Reviews (page 9 of 15)
It's a Pixies album. It's great, sparse, and rough around the edges.
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
Another great Pixies album. I like Doolittle just a little better, which is why I settled for 4 on this one.
Love where is my mind but found this pretty forgettable
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.
Must love album cover! :D Of course, "Where Is My Mind?" is iconic, epic and brilliant! The rest of the album was very okay. I liked it.
I am so conflicted about this album. It has some cool moments, but i didn't enjoy most parts. Also "where is my mind?" Is like one of the greatest songs ever written and noone can prove otherwise.
Amazing album
Don’t really have impression, they are a bit old I guess
CLASSICO
There are a couple bangers on here. Gigantic, Where Is My Mind, hell I’ll even give them Tony’s Theme. But the rest just shows why the Pixies are overrated
Thought music was good. Couldn’t get into the vocals
Enjoyed it. It has been a while since I’ve listened to most of this album and reminds me of the violent femmes and butthole surfers in some of the later tracks on the album. I remember playing gigantic on WEGL in fairly high rotation. I enjoy ‘where is my mind?’ and is one of the pixies songs that more frequently makes it onto my random playlists Not a fan of cactus.
What a disappointing album seeing as where is my mind is an all time favorite of mine.
Pretty disappointing album. Was stoked to listen to this due to Where Is My Mind being on it, but was let down.
Great album, very raw with unusual song structures ! You can hear the influence of Husker Du and Fugazi, and the premonition of Smashing pumpkins and Nirvana! I prefer the more polish style in Doolittle, but this is a great start! 3,5 stars
This was the perfect album to listen the day after David Lynch dies. Noisy violent funny surreal American art that is still accessible & entertaining.
This is the second Pixies album I've ever listened to, the first was also via this site. It wasn't terrible, but equally it wasn't very good. I did make it all the way through, and a couple of tracks were interesting. The best thing about this album is the cover, that is a cracking pair of tits!!!!
Didn't drive me as much as I expected...
It's another good album this week. I liked it even more on the second listen. Every song is alright at its worst and amazing at its best. "Surfer Rosa" was beyond its time. Remember, there's more to the Pixies than just "Where is My Mind?" 4 stars for "Surfer Rosa".
I dig this. it’s not my favorite, but it’s better than neutral.
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.
Weird but a really good listen. Gigantic is a fun one.
Angsty, trashy, and sloppy. Irritating. Good to have the context for "Where is My Mind?" though.
A couple of familiar songs. The only songs that really resonated with me were the ones I already know. Album did sound effects noise that I don't particularly care for.
I'll give it to them, the album is just over half an hour, which is my kind of album. Once more, we have an album I'm aware of but only know the one song off - unsurprisingly 'Where is My Mind?'. I only know about two Pixies songs total. I don't mind the early grunge sound, but I definitely find the sounds a little repetitive, however because of the shorter runtimes it's not completely mind-numbing. They definitely have a sound which predates a lot similar, you can tell this sound was something more found in the 90s - which this album predates. Quite enjoyed it, I feel like it's very pleasant background music. Wouldn't mind listening to it again.
3.5
Yes please!
there's a dude in the comments complaining that 'where is my mind?' doesn't answer the question posed in the title. here are some other songs this guy would hate: can you feel the love tonight? don’t you want me? should i stay or should i go? how will i know? who let the dogs out? how deep is your love? wouldn’t it be nice? how soon is now?
Great album. There are some killer tracks in here. In my opinion, it's not QUITE as strong as Doolittle, but it's an amazing work of art. 4 starts easy.
an all time classic, one of the first CDs I ever bought
I respected for what it is. And of course I like that one song from fight club. But this isn't my jam
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.
In ‘88 I was too much of a metal head to appreciate the pixies. It took me a few more years. Surfer Rosa is a classic album, the groundwork for indie/fringe/grunge whatever you want to call it. 4/5
I know and like the song Where Is my Mind? but other than that, I find the album unremarkable.
It's perfect. Also I'm not writing about it
classic!
Punk Rock, gradlinig, pur, ganz okay, aber haut mich nicht um.
The Pixies mighty debut which mastered the quiet/loud dynamic. (...and so begat Nirvana) Brutal tales hate and pain. 4
Preferred Dolittle, but still a great album.
I was unfamiliar with this album and I wished I still was. Its trash, white noise at times. What is it? Will never put myself through this again. Reluctantly it gets one star because 1 wasn't an option
Ranges from pretty cool to goofy nonsense. The production makes it sound badass even when the songs get incoherent.
Nice tits, good single, the rest I could pass on🙃
You can feel the influence oozing off of it. For never having heard the album before, I loved the piss out of it. Standouts: Bone Machine, Break My Body, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind Bonus points for actually having a good sounding 80s snare drum.
It’s Pixies: soft-LOUD-soft-LOUD. Amelodic shrieking. Sneering lyrics. The band is always at their best when they’re doing deranged 60s pop. See: Nirvana, Weezer. It’s hard to listen now without putting the whole of rock music from grunge to now in context as post-Pixies. The screaming punk songs sound dated, not able to scare my parents any more. Record sounds AWESOME. I can hear every time a pick touches a guitar string and every high hat splash and bass drum kick burrow into my head. It’s no Doolittle, but what is? Boobies.
While not bad in any way I personally just found this track list to be very generic, not well suited to my taste, annoying and repetitive. Who knows, maybe with some time I’ll relisten to this and find enjoyment in the conventions it possesses, that I still think, in terms of quality, are not all that bad.
I'm a big fan of giving albums 5 stars just because I have no reason not to, but this is a SOLID HULKING FIVE STARS. Noisy, weird and unabashed. Brilliant
Most isn't for me, but the 2 songs that are are masterpieces
Ok album
Oh, this album has THAT song I wasn't sure about the first few songs, then around Gigantic I started getting into it. After Cactus it went back to just being okay, but I liked the last song
I like Doolittle better
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
I think I still prefer Doolittle but this is better than I remember. Lots of fun songs. Pixies are just not really something I would ever put on as an album personally.
As someone who’s always been drawn to the raw energy of punk rock and its ability to blend chaos with creativity, Surfer Rosa hits that sweet spot between abrasive and brilliant. this album feels like a time capsule of raw, unfiltered emotion paired with innovative soundscapes. What stands out most is how Pixies balance unpredictability with catchiness. Tracks like “Bone Machine” and “Where Is My Mind?” showcase their knack for blending haunting melodies with offbeat, experimental touches. Black Francis’ visceral, unhinged vocals are electric, and Kim Deal’s basslines and harmonies add an almost ethereal quality that contrasts beautifully with the grit. The production is another standout The stripped-down, almost live-recording vibe brings an intimacy to the album, making it feel like you’re in the room with the band as they thrash out each song. Albini’s emphasis on natural acoustics gives the album its signature edge. While the energy is relentless, it sometimes feels a little repetitive toward the back half of the album. Surfer Rosa isn’t just an album; it’s a manifesto for how punk and alternative music can push boundaries. While it might not be perfect, it’s undeniably impactful and innovative. For me, it’s a near-classic that’s as exhilarating as it is imperfect—exactly how punk rock should be.
This is what Nirvana always wanted to be, to me. Everything here sounds complete and stupid in many ways, but I love it for that. I don't really have much meaningful insight because I had two beers before finishing it, but I really vibe with it, probably because a lot of my more recent favorite bands (Number Girl especially, and The Pillows) obviously were influenced by it. It will undoubtedly grow on me more, and I really dig it so far.
This album is so me in highschool
Kind of an awkward and meandering start, really clicks in for a solid string of tracks starting from about Broken Face to Where's My Head Tonight? Cactus and Vamos were solid tracks but sort of oddly placed, weird intermissions. A lot of fun. Light 8
9/10 The defining 90s Rock album was a decade too early, while Indie Rock had been on the rise at the time, I don’t think the genre would have a real blueprint until Surfer Rosa (and Doolittle but we’re not talking about her right now). The eccentricities, brashness, and shamelessness of Indie is captured in this 33 min runtime, from the very ugly and noisy Post-Hardcore, Post-Punk, and Cowpunk influences, to the hyper-emotional Grungey Alt-Rock cuts that MK Ultra any unstable youngling into bursting into tears and starting a band. Thank you Latinas
I'm a noise ho!
Music sounds great but lyrics have to make sense to me.
I like it
7/10
The best thing about most of these songs is that they’re short.
Some Punk vibe
I really want to like the Pixies more than I do, since they are influenced by and have influence on so many bands I do like. But aside from “Where is my Mind,” there weren’t any tracks here I’d care to hear again.
Juvenile at times, but the music is mostly really good.
I know a lot of people like the Pixies, but I just don't get it. Great album cover, though.
Solid album. Where Is My Mind? is great plus the last three songs.
no reason for where is my mind to have a billion listens tbh
I’d give it three and a half for containing that one song of theirs that everyone knows. Otherwise, a little too much 90’s post-punk Dadaism for my tastes.
Hadn’t listened to the whole album before. Solid.
More Pixies please. What a debut. Seriously - “Where Is My Mind” - the one everyone knows, is the least good song on the album. And it’s still fucking great. 10/10
An explosive, maniacally-charged debut album. Twisted and weird. Overall a fun listen, it's anything but boring (unlike *some* of the other records this website has fed me). And "Where Is My Mind?" is legendary.
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!!!
Meh. Didn't think much of this Where Is My Mind? - absolute banger. But the rest of the album was so forgettable This is the 2nd Pixies album I've heard now and nothing stands out to me at all 3 ⭐️
Better than the Beatles
Their sound is just kind of annoying to me, especially the guitar tone and vocals. I can respect what they do in terms of songwriting, but none of the tracks are really that special either
Not on the level of Doolittle in regards to songwriting or overall sound, but still excellent
Other than Bone Machine, nothing here that I particularly like. The Pixies brand of indie has never really appealed to me and this album has done nothing to change my mind
DOnt lose your mind is a fucking masterpiece of a song, nothing really came close to it in this album unfortunitylyu. Was pretty good, but the album was really overshadowed by that song, the rest were alright. 6/10, the album was still above average and was good, with little songs I didn' tlike, however not alot of playlist worthy songs.
Just a lot of shouting. Obvs love Where Is My Mind? but actually preferred the rip off my friend's band wrote called TV Show in about 2003. RIP Baculum.
For a debut album it is good. It is definitely garage band sound and the beginning of the alternative music that I grew up with. I do think they have better music than this album though, hence the rating.
I’m not a fan of all their covers to their albums but overall it was a decent album. I can find the voice of the lead singer to get annoying pretty quickly. Where is my mind is a great song but just like previously stated I find Black Francis to be a pain and that is why covers of that song are way better than it.
Really solid. Love the spastic all over the place guitar. Drums sound great too. I honestly can barely understand the lead singer most of the time but that’s okay. Great debut really paved the way for grunge later on.
Have never listened to an entire album by Pixies-was about what I expected. tracks are in your face but not over the top. gigantic & where is my mind are the best. really enjoyed Kim's vocals-wish she had more. 3.5 stars
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.
I don't think it's bad; I just didn't care for it. Had to give it a 2 because there's not a single song I'd want to listen to again.
Enough great ideas for Nirvana to rip them off, not enough to get more than 3 stars.
I don’t love the pixies but I’ll give this album an extra star for the cover.
Liked some of it but not my jam
Not for me
De meer punky en dirty eerste versie van ''Doolittle'', zo klinkt het een beetje. Het lijkt dan ook meer op een verzameling EP's of een mixtape, dan op een écht album. Maar dat ze de alternative/indie rock boom van de 90s zouden leiden, dat was wel duidelijk. De eerste helft van het album is bij vlagen even goed, of misschien wel beter, dan hun sophomore album. Daarmee doel ik vooral op de inventieve riffs, die door een ringetje te halen zijn. Het lijkt veel meer inspiratie uit art punk-helden Wire of Television te halen dan hun tweede plaat, toen ze echt hun eigen, unieke sound te pakken hadden. De tweede helft van de plaat valt een beetje uit elkaar, zoals ieder zelfrespecterende lo-fi en rauwe alternative act betaamt. Dat geschreeuw, wat iets meer gedoseerd en subtiel is op later werk van ze, valt ook niet altijd even lekker. 7,5/10 Highlights: Bone Machine Broken Face Gigantic Where Is My Mind?
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
This leans into "Not my cup of tea territory". Good energy, okay instrumentla work, vocal work all over the place. I only cared for 'Where is my Mind?'
For me, my favorite song from this set is “Gigantic” which features fantastic vocals from Kim Deal. Kurt Cobain once said, “I wish Kim was allowed to write more because ‘Gigantic’ is their best song.” Another classic is “Where is My Mind?” Both these stand up quite well and I believe will be remembered for as long as recorded music is part of the culture. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-surfer-rosa-by-pixies?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
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.
While I didn’t mind the music too much…..the vocals ruined it for me. Not my thing.
Automatic 3 for Where Is My Mind
Surfer Rosa is a hard album to judge, especially when I just like Pixies by default. But I came to love Pixies through Doolittle, and Surfer Rosa is no Doolittle, and it’s never been. I rarely revisit Surfer Rosa, and I might even put it last in a ranking of their discography proper (aka pre-reunion). And yet, my gut feeling says I should give this a 5-star rating, even if it’s not a perfect album. Although the first 7 tracks might be on their own. Starting with the off-kilter beat and abrasion of “Bone Machine” through to the stoned-out pop perfection of “Where Is My Mind,” it’s an immaculate run of songs. Whereas the heights of Doolittle are “pop forward with art punk edges,” these songs are all “art punk forward with pop edges,” and it makes Surfer Rosa a stunning thing to witness. Whether you’re looking at the blunt screams of “River Euphrates,” the grunge-precursor “Break My Body,” the weirdly glitchy “Broken Face,” the early rock ’n’ roll/surf jangle of “Something Against You,” or what may be my favorite song of all time, the immaculate gem of “Gigantic,” there is nothing to critique about the better front half of Surfer Rosa. After that, though, I start to have issues with it. I can’t put my finger on why “Cactus” throws me off, but I think it’s just a boring song, and it’s where the experimentation of Black Francis starts to hit its natural ceiling, as by this point in Surfer Rosa, I’ve heard all the weirdness he has to offer, at least for 1988. I feel the same way about the persistent dynamics of “Oh My Golly,” and, on a worse day, “I’m Amazed.” My other issue with this lesser half, particularly with the two aforementioned tracks, is the studio banter, which slams the breaks on the record’s momentum instantly. That isn’t to say that I don’t love and adore the dumb fun of “Tony’s Theme,” the involvement of the full band for the experimental vision of “Vamos,” or the saucy closer “Brick is Red.” Hell, I don’t even dislike the songs I said I dislike, I just find them to be weaker. And strong albums with more obvious missteps are easier to critique, and frankly make for more frustrating listens, because I am *so close* to adoring it if it wasn’t for those few faults. I really went back and forth on this. Surfer Rosa is the type of record that I almost can’t rate on the same scale as I’ve rated the last 391 albums. It’s my least favorite record from one of my favorite bands of all time. The scales are weighted in a way that doesn’t work. It’s nowhere near my own Top 100 Albums, and I’d revisit, enjoy, and praise about 60% of my 4-stars above this record. But objectively, I think the best parts are more plentiful and more artful than some of my 5-star ratings are as a whole. And that’s ignoring influence! In the end, I have to be honest, and while that feels like splitting hairs, I need to accept that I don’t have to adore every Pixies album, even if it contains one of my favorite songs of all time and multiple other A+ bangers.
It was interesting to hear the rest of the songs off of that album after only ever really hearing the single
Wat een fucking horror. Something Against You is gewoon herrie. Dit is geen muziek meer joh, gewoon rammen op een gitaar en een drumstel terwijl iemand in een microfoon schreeuwt. Gelukkig duurt dit album maar iets meer dan een half uur, maar in die tijd kun je beter iets anders doen. Where is my mind is een bekend nummer, maar geen goed nummer. Ik haat, echt haat, de zanger van deze band. Wat een fucking drama is dit. The Pixies? Een groot deel van de muziek klinkt als geluid vanuit dixies.
A scattershot “slacker rock” album that feels half-finished on purpose. I do appreciate the colorful sound here, disparate genres mashed together to craft interesting textures… but come on, is this really “good” by any normal metric? I guess it was to Kurt Cobain, who translated these ideas into much better music. Best song: Tony’s Theme
my second favorite pixies album, no notes just vibes
First time listening to Pixies. They really seem to like bones. Unfortunately, the thing that stands out the most is the weird vocal mixes. I get it, it’s “raw,” but there’s a lot of weird, distracting vocal mixing. Really good otherwise.
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.
:D
Coolt på många konstiga sätt. 'Tony's Theme' är cool för att den låter som en galning på karaokebar 03:30, 'Broken Face' är cool för att den handlar om en person som är missbildad till följd av incest, 'Where Is My Mind?' är cool för att det är världens bästa låt. Härlig, rå, weirdpunkig energi. Växlande lågintensivt viskande och psykotiska urladdningar. Alltid framåtdrivet av en OTROLIG gitarr. Texterna mystiska och mörka, erotiska och perversa. Genomgående bra kvalité, men inte några höga toppar - bortsett från 'Where Is My Mind?'. Den har varit en favoritlåt i något decennium, och är såklart på en helt egen nivå, en helt egen galax. Men andra hedersomnämnanden är 'Bone Machine', 'Oh My Golly!', och 'Brick Is Red'. 'Gigantic' ska tydligen vara en stor hit, men den gjorde inte så mycket för mig. Bästa låt: Where Is My Mind?
Such a classic album. Right on the edge of punk and grunge. Short songs, loud, aggressive, seemingly uncaring about a vocalist that maybe wasn't the best but was certainly unique. I love it. I feel like it could have been produced a little better and would have benefitted from maybe not sounding quite so raw and maybe having the guitars sound a little fuller. You have to be in the right mood for this one, it's not something you could just put on to magically fix however you are feeling. But that can be said about most records. To me this is the best Pixies album and I'll listen to this a lot more in the future. 4/5
Thought I was going to like it more than I actually did
Before Mr. Black got too pudgy and insecure to let Ms Deal contribute. Peak pixies!
7.5/10
Tracy Emin attracted much disdain in the late 90s when, following a depressive episode, she exhibited her unmade bed covered in clutter and rubbish everywhere, as a sculpture. A chaotic but honest insight into her mind. Skeptics said that anyone could have done it, to which Emin agreed but said that no one did. Fans of the work pointed out that the lack of curation and polish was what gave the work its subversive candidness. Personally, I don’t like “My Bed” but I can appreciate it and its contribution to the art that came after it that I liked more. Anyway, Surfer Rosa is considered a classic by a lot of musical geniuses. I think it’s (mostly) shit. But we got Nevermind out of it so thanks anyway.
This feels a little messy, but has a lot of energy. Riffs are original and writing is unique. There’s a good amount of range that keeps you interest as well as the album only being 34 minutes long. Production and instrumentation are good. Vocals are unmistakable. I enjoy all of these songs and I enjoyed listening to the whole album, but it’s not one I’ll be listening to as a whole anytime soon. All of it is a bit much. One is great. 4/5
To each his own. This album received decent critical acclaim which was lost on me. I personally would like to have the 34:07 run time minutes back.
Fun! Love the skits, feels like an older version of QotSA radio skits. Fun but not really what I enjoy listening to at the moment.
Another band that I've never understood the hype around. Similar to their contemporaries Sonic youth in some respects, but the Pixies don't irritate me half as much.
‘Where Is My Mind?’ makes me wonder how many songs I know by heart without actually knowing where they’re from. Nice breakdown music. Overall, was ok for me
Noisy, short, punchy, gritty, obscure. Lots of dynamics changing, great guitar riffs. Where Is My Mind is a classic - but I really can't get behind the rest. I know of the influence on alt rock and grunge, I just despise the cacophony of voices at times. It just doesn't hit the right spots for me. Maybe, I need to be in a particular mood, where I would dig the unhinged punkrock aesthetic more. Standout Tracks: River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind
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.
Fun, impromptu, noisy, clearly a Cobain influencer.
One of my favorite songs from a group I don’t connect with other wise. College Radio rock is not a big thing to me. A couple tracks are pleasing, but over the soundscape is broad and confusing.
Not something I would listen to often, but an okay album. 3 stars or C.
Great punk-rock record. Can definitely see why and how it influenced a lot of my favorite bands
It’s the pixies! 5/5
I liked it but I’m not super surprised. I tend to like alt rock music tho I haven’t listened to a lot of rock before the early 2000s. Definitely down to listen ti more of this group again
Ehhh, it’s only okay.
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.
cool, nice, feeling young and rebel, but little bit too noisy at this age
• 3/5 • Love the driving guitar, surf influence, hooks, and overall post-punk proto-grunge vibe • Demerits for the vocals
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?
A necessary inclusion and probably their best work, and definitely includes a couple of their most successful tracks.
Even after all these years and fight club hype, I loves me some where is my mind. You know what I also love? The album art. Props.
Am I a basic bitch cuz Where Is My Mind is my favorite Pixies song? Undoubtedly yes. But love is love and I can’t quit that song. Rounding up based on it alone. 3.5/5
Not my thing. Gigantic was good and Where is my mind is good but otherwise meh
Nice tits. Pretty sweet. I like the contrast between the singers and Vamos and Where is My Mind are great songs. A couple other decent songs on here makes it a well rounded album. 7 out of 10.
Trotos
Didn’t listen to closely. Already a fan, but not my favourite Pixies album
where is my mind
Simply one of the best.
To my absolute incredible SHOCK: I didn’t hate this album. I went into it assuming I would because of my previous experience with the Pixies. It definitely could be worse. I found myself not wincing to their songs, different than usual, and being rather content. I think that it’s not something I would normally listen to on my own time, but I wasn’t horrified by it being on the list. I think with more time I could learn to maybe like.
No more Pixies they exhaust me. Occasionally interesting music, I surprisingly like the sound of this record, but both singers are hideous and the atonal shit always overtakes any potential for a decent listen. Yes they're influential on like 4 bands you've heard of but ENOUGH ALREADY. They became one of the most overrated bands ever - write a damn song, tune your guitar and get off my lawn. 4/10 2 stars
its cool, though their hit shines above the rest
Wish I could give more than 5 stars
Bone Machine 78 Break My Body 80 Something Against You 75 Broken Face 70 Gigantic 85 River Euphrates 80 Where Is My Mind? 90 Cactus80 Tony's Theme 75 Oh My Golly! 65 Vamos 60 I'm Amazed 50 Brick Is Red 75 Total album: 74
Ok, aber für mich nichts besonderes
A lot more interesting than Doolittle, with less dated production, but still doesn’t hold a candle to the best album of 1988, Daydream Nation. See what I did there?
Meh
Another album where the super popular song doesn’t sound much like the rest of the album. Idk I couldn’t really get into this.
There’s some pixies songs I really like. Like I listen to them a lot. And idk why I didn’t rate the other albums higher bc I feel like they have a lot of songs I listen to. On this one where’s my mind is the only one I knew beforehand. For some reason the other albums didn’t really hit as albums for me. this did, but maybe bc I was more conscious about my mind inner workings. Also we got lots of albums that have naked boobs on the album cover kindve in a short time frame lol
5/10 - sounded like the other pixies album. Not great one of the songs sounded like something I had heard before.
Not quite as good as the other two pixies albums but still solid
Just couldn’t get into it , indie rock has been changing my opinion of it throughout this journey but this one just didn’t move the needle for me , heard it a few times moving on
Well that was a strange one. I had only heard Where Is My Mind? before today, which is pretty weird by itself. The rest of the album is even weirder. I can definitely hear the roots of Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, even maybe a little Toadies. The fact that this came out in 1988 is crazy, definitely feels ahead of its time. The grindy guitars and batshit vocal delivery give it a manic feel, like the whole thing was created during a particularly goofy psychotic break. All in all, very interesting, although I doubt I'd listen again.
Honestly bops
Pixies are a group I know little of or have any inclination towards. In fact the only time previously they came on my radar was a couple of months ago when they appeared on my 1001 list. Didn’t like that album and like this one less. As I said then not a complete musical disaster (allowing that a lot of folks do like them but not me) but nothing which lubricates my girth. 2/5 22/11/24
Favourite tracks: where is my mind?; gigantic; cactus; bone machine
I was hoping for an entire album of “where is my mind”, but the other tracks fell a little short for me.
I enjoy a nice set of breasts as much as the next guy. Maybe more. That aside, I don't know, man... Where is my Mind coming on at the end of Fight Club was a pretty revelatory experience when I first watched it at 15, but other than that one song, this album isn't really my thing.
Pixies er skemmtilegt band og það var margt gott þarna. Ég held samt að ég muni alltaf hlusta frekar á Doolittle. Það var nefnilega ýmislegt eins og t.æil dæmis spjallið og tiraunakennt spilerí sem dregur þessa plötu aðeins niður. Set hana samt í 4 stjörnur
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.
This album feels like the end of glam rock and the start of grunge. Nothing that exciting, but a great record. Where is my mind is a banger still.
A noisy indie classic about sexual delinquency, scuba diving, and a superhero called Tony. Latin-driven grooves with noisy, punky guitars and Black Francis’ signature yelping, this is a statement and a half. It’s not as strong as it’s follow up Doolittle where everything just blends together a bit better, but songs like Bone Machine, Gigantic and Vamos are just fantastic, even if the iconic Where Is My Mind? steals the show
bone machine where is my mind great
I like the 'bigger' pixies hits but this album was full of songs I haven't heard
They probably felt really cool and edgy while recording this, but it's mostly loud and boring.
I am a bit of a Pixies fan, at least in terms of their greatest hits. I mentioned this when I reviewed Bossanova and wondered if Surfer Rosa would change my mind. It did not. There are more songs I know on this one, but man, there is also some really bad songs that are "experimentation" which I conclude means "It's a bunch of sounds that don't make sense." Looking at you Vamos. Vamos was a bad song full of noise that isn't good and I think even a diehard Pixies fan could search themselves to find this is true. Bone Machine Gigantic Where is My Mind? Break My Body Broken Face Cactus These are all great songs. I found the back half of Bossanova to be the best part of the album, while I find the back half of this album to be the more "experimental" side of the album. Meaning, it wasn't good.
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.
Pixies. The band I always should have liked, but never did. Still don’t get the love for them. Where is my mind aside, this for me is mediocre as anything.
One really good song and a full album of terrible and unlistenable tracks. I'm not a fan, I didn't enjoy it, and probably won't listen to it again. Steve Albini is for sure an original producer, but not everything he touched turned to gold.
Last song and like one other song were decent, rest of it were bad. 1.5/5
Álbum mal feito Só serve para dar dor de cabeça Som muito simplista Em 1988 deve ter sido inovador
simplesmente muito ruim.
Me deu dor de cabeça escutar isso. Album destinado para cracudos de los angeles da decada de 90. Bem abaixo da linha de mediocridade, nao é mid é algo pior que mid. Se esse album fosse uma pessoa ele seria uma albanesa que prostitui sua irma mais nova para servos. 2 musicas se salvam de 13(Fez o L?), a bateria é legal e tem algumas boas linhas de baixo. Fora isso eu desejaria ter tido um Smith & Weasson Numero 3 contra meu cranio e apertar o gatilho. Seria menos doloroso que escutar esse album. Tetas fartas/10
"Where Is My Mind?" de longe a faixa mais banger do álbum. Nunca tinha escutado outras músicas, e acabou que curti a pegada (lá ele). Nota: 7.5/10
break my bones começa relativamente bem e vai decaindo até a metade do album where is my mind é mt bom, cactus é bom e depois disso dá uma descaralhada not really my tempo
This has a very raw punk/grunge sound to it and I love it.
I thought I would like this more
Songs i know: 2 Songs i like: first half of the album. Good songs: 1 and a bit Only the second album so far with a good song on it. This is more like it, an album I would happily come back and listen to again any day. First time listening to this front to back and it's great, full of energy. Basically a good radiohead aren't they.
As much as I like Pixies, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this album back-to-back. Which is a shame as it’s great. It does feel a bit like Gigantic and Where Is My Mind are outliers, as the rest of the record is so dissonant and strange, in a good way. The start of Cactus sounds exactly like Rock N Roll Star. Think Lloydie will like Tony’s Theme due to his extreme narcissism (and tbf, the song slaps). Only problem I have with this is that the production is all over the show. None of it is bad, per se, but it sounds like every song was recorded in a different room, but I like how ‘live’ it sounds. Favourite songs: Bone Machine, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind, Tony’s Theme, Oh My Golly, Vamos, Brick is Red. Least favourite: None.
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
Two really really good songs in ‘Gigantic’ and ‘Where is my Mind’ which are timeless, considering the album was made in 1988 haven’t dated. Some other good tunes on there but there is a lot of forced wackiness, proper ‘Blackadder underpants on his head - pencils up his nose - saying wibble’ tackle. The first track really annoyed me.
Album starts well but really plummets after the beast that is Where is my mind. All a bit wacky towards the end.
Hit and miss -- Doolittle is way more consistent
4 out of 5. I enjoyed this one with it's frantic energy more than I thought I would.
Further confirms I don’t like anything related to hardcore, metal or heavy rock even through a pop, indie, surfer, alternative rock songwriting prism. Clearly interesting, and clearly influential but don’t care for it. Except where is my mind - that doesn’t get old.
Some songs were okay, some not so good
I like a lot of what it does. But it doesn’t do it often enough to hold an album. A 3.5 rounded down.
starting this ablum, im remembering that i dont love pixies, they have some bangers but the full on rock vibes arent great, skipped through a song or two at the beginning. not super my thing i cant lie, skipping through most of the songs fun bassline on gigantic from gigantic i am enjoying this album more, the music is slower paced and a bit more interesting, less "rockrock" and a bit more laid back. where is my mind? is an aboslute classic though, i cant fault this song, love playing it, love listening to it. i think theres a few songs in there, from gigantic to like tonys theme that are a bit more fun. had to stop the album early, skipping songs, not a fan but theres some goodies in there.
I don't like this album quite as much as Doolittle, but I appreciate its importance in music history.
Will listen to it today
This album almost feel like it was made as a social experiment, where they wanted to find out how much noise they could make and how badly they could sing, yet still get called music. The answer is apparently a lot. There are 1 or 2 decent songs on the album which save it from being a 1, but in that case, it was mostly the instrumentals that were enjoyable, not the vocals. If you want to hear what their music sounds like when sung by someone who actually knows how to sing, you should listen to James Blunt's cover of where is my mind. Immediately becomes much more enjoyable.
Back to playing catch-up, a few Pixies albums on my list now. They're good background music for work
5 stars
As background music this album does not work (I usually listen while at work). It's kind of manic & distracting in that setting. Or perhaps I was just annoyed in general yesterday when I listened to it. But when I listened to it with more attention I actually really started to enjoy it. So much more than I thought I would, especially after that first listen yesterday.
This album is strange, but in a good way. Where is my mind is probably the most "normal" song, the rest are pretty unhinged at times.
Punk rock. Found it generic. Stand-out: Bone Machine
I would say a good album, without highs or lows.
I thought this album was a lot earlier than 2007. Where is my mind is a great tune. Its a good album. Not the type of album I would listen to lots but I would listen again. Favourite song: where is my mind Least favourite: River Euphrates Album artwork: Cool cover
Pretty good.
I'd not heard this album by the pixies. It was really fun. I very much enjoyed it
Another band that lots of people-who-like-music-that-I-like really, really rate, but I never liked. I gave it a go. I still don't like them. It's just the wrong combination for me of a drawly vocal, discordant tunes and a sense of everything being vaguely unedifying. I can deal with any of those, but perhaps not together. It's not objectively bad, just very much not for me.
Day301 - rated knowing how influential the pixies were and where is my mind is a good one
4 Stars (11/15)
Where Is My Mind? is really the only song that I liked. 2.5/5...rounded down to 2.
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.
Tied for best pixies album. Proper quality. Where is my mind is a classic and all the songs are very very strong
Glad to spend time with this front to back, first timer here. That said, not much time needed as this was a punch-packing breezy 33 minute spinaround. Not sure I heard a skip in this one, as each track comes in hard with some edge and impact from the all-too-familiar Bone Machine & Where Is My Mind to quirky narratives like Tony's Theme & River Euphrates. I quite liked this one. It rocked to a satisfyingly ample degree while doing its own weird thing. I gotta give Frankie B & the Pixies more spins. Great stuff.
Not for me. Longest 34 minutes in a long time. Must admit i didn’t have time and attention to listen to the lyrics, so I’m judging on vibes only. Spotify did autoplay some other songs of them when the album had ended and they were more to my liking, though from reading a little about them I Understand if people think I’m wrong about surfer rosa
This is how i imagine joy division would sound if they had a singer.
Really like this (but not the cover!)
It was ok, but didn’t leave a big impression apart from a couple of tracks (tony’s theme, where is my mind).
1/5
1/5. Only song which was good is where is my mind. The other songs just feel like shouting and chaos
Deze was tering vet! Leuk om meer van Pixies te horen.
Asi si znovu nepustím. Max hlavní singl. Fajn slyšet.
This was ok, and that’s about it really, I can see some influence on later artists but i’m not a fan of the vocals and wasn’t the fan of a new song every 2 minutes but regardless I did like some of them.
Fav: Where Is My Mind? Least Fav: Cactus Disappointed at the lack of surfing music here ngl
80% Best: Gigantic; Where Is My Mind? Must-Hear? Almost
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.
Interesting album.
Modern sound but a little bit repetitive
Ist halt Fundament für die ganze alternative Rock Szene mit Nirvana und der ganzen Auflösung von sauberen Vocals und sinnvollen Stilmitel und so tönt es auch. Super Basic ausgerüstet direkt vom Surf-Strand latschen die Punks mit den dreckigen Stiefel direkt in den nächsten Saloon. Bro, was willst du mehr als 90' Ehrlichkeit: Alles geht den Bach runter und where is my mind dabei?
Ist halt Fundament für die ganze alternative Rock Szene mit Nirvana und der ganzen Auflösung von sauberen Vocals und sinnvollen Stilmitel und so tönt es auch. Super Basic ausgerüstet direkt vom Surf-Strand latschen die Punks mit den dreckigen Stiefel direkt in den nächsten Saloon. Bro, was willst du mehr als 90' Ehrlichkeit: Alles geht den Bach runter und where is my mind dabei?
einfach stressig, sorry
Leider chli en unpassende Tag gsi zum vo de Pixies und ihrem Geschrei und Punk zuezdröhnt werde. Ich gsehn s Potential, aber ned amene Mäntig. "where is my mind" git natürli no chli Pluspünkt.
Eigentlich ja scho na banger sounds. 1 big up song. Brucht de richtig mood defür. Aber d Gitarre bringt mini füess zum lüpfe und d luune zum stiege. Btw: geile album name und interessanti cover uswahl.
hans direkt nachem "on the beach" album gloset zum choche, isch nöd sonen smoothe übergang gsi :))))
wenigi 2*, einigi 3*, vereinzelti 4* und eis 5* ih de volle längi wirdi's wohl nöd no es dritts mal lose aber trotz es paar skipbare lieder isch "where is my mind" s'züngli ah de waag herzlichi gratulation pixies, 4* vom don nunchaku
Never used to like Pixies much but they've grown on me over the years. Still prefer Doolittle though.
meh. two good songs.
Always loved this album
There’s a few quality songs, but I only got the remaster version available, and I presume the actual original sounds much better than this, the mix is atrocious
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.
I've never been a fan of The Pixies, but I can appreciate the band and the influence they've had
I'm returning to the project after a month-long break, and I have forgotten what my system was for rating albums. For instance, I love the sound on this album, but there are only 1-2 tracks that are individually really good. I'm probably not going to return to the record just to listen to 30 minutes of cool vibes. There must be a reason it is on the list and generally acclaimed, so maybe it's an especially really good example of this early American Alternative jangly sound? I have no idea because I barely have any reference points in this genre. It's likely I wouldn't be able to tell this album apart from some barely remembered band working in the same style, as long as they were generally competent. I'll give this 3 stars just because of the general nostalgic sound.
Painful
Um, whatever? It's fine, I guess.
7/10 Highlights: River Euphrates Gigantic Break My Bones Where is My Mind Bone Machine
"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.
Nicht schlecht, aber etwas zu Indie. Einige Songs gut hörbar, andere eine Qual.
It was fine
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.
Well I certainly can’t say the songs all sound the same. Overall it’s not bad, but it’s not going to make my heavy rotation either.
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.
pretty good. gigantic is probably the best song on it.
Great album, you can see how it influenced a lot of early grunge. It's almost nonsense lyrics at time but the energy and feeling pulls it together well. Great album to put on the list and full of experimentation. I've heard plenty that sounds tighter but that's not the goal of all music.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Only knew the track Where Is My Mind, which is a favorite song. It wasn't that cohesive and just a messing around vibe for a bunch of the tracks. Gigantic was alright.
Here’s an outline for an album review of Surfer Rosa by Pixies, including space for rating each track: Album Review: Surfer Rosa by Pixies Release Date: March 21, 1988 Genre: Alternative Rock Label: 4AD Overview: A brief introduction to the album, discussing its significance in the development of alternative rock and its influence on the ‘90s grunge movement. Mention producer Steve Albini’s raw recording style and how the album’s mix of quiet-loud dynamics and surreal lyrics became iconic. Track-by-Track Review: 1. Bone Machine • Commentary on the aggressive opening riff, Black Francis’ unique vocal delivery, and the song’s punk energy. Rating: 9/10 2. Break My Body • Thoughts on the song’s heavy distortion and mix of eerie and aggressive tones. Rating: 8/10 3. Something Against You • Analysis of the song’s blistering speed and unconventional production, with distorted vocals. Rating: 4/10 4. Broken Face • Discussion of the song’s fast pace, strange narrative, and its place in the album’s offbeat vibe. Rating: 8/10 5. Gigantic • Kim Deal’s standout vocal performance and the song’s catchy bassline and indie-pop appeal. Rating: 10/10 6. River Euphrates • Commentary on the intense drumming and surreal, somewhat cryptic lyrics. Rating: 7/10 7. Where Is My Mind? • Thoughts on the iconic status of this song, its ethereal melody, and its haunting lyrics. Rating: 10/10 8. Cactus • Analysis of the darkly romantic lyrics and minimalist, gritty sound. Rating: 8/10 9. Tony’s Theme • Discussion of the playful lyrics and punk-rock delivery, with its superhero-themed narrative. Rating: 6.5/10 10. Oh My Golly! • A fast, frenetic song with bilingual lyrics and raw, energetic instrumentation. Rating: 7/10 11. Vamos (Surfer Rosa) • Thoughts on the re-recording of the track from Come On Pilgrim, its wild energy, and surreal lyrics. Rating: 8/10 12. I’m Amazed • A brief song with conversational lyrics, focusing on themes of deception and relationships. Rating: 8/10 13. Brick Is Red • A moody, slower track that closes the album with a more introspective feel. Rating: 6/10 Final Thoughts: A summary of the album’s chaotic energy, blending raw production with dynamic shifts in mood and intensity. Reflect on the album’s influence on alternative rock and its status as a cult classic. Here’s an outline for an album review of Surfer Rosa by Pixies, including space for rating each track: Album Review: Surfer Rosa by Pixies Release Date: March 21, 1988 Genre: Alternative Rock Label: 4AD Overview: A brief introduction to the album, discussing its significance in the development of alternative rock and its influence on the ‘90s grunge movement. Mention producer Steve Albini’s raw recording style and how the album’s mix of quiet-loud dynamics and surreal lyrics became iconic. Track-by-Track Review: 1. Bone Machine • Commentary on the aggressive opening riff, Black Francis’ unique vocal delivery, and the song’s punk energy. Rating: 9/10 2. Break My Body • Thoughts on the song’s heavy distortion and mix of eerie and aggressive tones. Rating: 8/10 3. Something Against You • Analysis of the song’s blistering speed and unconventional production, with distorted vocals. Rating: 4/10 4. Broken Face • Discussion of the song’s fast pace, strange narrative, and its place in the album’s offbeat vibe. Rating: 8/10 5. Gigantic • Kim Deal’s standout vocal performance and the song’s catchy bassline and indie-pop appeal. Rating: 10/10 6. River Euphrates • Commentary on the intense drumming and surreal, somewhat cryptic lyrics. Rating: 7/10 7. Where Is My Mind? • Thoughts on the iconic status of this song, its ethereal melody, and its haunting lyrics. Rating: 10/10 8. Cactus • Analysis of the darkly romantic lyrics and minimalist, gritty sound. Rating: 8/10 9. Tony’s Theme • Discussion of the playful lyrics and punk-rock delivery, with its superhero-themed narrative. Rating: 6.5/10 10. Oh My Golly! • A fast, frenetic song with bilingual lyrics and raw, energetic instrumentation. Rating: 7/10 11. Vamos (Surfer Rosa) • Thoughts on the re-recording of the track from Come On Pilgrim, its wild energy, and surreal lyrics. Rating: 8/10 12. I’m Amazed • A brief song with conversational lyrics, focusing on themes of deception and relationships. Rating: 8/10 13. Brick Is Red • A moody, slower track that closes the album with a more introspective feel. Rating: 6/10 Final Thoughts: A summary of the album’s chaotic energy, blending raw production with dynamic shifts in mood and intensity. Reflect on the album’s influence on alternative rock and its status as a cult classic. Overall Rating: 8/10 the album’s percentage rating is 76.54%. Final Review: Surfer Rosa by Pixies
Buen disco, ruidoso actualmente. Interesante
Couple of good song otherwise shit
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.
Where’s my mind is literally fucking INSANE but this one will take me a few tries to really get into. Nonetheless, the vibe is definitely up my alley and i really enjoy some of the more screamy bits. tony’s theme is so so much fun!!! 1.) Where’s my mind 2.) tony’s theme 3.) cactus
Quite liked this one
I'm quite a fan of the Pixies, especially Doolittle. I even like some of the newer stuff like some songs from Head Carrier. However, Surfer Rosa feels a bit of a mixed bag to me. Where is My Mind? is a classic of course, but I'm honestly unsure a out the album as a whole. It is probably their most 'noise rock' album to me. Noise music can be a bit hit and miss. The album wasn't a slow listen at least, and I did enjoy quite a bit of it. However, I could see why someone wouldn't necessarily care for it as well.
3.5/5
I can just about hear the difference this has to a lot of the more inane punk on this list, but it still feels very much a stepping stone to some of the music that came after and for me isn't that interesting or enjoyable in its own right.
Very good, sounds written in expectation of nirvana
Decent. Jack White was definitely tapping into the vocal style in the early days of the White Stripes. Where Is My Mind is the stand out attack but I enjoyed the gruniness and hardcore punk vibes elsewhere on the album.
Hard to fault this album, so I won't.
Cultural significance might actually play a big part here....I can completely appreciate how this album would've been a breath of fresh air in the late eighties after the excesses of glam rock and super pristine productions. It's noisy, fresh, highly energetic but melodious. It's not my natural type of music to listen to, but I'll always have a soft spot for Where Is My Mind from Beaver days, and I really liked Turkish Disco. The influence on grunge and bands like Deerhoof is patently obvious.
Finally an album I’m familiar with! This was so nearly a 5 for me. The production, mix of tones, use of harmony and simplicity is amazing. Great to come back to this banger.
Not for me at all. Style of singing just did not do it for me, neither did the lyrics or just the vibe at all
Pretty good, but it feels very much like the rough draft of something they would perfect with Doolittle
My wife is going to be furious at me that I didn't give this a 5.
I only knew where is my mind going into this and I ended up liking a couple other of the songs. I added 3-4 to my likes songs. The rest were all pretty good, nothing I disliked. I wish I could give half stars. I'd like to give this a 3.5/5 but I'll do 4
Today I learned Car Seat Headrest is so entirely influenced by this album and the Pixies sound. The first half of the album was not doing it for me but it really came back after Where is My Mind?. I think besides Cactus (which was okay), I really jived with the rest of the album. Surprisingly strong finish!
In my opinion this is the best Pixies album. Has a darker unpolished sound but still keeps the pixies insane levels of weirdness. Also it has boobs on the cover.
Where Is My Mind? //
Kim Deal provides my favorite backing vocals in the genre and when given the spotlight on songs like "Gigantic" she kills it. Expressive, sweet, and intimidating all at once. Not a huge Pixies fan but the album sounds like highschool/college friends getting together and having a good time around music. No dick swinging that tends to put me off when it comes to similar artists.
wasn't bad
One great song. Eh to the rest.
A shortie but a goodie. I appreciated the musical variety in this. I agree with the producer that the conversation snippets sound a bit gimmicky but that’s okay. Lots of experimental things, didn’t enjoy all of them. The vocals through the guitar amp was a little disappointing. But holistically, I think this is a 4
..
did not like this. i realise the sound it developed was influential for the genre, however it was just really unpleasant at times. a lot of the songs were about sex, which is fine, but they were really graphic at times and it was kind of off putting. didn’t mind river euphrates and where is my mind but the rest was bad to me
The start of something incredible, but Doolittle was better
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.
A great quick album! Fun and silly.
Whoever decided on their levels should be smacked. But on the other hand a debut album is a debut album in all aspects.
Mostly just noise to me. I really didn't get much outta this
Punky and punchy with short songs and some goofing around
Love it. This is a good one.
Wow, I have heard so much of this before but not in one go, that’s an extraordinary album.
You really have to be in a certain kind of mood to listen to this. This is punk rock and hard rock that would perfect for a club. It’s a fun sound with quick songs that are catchy. You can hear Led Zeppelin in there…I like the different voices on that. I probably should have listened to this while I was in school. heck, maybe I did and don’t remember. That’s how I feel about this album…interesting but unmemorable.
Just noise. I'm surprised someone spent time to remaster this. Just noise and a good guitar
I'm already a fan of the pixies so this was a fun one to get - probably my favourite of their discography and starring where is my mind so easy 8/10 for me
I've never really liked the Pixies but you can see why this was popular and inspiring to so many bands.