind forever). lyrics are genius, sound is genius, album is cohesive. this is an easy, easy 5. one of the best alternative rock albums to ever grace this earth. long live pixies
danas su pixies koji album surfer rosa pet odma
GIIIIIIIIIGANTIIIIIC!!!! Odličan cover za majicu i razmišljao sam o tome da si ju kupim, ali nisam našao onako kako bi meni odgovaralo (preko cijele majice slika). Dugi niz godina (a šta ja znam, par godina ali da bolje zvuči) mi je ovaj album bio njihov najdraži, ne znam - tad mi je bio bolji od Doolittle-a. Međutim, s vremenom se to promijenilo i pao je na drugo mjesto, no to ne znači da je slabiji od njihovog albuma iz 1989., jok, samo opet netko mora pojest govno u rankiranju jel. Surfer Rosa odličan album, Pixiesi u svom najboljem izdanju (Kim Deal <3) i mislim da je to bilo njihovo najjače vrijeme, potezno -> '88 - '90, ali hvala bogu na tome što je Kim sa sekicom pekicom osnovala The Breederse (1990). i uvelike razveselilo mnoge ljude koji su htjeli još čuti njene poteze na basu i vokalnu radnju, jer su se tu nešta razjebali Pixiesi oko '91 - kad smo kod toga, di si ti bio '91? Jesi isto nešta razjebao/la ili se nisi rodio/la? Hm? '88 godina je bila čak i jaka za glazbu, primjeri: "Daydream Nation, Spirit of Eden, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Isn't Anything, Follow the Leader, Tender Prey i ovaj." E da, ne znam jesam vam pričao kako nisam otišao na jebeni koncert zbog posla? I da, posjedujem vinyl.
I would rate Surfer Rosa, the Pixies best album! It's no coincidence that Kim Deal made her most significant contributions to a Pixies record on this one and her lead vocals on, Gigantic was a highlight. Everything great about the Pixies comes together on this album and I even prefer it to Doolittle, which many fans consider their greatest. You really can't go wrong with their first 3 releases. An alt-rock classic!
Absolute classic. One of the great 90's albums and bands
***** **** reference!!!1!
The Pixies debut studio album is known best for ‘Where is my Mind’ but the album as a whole shows the Pixies as a fully formed alternative rock juggernaut. The distinctive drums, experimental recording technique and their penchant for memorable melodies place this album into the category of groundbreaking hit very accessible.
Raw, Indie, Noisy, Unique, Eclectic, Energetic, Alt Rock
One of my all time favourites. Pixies' Kim Deal era albums are perfect. River Euphrates is my favorite on this one.
Excellent. Pure pleasure
An absolute work of genius. Every moment still as good as the first time I heard it. Came from nowhere and will last forever. Other bands wanted to be Pixies
Wonderful
Great
Guitar noise goodness Gigantic and where is my mind are so memorable Sounds so clear and crisp, production really helps add to the strength of the album
i have heard a lot about pixies and this album but i never gave them a listen. i regret that choice. and every second i missed out on this amazing beautiful album. perfection. album cover: 10/10 album listen: 100/10
Where is my mind? is in my top 3 songs ever. Gigantic is great and rest is good.
Iconic now, but so off-kilter back then. And yet, this record literally changed the course of rock history, thanks to its angular dynamics, its surreal ambience, the power it had evocating lust and madness and everything in between, not to mention Steve Albini's heavy drum sound (that will then be used to great effects for so many other rock acts). Black Francis' songwriting was also one-of-a-kind--and it seems that even Francis himself has now lost the precious formula behind the creation of those incredible songs... But the real miracle here is that had a different musician replaced one of the four in Pixies, nothing would have worked as well as it does here. Of course, there's Francis' crazed yelps and hectic rhythm guitar chords, unmistakably his ; but there's also David Lovering's oddball rhythms, unmistakably his, too ; or Joey Santiago's surf-flavored solos and hooks drenched in hot sauce, unmistakably his as well ; and Kim Deal's hypnotic basslines and husky background vocals, unmistakably hers. And the songs... "Break My Body", " Bone Machine", "River Euphrates", "Gigantic" (one of the best Kim Deal compositions ever), " Where Is My Mind", "Vamos" ... All stone-cold classics now. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 815 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 100 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 46 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 41
The 2nd best Pixies album. Everything they did up to, and including Doolittle is great. The only flaw this album has is that it isn't Doolittle which better be on this list considering some of the crap that is. Every song is very good to great. Essential listening to anyone who likes alternative rock/indie/punky stuff if you ask me.
where is my mind?
Like a paddling pool full of kids violating SHARK. Something like that anyway, I didn't go on the the lads holiday so I missed the memo.
Instantly makes me think of SHARK ruthlessly pulverising a group of small children in a paddling pool. He's having a good time and so am I listening to this. Go on, SHARK, you big noncy menace.
Like SHARK tearing through a paddling pool full of toddlers. In a good way.
(Finnst að Come on pilgrim eigi að vera með). Ótrúleg nostalgía og án hennar veit ég ekki hvort ég hefði þol fyrir mestu cacófóníunni, en þetta er bara algerlega málið. Jú, Doolittle er betri, en þessi fær samt fullt hús.
Still amazing
When I was a kid, a friend gave me a cassette, with the first half of this album tacked on one side (remember we use to do that to fill-up the 90 minute cassettes). There was no track listing, no credit, no information at all to explain what was leaping out of the speakers at me. They might have told me it was a friend's band's demo - how could I know? In some ways I feel sorry that mysteries like this denied to kids nowadays by the everpresent internet. I love the Pixies, everything about them, and they are even better live. Who else has this sharp crackly sound, unique worldview. Haven't come across Doolittle on this list yet, but it will get a 5 too!
WOOOOO Prefs: TOUT Moins pref: RIEN
Over the years this has become one of my favourite albums. Challenging, jarring, just plain wierd in places but so beautiful and uplifting. I remember seeing this in a cousin's record collection when it came out but never got to listen to it properly until a couple of years later. By then It was all about Doolittle for me. The songs on here are so amazing, Gigantic, Bone Machine and Where is My Mind all classics. And the skit songs, show the band didn't take themselves anywhere near as seriously as some of their fans
An easy 5, what a debut. Fave: Where Is My Mind?
Super enjoyable, grungy and fresh.
Where is the mind
Bangin
Great album, high energy and fun.
What a sound.
already loved it!
It's impossible to rank those original era Pixies albums, at least the first three. 'Bossanova' is probably my favourite, then maybe this one, then 'Doolittle' and 'Trompe Le Monde' fourth. And I really love Doolittle and some days it is their best. That Pixies at Brixton show on YouTube in 1991 is amazing if you haven't seen it. While No Kim, No Deal might be true, that last album (Beneath The Eyrie) wasn't too bad. Their best since Trompe Le Monde
So many brilliant bass lines in this one, I absolutely love it.
Perfection. So much juice!
I bought this album earlier this year, so it's an easy review for me. If you told me that this album was made a decade after it was released, I would believe you. I would also still think that the album was really good. It's so far ahead of its time that it's hard to talk about this album in isolation from all of the music in the 90s that it directly spawned. A lot of the formula for Nirvana's success is well developed already in Surfer Rosa. The songs are fun and well crafted. The combination of Frank Black and Kim Deal is excellent; they sound so good when they harmonize. It's actually a shame that Where Is My Mind will be forever associated with Fight Club, because this album has aged much better than that movie has It's the quintessential 90s album released in 1988. 5/5
Banda muito legal! Também não conhecia. Tem referências não muito convencionais, falas espontâneas em algumas canções e uma ideia de experimentação em tudo. O som em si é bacana demais. Li que serviu de referência para Kurt Cobain, em 1991.
HOHOHO MUST LISTEN
Enjoyed
Fucking awesome! Masterpiece!!
Legendary
YAHHHHHHHHH not my fave pixies album but still amazing
Positively breathtaking. Extraordinary. Wholly original music.
Dit album was precies iets harder dan ik mij herinner. En dat maakt het zeker niet minder goed! Blijft een topplaat
Þetta band. Þetta sánd. Elska þau!
BEST BEST BEST every single song is genius.
teen spirit
Loved the album. A different approach to pre-grunge.
Great album - one of my all time favorites. Personally, my favorite Pixies record, though Doolittle is great as well I think I prefer this one. Such a great band, Albini on the boards... can't go wrong. Punk rock classic.
I really like this album, it's incredibly fun, and I'm not exactly the most experienced with the pixies I do like most of their work. At times I feel like I am listening to the white stripes, maybe jack white had some vocal influence from this group? Not sure, I don't super think it matters. But, I do think it is quite fun to hear it in action. Also, Nice.
Is it really necessary to ask?
Exciting, rock, indie, fun. I still love this more than 30 years later.
Kind of awesome. Love the chaotic energy and sense of fun. Have never heard any of their songs before, but I can see that they must have influenced Black Midi. Will definitely listen to this one again.
Loved it
good album 100/10
This is a song about a superhero named Tony. It's called Tony's Theme
Extremely fun, short and sweet. Some really classic, hummable tunes and one song that everyone knows from a scene in a great movie
One of their best!
Better than Doolittle imo
Always up for some Pixies.
best , best , best
Top notch
Nostalgic moments from "Where is my mind?"
Easy 5. Great album, some absolute classics, inventive throughout
Where is my mind?
Immer noch eines meiner liebsten
Este es un disco que sí había oído, pero quizá siempre tengo más presente Doolittle. De cualquier forma, discazo, con su toque pank, sucio, directo. Las letras a veces no tienen sentido, pero es el punto. Aunque lo disfruto todo, diré que esa parte de en medio: de "Gigantic" a "Cactus" me emociona particularmente, y claro, también "Vamos". En fin, ya qué más: 10/10
Outstanding.
Después de Dr. Doolittle estuve buscando este disco mucho tiempo. Todo el mundo hablaba bien de él y la verdad es que merece la pena. Algunas de estas canciones son auténticos himnos Indie: Bone Machine, Gigantic, Oh My Golly! o Vamos (Surfer Rosa).
Reminds me a bit of the White Stripes (or rather: the White Stripes reminds me a bit of them). I can hear a bit of Sublime as well. It feels like Scott Pilgrim. Added to my collection.
5 Stars. I really enjoyed this album. I'm surprised I haven't heard of them before today.
It never gets old or fails to excite.
Awesome overly loud gated snare
Delicious
Just goood
amazing
I love this album.
Good. Fight club song
Good rock
"Deranged" in only a way the Pixies have ever really managed. Super ahead of the times. Frank Black really sounds like he's only just holding the shreds of his sanity, and this album is the cathartic breakdown. Favorite tracks: "Tony's Theme", "Oh My Golly!", "Vamos"
I really enjoyed listening to this album, and it was kind of a surprise! I have always struggled to enjoy full albums with the Pixies. Even this album hasn’t landed well for me in the past. But it really clicked for me this time. Of course, upon further listening some of the disturbing lyrics became more evident and detracted from the experience a little bit. Still, the middle part of the album really crushes it, and if you can work through the more gutterish lyrics, it is a really strong album.
Just behind Doolittle as my favorite Pixies album. There are some really well fleshed out songs on here but a lot of what feels like improvisation and looseness.
This has been on my "to check out" list for ages. Glad I finally got round to it, and a grand album it is!
"Where Is My Mind?" is obviously classic, but the songs that won't leave my head today are "Gigantic" and "Broken Face." Hard to believe this is from 1988, I guess because I didn't hear much about Pixies until at least three or four years after that when Nirvana cited them as an influence.
Ha - have heard 'Where is My Mind' a bunch of times and had no idea what it was. Overall enjoyed this - can see the Nirvana influence but I think Nirvana was better at making it into a focused work.
Bone Machine - 3/5 Break My Body - 3/5 Sometimes Against You - 2.5/5 Broken Face - 3/5 Gigantic - 4/5 River Euphrates - 3/5 Where Is My Mind? - 5/5 Cactus - 3/5 Tony’s Theme - 3/5 Oh My Golly - 3/5 Vamos(Surfer Rosa) - 3/5 I’m Amazed - 3/5 Brick Is Red - 3.5/5
Better than i thought they were
overall album a 3 but solely a 4 because of the impact and nostalgia of ''Where is my mind''
It scratched some kind of itch. Definitely musically talented.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
A second Pixies record in the space of a few days - and another banger. Think I may have said it before but I used to struggle a bit listening to these for extended periods, due to the often-abrasive nature of their sound. Somehow either it has mellowed or my tastes have changed in the intervening years. Couple of standouts on this: Gigantic and Where Is My Mind. Great band all round.
This is album is know as the one that inspired Nirvana's "Nevermind". Well, to my years, this one even more adventorous, exciting and musical
Raucous, chaotic and charming. The Pixies manage to imply melody where it feels there shouldn’t be one. Where is my Head? Has always been my favourite Pixies track and there is lots to support it present here. Just a f@@king good album
Love it
Classic record, really defines the 90s indie sound alongside Dino jr and modest mouse. Jangly ass guitars
trochę się musiałam z nim oswoić ale mega mi w tym pomógł dzisiejszy deszczowy dzień
It's cool
It’s not Doolittle, but it is good. Pixies seem to have been the cool choice among the grunge picks of the era, so they’ve always had a weird mystique about them. But cold eye - this is fun, interesting grunge rock with the better album still to come.
saved by the ending but overall pretty good
Parece o tipo de Punk Rock que toca em um Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, mas aí aparece um Where is my Mind e o álbum ganha outro nível de complexidade. Um marco de seu tempo.
First time listener, really enjoyed the different riffs with the lyrics, both vocals complimented each other well.
I love this album but hadn't heard the expanded version.
3.5★/5 [06.16.2026] 06.17.2026
I don't know if the members of this band are as weird as they come off on this album, but I'm here for it. When everything is falling apart and I'm totally stressed out, "Where Is My Mind?" is one of my go-to songs. It's also the first song I learned to play all the way through on bass. I really like this album. It's angsty, weird and hits the spot when I'm in one of those moods.
Doolittle's older brother from the wrong side of the tracks. Outside of poppier cuts "Where Is My Mind?" and "Gigantic", this is much more of an abrasive affair with Black Francis howling his lungs out delivering absurd lyrics. This feels more explosive than any Pixies record that came out after this. I prefer Doolittle more, but this is still an immensely important record that helped shape alternative music in the decade following its release.
great
Dit is natuurlijk precies mijn jam. Heel lekker, maar Doolittle is "dé plaat". Dit is een hele fijne aanloop
Mag ich sehr!
I’m all for superheroes named Tony. I came to this late somehow, even though it’s right in my wheelhouse chronologically and ironically. So glad I finally got on board.
I wish I could give this a 5 so much but I just can't. This album pales to the others. I wish I could put my finger on why, but this is probably my least listened to Pixies album.
Я досить пізно переслухав всіх Pixies, точно не гурт з дитинства. І скоріше його звукове та сонграйтерське надбання я сприймав опосередковано через інші гурти. Це їх улюблений альбом. Тут багато Кім Діл і це відразу велика перевага. Gigantic просто супер хіт. Слухається як нетривіальний рок-альбом з 80х з вкрапленнями всяких арт-рок фішечок. Хоча мені на альбомі найбільше подобаються прямолінійні пісні.
Fair play Steve Albini, this record sounds actually incredible; you were the man. I'm going to go buy some fresh bread, good cheese and roast beef in your honour.
A proper time capsule album, transporting the listener to somebody's basement back in the 1990s whilst surrounded by good friends and smoking grass. It's abrasive and rebellious, and does well to embrace the newfound counter-culture that the era brought with it, in which it was cool to be a slacker with no direction. The kind of album that allows you completely let your hair down for half an hour without a care in the world, releasing those pent-up frustrations as opposed to keeping them bottled up. Favourite track: Where Is My Mind? Least favourite track: Tony's Theme
Pixies get a lot right on their full-length debut. They certainly brought something new to the table. US alt-rock was already in a reasonable place at the time so to deliver something so refreshing and casually confident was a strong achievement. There’s a devil-may-care attitude to song length which some of their contemporaries (and beyond) could learn from. When a song has done what it’s meant to do, don’t make it keep on going. Equally though, there are a few moments when Pixies fall into the exact same trap of extending something unnecessarily. I guess it’s an indication that they were a million miles from considering commercial potentials, radio play, anything that would require them to meet accepted norms. Just “this is our art”. It’s a testament to that art that it can still sound, on occasion, fairly unhinged and beyond quirky, and yet with the passing of time (almost 40 years!) it has an underlying rock language that has allowed it to merge with the mainstream and has convinced the casual listener that the wildness that tries to explode from it is strangely palatable. For every unchecked sharp edge, metallic twist, screech and whoop, there is a moment of pure beauty. Surfer Rosa accommodates melody at every turn and a well placed guitar lick, vocal harmony or unexpected time change should be a delight to any listener.
God I love the Pixies
YAYYYYYYY zoveel beter dan solo frank black lol
Alternative rock at it's best.
Can't go wrong with some Pixies! This is a fun album and really helped lead the way into the 90's alternative era that I love so much.
Gimme this raw, unadulterated chaos any day and I'll be a happy boy
A great album. It’s messy, it’s full of hooks, and has that sound that could only be the pixies, but shaped the sound of indie for years to come. Love it.
Gigantic is an all timer
Holds up. Influential stuff.
Fantastic. A good range, rough and gentle, love it.
i will say if i'm feeling a little #freaky i might prefer this over doolittle
Punky grungy fun
музыка замечательная обложка тож ничего
Great Album! Love the writing.
Good album, but enjoyed Doolittle more. Still solid art punk/alternative. 4/5
O, ne, poslušat moram enga mojih najljubših bandov in to album, k ga že tko al tko velikrat. O. Ne. (Sicer morm priznat, da mam mal rajši Doolittle, but still.) "Bone Machine", which I love, se mi je iz nekega razloga zmer zdel čudna izbira za otvoritveni komad na albumu. Ampak ne znam ubesedit zakaj točno. "Gigantic" je amazing. Od "Where Is My Mind?" edini fault je, da je preveč popularen ratal. Še zmer je absolutno čudovit. Prvič, ko sm slišala "Cactus" je bil v bistvu cover od Bowieja, kjer v delu, kjer se črkuje naslov komada, pri njemu črkujejo David. Mi je pa original ljubši, k od Bowieja verzija. Naslednji štirje so pa basically moj najljubši del albuma. Kle se res zabavajo.
Without the Pixies, the 90s would've sucked. Well, more than they already did. It's not just the quiet / loud / quiet song structure that every band worth their weight in alternative rock radio pinched from this album, you could also make the case that the Pixies made being weird on rock records cool. They were not the first or the last of this ilk, but pop time signatures played as noisily as possible with reverance to surf music, punk, noise rock, and garage and interspersed with personal conversations and unintelligible lyrics will make anyone who can dig it feel very, very hip. I don't know what most of these songs are about, but I think that's the fun of it. Listen to a Steve Albini tone poem, pick up a guitar, and change the world.
Familiar with Pixies via the song Que Sera Sera. First Listen, while listening to the album I found myself developing a better appreciation for alternative rock and particularly with grunge. Though with both genres, especially with the latter, I'm still very picky about what exactly "clicks" with me. Bone Machine and Gigantic were tracks that instantly clicked with me. I believe the tracks themselves are more alt-rock than grunge which is probably the reason I liked them more initially. Something Against You was a grunge-heavy track that I found to be great and was another from the album that instantly clicked with my tastes. I seem to have a certain threshold when it comes to the distorted nature of the Grunge genre. The highlight of the album, Where Is My Mind is my absolute favourite. Again, more alt or indie rock than other tracks. I think it's Joey Santiago doing the guitar riff but it may also be the lead vocalist Black Francis. Whoever it is, it does so much. It's also a song I've heard before so that helped. To the vocals, Francis is great in the tracks. Kim Deal also provides a lot support to the tracks too and is the reason why I adore Gigantic so much. Shout out to the track Vamos; encapsulates this album very well. Overall, there's a lot of tracks I loved listening to and there are an equal amount of tracks I don't click with at all. A lot of: FIRE > skip > skip > FIRE > skip > FIRE > FIRE > skip > skip > FIRE... T3: Where Is My Mind, Vamos, Something Against You
Love the pixies but Doolittle and Bossanova rank a little higher for me. This album is a big raw and less coherent
Tiene una canción muy conocida. Cantan mientras hablan. Cool.
Finally, a Pixies album I liked.
Great album, great album cover
RATING: 9.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: River Euphrates LOWLIGHT: Cactus
Where Is My Mind seems like it comes from an entirely different album. Not necessarily a different band, but a band that has gone through big changes and sounds nothing like their old selves. I think it might be because I came late to the party, and spent so much time listening to Pixies descendants (Nirvana), but the rest of the album didn’t hugely grab me. Gigantic was pretty cool.
Man the Pixies are good. This one just misses five stars, but Where Is My Mind? is as good as songs get.
Really really good. Ive heard the popular singles from this album but the rest is a pleasant surprise. It’s what other bands from this era would sound like if they were better. A couple tracks are misses but I have no reservations about exploring more from Pixies.
Fun listen. Pixies were ahead of their time because this just feels like the 90’s. Not gonna complain about that nice rack on the album cover either 👀
Amazing - but they will get even better
Best Songs: Where is my Mind Tony’s Theme Oh My Golly!
A misleading cover🤭like the rhythm, kind of interesting that they used some random screaming, But there was too much in some tracks in the last, felt too noisy. 3.75/5
Jagged glass music
Another interesting one that's good because of what it is AND what it isn't. A tight 30 minutes that never loses its energy despite being almost completely unfocused. If baseball had 13 bases, Surfer Rosa would hit all 13 of them. The wall of noise sounds on the wrong side of "in control", but it never rattles itself to pieces. Albini's production doesn't sand the hard edges off and that really works in the album's favor. When it's at its best you're like, "goddamn this band can take on the world." When it's at it's dumbest (Tony's Song) it's still fun and ready to bring you along if you're down. It's kind of a filter of all the things happening in punk, rock, experimental, surf, 80s alt stuff that gets shoved in a loud blender, and out the other side comes everything that was influenced by that mix specifically. I happen to be one of the standard nerds who prefers Doolittle to Surfer Rosa because Doolittle is just easier, but again, that's part of what makes Surfer Rosa so appealing. Probably a 4 because there are some pieces that are...still incubating? Like parts are a practice run for ideas that show up on Doolittle. But I'm a fanboy so I'm gonna give it a 5 anyway.
Great album. Not my favorite Pixies record, but I really love it. Thank you to Heather for showing me this band in High School and making me 100x cooler (in my own head).
Great band!!🎸
BOOBA It grew on me. Pretty dissonant and unpleasant at first and then I realized there’s a lot of humor here. Some decent music too. I hate Tony’s theme but are you really a fan if you *like* Tony’s theme?
4/7
This one gets better with every listen.
Tralla buena
Bone Machine, it's not heavy, but it is so indie. The Pixies' debut, Frank Black's intro to the world. Lead guitar is just playing whatever chords no regard it is dirty it is nasty in the best way. Frank Black harmonizing with Kim Deal on these tracks is awesome. They were never together just collaborators but wow. This is hard I like it. Tony's theme is just the right amount of silly for this rock. I liked this it was unique and fun and quite vibey. The energy was consistent which I feel alot of old punky indie rock lacks. This will be in my rotation Tiger Jaw, The strokes, even alot of bedroom pop take from this. This is kinda Car Seat Headrest too.
Love the Pixies. Best: Bone Machine, Gigantic, Where is My Mind?, Tony's Theme. Worst: Vamos
This is a song about the ripple legend Big Tone.
What's not to love! A Pixies classic!
BOOBA Forward-thinking controlled aggression. Production kind of wavers in quality but the songs all still sound very fresh. And yes, "Where Is My Mind?" transcends its "overplayed" status many times over- that song is gigantic (no pun intended, also a good song lol).
Achei legal.. mas e se eu disser que fiquei um pouco incomodado com o conteúdo lírico?
really really really liked, i would give it a 4.5 if i could.
Very calm music and overly a good album if you into some slow music 7/10
Lo escuchás y ves todo lo que explotó tres años después en el mundo. Pilar de un sonido. Rock alternativo se definió, en parte, con estos. 8/10
I loved this album, though it has its flaws. Great early grunge/punk. Fantastic listen, but it lacks structure. Songwriting is great and the instrumentation is incredible. The Pixies have a style that can't really be replicated. "Cactus" was my favorite.
one of the best indie rock bands ever for sure. love these mf. kim is so cool too wish she was on more pixies songs
Una nueva forma de introducirte el tema de los rock y de buena manera teniendo tantos signos hace de Que obviamente igual conectes con el álbum lo mejor del álbum obviamente es la cohesión musical que te lleva a través de cada pista que tiene
Where is my mind is a great song. The rest of the album is serviceable. 4 stars for the album cover alone.
Great record, i enjoyed it very much. Not my favorite Pixies record but that doesn't mean it is bad.
Fun, energetic, and concise. An all around good time with a few particularly great songs Fav tracks: River Euphrates, Gigantic, Vamos
My fav from the pixies. Excellent harsh sound to it, just brill.
Amazing
The Pixies always had a uniqueness typical of many of the bands that I'm drawn to, though i dont enjoy them as much as id like. Doolittle is a great album and this one is very good. It's a four star album that I'm not interested in repeating, odd though that may seem.
Favorite songs: Bone Machine, Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind?, Cactus
That’s weird. Was listening to my proto-punk new wave Monday afternoon day list playlist and bone machine came on shuffle. Then checked my album and it was this. Spooky stuff.
Got some pretty epic tracks on this album.
Max: 4/5
Funny hearing the influence this would later have 4*
Encore un album avant-gardiste de cette liste, mais qui m'est plus familier même si je ne l'ai jamais écouté. Style très prononcé, un peu trop à mon goût, qui va s'atténuer dans les prochains albums sans perdre l'identité du groupe Au final j'aime bien, mais je ne le réécouterai pas vu que les prochains albums aboutissent le style un peu brut de celui-ci
Enjoyed this one. The vocals occasionally weren't too my taste but I did like them on most tracks. Felt varied and fun. Would listen again. Fav song: Where Is My Mind? - also liked Gigantic Least fav: Something Against You
Where is my mind is a banger but the rest are all very forgettable. Specific rating - 3.8 Fav song - where is my mind Least fav broken face
Really enjoyed, great tunes, good beats, sometimes a little on the raw side for me but I love the energy. I'm also so obsessed with the fact the drummers personal life section on wikipedia only says that he does magic and metal detecting. Favourite song: Where Is My Mind? Least: Tony's Theme
Well ahead of its time in 1988. Great unpolished garage rock record that still holds up today. Gigantic especially is a criminally underrated song. Faves: Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind
Very influential and entertaining to listen to
The kind of album that feels like a time capsule. Could only have achieved this status at the right place, right time, and has since become what seems like a Gen-X gold standard.
I liked this more than I expected and more than the other Pixies album I've listened to. It is weird and innovative. Hard to believe it came out nearly 40 years ago. It also can't be understated how much this album influenced all 90's rock/grunge.
fav songs: bone machine break my body broken face gigantic where is mind? punchy, quirky, hooky 70/100
YOUR BONE'S GOT A LITTLE MACHINE I'VE GOT! SOMETHING AGAINST YOU! Hearing this album again takes me back to being 16, riding around in my best friend's green 1995 Saturn SL, cranking Surfer Rosa, singing along with all the absurd lyrics as loudly as we could...... I'll always love this record. Always. This album feels like the bridge between punk and grunge. It has all of that punk energy with the melodies and dynamics of really great pop music. And it's so silly at times..... and so dark! I don't think it's perfect - the last four songs don't really do much for me at all. But if "Where Is My Mind?" isn't one of the great songs of the 20th century I don't know what is. FOUR STARS
Another great pixies album!
First time listening to this album in full. What a treat! Raw and clean.
Top, top, top drawer.
this was a fun alternative rock album. I added a lot of the songs to my playlists. Would recommend
Surfer Rosa sounds raw, noisy, and strangely catchy at the same time. I had already been a fan of Where Is My Mind?, while Cactus and Brick Is Red stand out for their driving riffs and dry, aggressive sound. It’s easy to hear why this album became so influential, but more than anything, it simply sounds cool.
Good album. This one is for sure a 3.5, and I'll round to 4
Better Bone Machine than Tom Waits. I think I like Russ band
Slow/quick, quiet/loud: Pixies!!
Another Albini banger.
Absolutely amazing listen from Pixies. Can not believe it took me this much to listen to this album.
This album really highlights just how fun The Pixies are. They bounce around within the rock genre, mixing post-punk with grunge, early alternative, and even inspired a lot of the indie movement. Where Is My Mind is the most memorable and well known track here. If that’s the only track you know from the Pixies, then you might be surprised with the rest. It bounces around showing different styles. Some tracks are poppy and fun. Others go all in on the punk and avant garde dismissal of music traditions. They were certainly unique, and their influence has continued for closing in on 4 decades.