Bossanova

4.2/5 - In regards to the second song, I'm not big on rock music with shouting-style vocals. That song gets a 3.4/5. Asides from that this album was pretty cool.

I was so excited to review this. I love Pixies so much, and I love this album a lot more than most would I think. Black Francis has a voice that I LOOOOVE and I couldn’t tell you why. I think it’s the same way I love J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr and his weird voice. Kim Deal is also such a badass and her bass and vocals add so much to Pixies sound as a whole. Tracks like Velouria and Dig for Fire are obviously standout tracks for me, but I have a soft spot for Is She Weird. That chorus gets stuck in my head weekly. I’d compare this album to other albums I love, but I think this is the album that made those other albums what they are. Pixies is your favorite bands favorite band.

This album was intriguing. The best way I can describe it is as an album that rests upon the confluence point between two decades, wherein the musical currents in rock and metal music of the 80s and before meet the emergent grunge and punk sounds of the 90s and grind against one another in what is ultimately a productive conflict that plays out both within as well as between the individual songs. While listening to one track, one can hardly predict where the next song will lead. While that description might give the impression that Bossanova is aesthetically homeless, the album at least, for the most part, is able to make a case for itself, even if the diverse sonic threads do not quite meet here or there.

Surfer Rosa and Doolittle clearly deserve a spot on this list, and while Bossanova the next album isn't as impactful as those albums, is still a banger. You can't go wrong with the Pixies, it's the tempo and insanity that most music should strive to be.

I’m familiar with the Pixies, but I’ve never consciously listened to this record before. The second track, "Rock Music," with all its screaming, really puts me off. The rest is just noise—deconstructive rock, a bit of grunge, and a few rather unappealing melodic lines. Of course, there are some nice guitar riffs scattered throughout, but I couldn't single out any particular song. You could even pigeonhole the music as post-punk; it’s really hard to pin down. I’ve read that this album is highly regarded, but I don’t share that view. As far as I’m concerned, this will be the one and only time I listen to it!

Just okay - will not listen again

This is #day768 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my third and final record by Pixies. That's the way you do it: put on any record by this and enjoy. A crazy run, if you get to think about it: Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova. Pure class of alternative rock all around. Maybe a little less consistent than the previous two, but enjoyable nonetheless. Personal highlights are "Cecilia Ann," "Velouria," "Is She Weird," "Ana," and maybe "All Over the World." This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day769.

Divine!

Mixed feelings: really liked "Is She Weird" and "Havalina" was a nice way to end the album.

Velouria and Dig for Fire, a-doi.

Key album that welcomed in the Grunge era. Easy to imagine hundreds of preteens in Seattle listening to this album as their parents were taking them to guitar lessons and the thrift store to pick up monthly flannel rations.

Really enjoyed this! I'd only heard some of Doolittle before, having first been exposed to the Pixies via Fight Club. Some tracks are better than others but in general I think it sustains the pace throughout the album. This is also the first time in this project that I've saved some tracks as favourites.

Uh it's alright I guess. No track really stood out unfortunately.

Not gonna bother writing this review again (it got wiped). But banger. 8.5/10

This was an interesting one because no individual song really blew me away, but for much of the album I was impressed by Bossanova as a whole. The first half especially kept changing things up, moving between surf rock, hard rock, alternative, grungier sounds, and the space-rock atmosphere that runs through the album. The songs were mostly short and rarely overstayed their welcome, and even the longer “All Over the World” mixed things up enough to justify its length. Side two didn't grab me quite as much, and by the end several songs started feeling more of the same. There isn't really one track I'm dying to go back and hear again, but I appreciate how much musical ground Pixies covered while still making it feel like one cohesive album.

not my favorite pixies effort but still pleasant

Liked this a lot. I agree with another review that this album is greater than the sum of its parts, in that the songs aren’t as strong as on their earlier two albums but it the cohesive whole really works.

good chill rock

En general me gusta el sonido del grupo, pero me ha costado encontrar canciones que me gustaran de verdad.

Too many songs named after women

Not bad, a bit boring. Favourite track; Hang Wire.

Not bad, but doesn’t come close to Doolittle or Surfer Rosa

Pixies, pixies, I love the pixies. Nobody can stop me.

gutes album kann nicht viel dazu sagen

I really enjoy how varied this album is making the record as a whole a very interesting and fun listen. On that note though I feel like nothing really stood out as a true blue banger even if I found it quite good. This album did more to make me more excited to listen to more Pixies music rather than molding its on impact in my mind. It is still good and I'm sure with a couple relistens the impact will be felt. Fav tracks: Velouria, Allison, Is she weird, The happening, and Stormy weather,

a lot of tracks felt like unfinished/unpolished doolittle tracks rather than an evolution in their sound

This wasn’t really my thing. I just thought it was too rocky for me and not in a good rocky way. Just quite intense for no real reward.

Didn’t enjoy this really, found it inconsistent and just a bit annoying. Occasional bits were interesting however so it wasn’t a complete write off.

Super solid album, don't think there's a bad track on here. Damn I love The Happening.

It's better than the other one I had, I like this

Apparently, Pixies are a band of vibes. This album doesn't seem to have too much of a substance when it comes to the lyrics, or they're so stream-of-consciousness and surrealistic that you'd need an out of body experience to truly get them. However, sonically, this album is simply special. You can hear why everyone says that Kurt Cobain was strongly influenced by Pixies and where the harshest type of grunge comes from. On the other hand, there's a strong surf rock vibe throughout the whole record, with some punk rock sensibility. Overall, it should be captivating, but somehow it's not. I'm not a Pixies fan, and this album won't make me one. I appreciate the stylistic power, but I played it multiple times over a few days, committing to the idea that it needs a bit more time to work for me. It never did. I can't imagine the moments I'd feel like listening to this record, outside of educating someone on what shaped the sound of early 90s rock.

Some fun, mostly a blur. Crossover band with blend of punk/surf/alt with this result. Vocals don’t matter, and no real wisdom.

Probably wasn't in the right mindset in the late evening. Not my favourite

Decent, had some songs I liked, Dig For Fire stood out....but just nowhere close to Doolittle or Surfer Rosa for me. It maybe I'll have to try it again later

I can see this getting better with a few more listens. I quite like his voice. The hook on Stormy Weather is catchy.

Not bad, just not for me.

Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks möter Bob Hund i någon kåt variant. Fanns absolut mycket bra i det där!

Wspaniała płyta, taka "przydymiona", niegrzeczna. Żadnego pominięcia.

Also der Titel passt ja gar nicht ...

favorite songs: velouria, down to the wall.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Muy interesante

Pixies are one of my favourite bands but I think I overlooked this album a bit because my original impression was that it's not as good as Doolittle and Surfer Rosa. It's a lot closer to straightforward rock but still has that Pixies oddness. There are a lot of great tracks and the album just blitzes through them due to the short runtime. Velouria, Is She Weird and Dig for Fire are the three that I've listened to extensively outside of this list, but revisiting the album made me appreciate Cecilia Ann, Hang Wire, Stormy Weather and Havalina.

I was down on the mat after being hit with a brutal four-album combo of Nine Inch Nails, Kate Bush, Roni Size and Sonic Youth. It was almost over, I almost gave in, but this album was the smelling salts that got me up. I'm wobbly, my vision is clouded with blood, and there are probably a dozen David Bowie albums on this list that could knock me out permanently tomorrow, but for now, I'm back on my feet.

alright

This was diverse and interesting.

Some tracks are ok but none of this would ever appear on any of my playlists. A very weak 3 for me.

Not one song stood out to me but this really holds up as an overall listening experience

worthy entry in a run of good albums

Tough to compare to Surfer Rosa or Doolittle but still a great album.

A year ago I called Fire of Love by The Gun Club ‘the 3rd best Pixies album’. I might have been wrong. This one isn’t far below Surfer Rosa and Doolittle.

Really enjoyed the grungey sound

*1990. *I almost like the Pixies, but they’re a little too cool for me, I guess? *Most songs sound really dissimilar, almost like they’re played by different bands. I think that’s supposed to be avant garde, but I feel like the Pixies are just trying to be cool and edgy, and for me it doesn’t usually hit. *Most of the time it feels like they’re playing in their garage - it’s gritty, and I need to just accept that this is not a clean, melodic, radio band. That would probably make me enjoy it more. *May revisit. There’s some catchy stuff here and I don’t dislike it, I’m just not understanding the love for them. RATING - 6.5/10

There are a lot of good sounds and grooves on this record, but the songwriting is lacking to the point that most of the tracks fail to become actually good songs, and instead are just musical phrases repeated over and over, without really going anywhere. Almost better as background music. For some reason, they’re missing the songwriting that made Doolittle so great (per the Wikipedia article, they rushed the writing and rehearsing of this album, which explains a lot). Also, sometimes Frank Black’s vocals feel very lazy, and at other times his scream-singing style is overdone. Enjoyable and maybe half the songs merit repeat listens, but it doesn’t stand out in any way.

I like the pixies but this is at the replacement level

I enjoyed the music overall, but nothing really stood out to me. Pretty good sound and pretty good album.

Best Track - "Velouria"

Meh, its ok but nothing interesting

puxies realmente não são mt fav

Pixies are great. Wide range in their music.

Thank god this is the last pixies album. I'm not sure how they get such critical praise on this website, their indie rock seems derivative at best and screamy/whiney at worst. Much better music on this list.

This is the Pixies. Good amount of banger on here.

Зови меня Боссом новым

I think this album really cemented this band’s excellence. Their preceding two albums were so good. It would not have been ridiculous for them to put out a clunker. Ultimately, they carried the ball forward with this one. An excellent album.

Pretty decent. I'm not the biggest fan of 90's grunge sound, but this was a good enough listen, and it had some good songs on it. Started to lose interest towards the end, but it's a perfectly listenable album if you like this sort of thing.

It's got a lot of good musical grooves, but song-wise it's nowhere near the best in their catalogue.

Influence of The Damned in this? Really like this energy and sound. Will be investigating more!

The Pixies are cool, man. Good songs, not just noisy for the sake of it, fun energy

A pesar de mis gustos musicales, me gustó, pero estaría en un top 10. Para este tipo de género le doy un 10, pero se queda en una posición baja en mis gustos.

7/10

...

I'm not gonna lie, I know I enjoyed listening to this but then when I was trying to remember my album yesterday evening I had absolutely no memory of it.

This is not quite as excellent as Surfer Rosa as an album goes but I quite enjoyed it. This is the kind of upbeat 90s alternative that I like so much more than grunge

Nice album. I especially liked “The Happening”

First Listen Favorites: Cecelia Ann Dig for Fire The Happening Honorable Mentions: Havalina Ana

It's not Doolittle, but this album is fine. I am enjoying "Velouria" this morning. Also, these lyrics are infectious: "Is she weird, is she white? Is she promised to the night?"

The Pixies haven’t grabbed my attention. I’ve tried and failed to understand their appeal. Giving Bossanova a listen in 2026 hasn’t swayed me, but I will admit to liking it more than I thought I would. Faint praise.

Every pixies album is 5 stars

immediate opening is such a vibe, but not a fan of the vocals on the second track. Loved Allison. Generally don't think this is my genre, but seeing what second listen will feel like. Second listen, meh

Another Pixies album! This time their third, guessing that means Doolittle will be in this list of albums too. I like the song structures and the dichotomy between the choruses/verses in that traditional Pixies quiet/loud thing. Doesn't quite hit as hard as Surfer Rosa IMO.

Haven’t listened to much by the Pixies. Enjoyed a couple listens through of Bossanova and appreciated the style, but didn’t take away much more than that.

I can hear the colossal influence it had on many bands to come. But not my forte necessarily

My favorite pixies album. The best they've ever sounded.

The quiet parts are where this record lives — the dreamy, surf-inflected textures that Black Francis was pursuing alongside the sci-fi imagery and space obsessions that make Bossanova the Pixies' most internally coherent and most peculiar record simultaneously. Joey Santiago's guitar work is more melodic and less abrasive than the band's reputation suggests, and Gil Norton's production gives everything a cleaner sheen that suits the record's more atmospheric ambitions. "Velouria" is the centerpiece and the best argument for what the band was reaching for — hypnotic, patient, the quiet-loud dynamic deployed with genuine emotional purpose rather than pure aggression. The louder moments like "Rock Music" are where the connection is less complete, the noise doing less interesting work than the spaces around it. Genuine respect for a band operating at a high level within a specific aesthetic world — really good at what it does is an honest assessment that lands above the respectful threes that have populated the recent listening run. The four is earned by the craft and the moments where the atmospheric ambitions fully land, with the honest qualifier that this isn't a record worth seeking out so much as one worth appreciating when it finds you.

Great album with some of their best songs in their catalog, only a few fillers but otherwise a solid album

Would give it a 3.5 if I could.

I really like this!

Not my jam. Again. Fine.

Good album ! Definitely not « bossa nova » vibe tho😂

Great album.

Sometimes a really aggressively 80s synth pop album just really hits the spot. It ends with a banger that I can sing to any day of the week.

This was a fun, easy to digest rock album. I wasn't aware of this facet of the Pixies, since I only ever heard Where Is My Mind? which is completely different from the sound of this album. It was a nice listen, but now I really want to listen to Doolittle to explore more of their music.

A solid album. Maybe I was in the wrong mindset but no song stood out to me or made me want to relisten to the album. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Maybe I'll try to revisit it at a different time/mood.

Classic pixies but without the bangers?

je n'ai pas vraiment reussi à terminer le projet je n'accroche pas trop au rock peut c'est du metal idk mais y'a des sons fun

I liked all the non shouty bits but not the shouty bits. Not for me personally

Great.

pretty boring tbh highlights: cecilia ann dig for fire havalina

I love Surfer Rosa I love Doolittle I love Trompe Le Monde Bossanova is the one that I love the least. Well it's not a bad album but it isn't that great the three others that I mentioned. So: 3/5

I've listened to Doolittle and Surfer Rosa a number of times, but I've only heard a couple of tracks off of this one before. Not to be too glib but my review of this one is along the lines of: Yep, more Pixies, and that's a good thing. It doesn't quite have the same intensity of... emotional chiaroscuro?... as, say, Doolittle, and I think the songwriting is not quite as strong, but it's still Pixies and it's still very good.

I like the Pixies and wasn’t familiar with this album. It was enjoyable. I didn’t really feel a stand out on this listen, but it wasn’t bad by any means. 4/5

This is like Weezer therefore I like it. However it not enough Weezer for it to get a 4.

The album was OK I'd give it a 5 out of 10 only added 2 or 3 songs to playlist

não é meu copo de chá. eu gosto do genero, mas quando o album acabou e foi para musicas semelhantes, não cheguei a notar a mudança!

Didn't appeal to me. I know some folks revere this band, but they passed me by, along with a lot of other music in this era.

9/10

Rock Music

1990 innovando con ese rock alternativo tan genial. La rompen. Son excéntricos, con melodía pop. Flashean. Muy buen álbum. 8/10

There’s some nice bits here and there, but I was mostly indifferent to the album. Kinda disappointed since I’ve heard a lot about the Pixies.

Bossanova Pixies 1990 Genres: Rock Styles: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock 1. Cecilia Ann (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Instrumental surf que abre el disco y establece una atmósfera costera, nocturna y cinematográfica. 2. Rock Music (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Explosión breve y ruidosa que juega con la energía del rock extremo entre la celebración y la parodia. 3. Velouria (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Retrato onírico de una figura femenina misteriosa, casi sobrenatural, envuelta en deseo y extrañeza. -Fav 4. Allison (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Canción pop mínima sobre una chica idealizada, con humor y fascinación adolescente. 5. Is She Weird (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Obsesión amorosa mezclada con desconcierto; el narrador intenta comprender a alguien cuya rareza lo atrae. 6. Ana (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Paisaje marino y melancólico donde el mar, la arena y el viento funcionan como metáforas de una presencia inalcanzable. -Fav 7. All Over the World (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Visión expansiva y casi apocalíptica de algo extraño que parece propagarse por todo el planeta. -Fav 8. Dig for Fire (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Búsqueda de sentido, pasión o revelación interior simbolizada por la idea de cavar hasta encontrar fuego. 9. Down to the Well (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Descenso físico y psicológico hacia un pozo que representa lo oculto, el inconsciente o una verdad enterrada. 10. The Happening (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Relato de un encuentro extraterrestre contado como una escena de ciencia ficción entre fascinación y temor. 11. Blown Away (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Sensación de ser arrastrado por fuerzas externas, con imágenes de viento, viaje y pérdida de control. -Fav 12. Hang Wire (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Escenas fragmentadas de carretera, tensión y peligro que sugieren un viaje nocturno inquietante. 13. Stormy Weather (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Tormenta emocional asociada a relaciones inestables y a un clima amenazante y cambiante. 14. Havalina (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Cierre desértico y soñador sobre soledad, distancia y carretera al atardecer, con una sensación de final abierto. -TOTAL = ★★★⯨☆ (3,64)

Я вже знаю що вони круті)

It’s pretty good, maybe my least favorite from their golden era but still a great sound. Hear a lot of Modest Mouse in this one

3.75. Pixies are growing on me through this endeavor.

This sounds like the others Pixies albums. It is unique and I kind of dig it but I don't LOVE it.

3.25 - I like this a lot more than Dolittle after one listen. I need to listen to both of them a lot more since I’m seeing the Pixies at a music festival in a but a month.

Although I've been aware of the Pixies for a while now and even saw the reunited band live once, I've never really listened to there records beyond a few of the singles. Unsurprisingly, this is a really good album. I really like the opening surfy instrumental and that element throughout the record is a positive. This is a strong college rock album within a broader post-punk horizon and lives up to the hype. At times quirky and at time moody songwriting. It rocks. Not much else to say.

Pixies are in my top 5 favorite bands and one of the groups I've seen more than most. I don't really listen past their 5th album, and as such, Bossa is the 4th in line and with rank. It's a strong album, but not a masterpiece like the first 3 albums. The songwriting is still stellar, the playing is killer, but the production is more dated than its predecessors. Best songs are Velouria and Dig for Fire. Skip The Happening

Not for me

Overall Rating - 3.61/5 (7.21/10). Solid Alt-Rock album.

Da hani mi uf pixies gfreud willi 80er jahr post-punk erwartet han aber das es doch so rockig und screamig isch hani ned erwartet :( daher, so widermal eher härt und abgrundet bewerte, gits 2 Pixels

Fäätzt mega ine

A little too rough around the edges

Pas pire mais ben de la misère avec le son.

10. avgust 2026. 14.26h nice little album, beautiful little album best: cecilia ann, ana, havalina

Cool

For me, music should always provoke something within myself. A feeling, a thought, some emotion, a conversation, whatever. Just something. This didn't really do that. I liked the music though, wasn't bad at all, I just can't see myself revisting this all too often. I think the concept of this website has maybe given me the wrong expectations or something, because I thought I was really going to get 1001 albums I NEEDED to have listened to. So far, I feel most of what we've gotten I could've very easily done without. Again, it's not bad, it's just also not anything special.

I can hear how this was an influential recording on groups yet to come.

Наполненный, здравый панк. Хоть это и не панк а альтернатива/инди рок/и т.д, но ощущаются молодость и протест даже в "спокойных" мелодиях. Весь альбом окутан понимающей безвыходной надеждой на лучшее. Where is my mind сильно не сравниваться с наполненностью данного альбома, но спасибо ей, что привела к этому альбому. Также ощущается схожесть настроений с muse но я лучше бы сказал muse Флер на этом альбоме. Оценка 7/10

8/10

Meh

Not a fan. I thought I knew who the Pixies were and now I know. Too much. Not for me.

Love these guys

Very pixies

I was nervous going into my second (of 3?) Pixies albums because I did not like the first one I got. I can say about it is that I liked it more than "Doolittle." However, given that I gave that album a 2 it doesn't mean much. This album felt more cohesive and less pretentious to me and that led to a more enjoyable listening experience. I still wasn't blown away and at this point would not call my self a fan of this band and I doubt that will change when I get the final one in this experience. 3/5

Good background music.

I actually liked this album better than both the other Pixies albums on this list. Lots of really catchy songs and didn't overstay it's welcome. Positively surprised.

Pixies are great, great voice and music. But this is not an album that I would listen everyday !

•Rock Music doesn’t sound genuine at all •Velouria is just okay but I really liked the guitar in the beginning •wym is she white 🫩 •Wanted to like Ana but it’s kinda boring

The first half of this album (Cecilia Ann to Dig for Fire) fell extremely flat to me. It felt like TV show rock music, nothing groundbreaking or particularly interesting. Just noise. This album is extremely backloaded with songs ranging from decent to great. The Happening was awesome, why don't we have more alien invasion songs? Hang Wire and Blown Away are catchy. Stormy Weather is fine, not worth repeated listens and the lyrics are absolutely nothing worth noting as they just repeat over and over. Havalina is a decent outro song without being stand out or memorable. That being said, even the lowest and most simple parts of the back half of this album are better than whatever they couldn't figure out in the first half. Still, not strong enough to save them from a 3 star rating. Top tracks: The Happening, Blown Away Bottom tracks: Rock Music, Dig for Fire

Massively enjoy the reverbed alt rock vibes on this record and each song felt enjoyable in its own way. The tone and musicianship is so great. What it was missing was anything memorable. A few hours on from listening to this and I can't remember anything distinct. Maybe it needs a few listens to truly appreciate, but on first listen this gets a middle of the road, soft 7/10 from me.

1 - instrumental 2 - 4/10 singer sounds like a dying cat 3 - 6/10 4 - 6/10 5 - 6/10 6 - 6/10 7 - 5/10 8 - 7/10 9 - 7/10 10 - 6/10 11 - 6/10 12 - 6/10 13 - 6/10 14 - 6/10

cecilia ann is crazy work and it was awesome to listen to that, it made me appreciate more a genre I didnt really like in the beginnig

un ritmo distinto a lo que esperaba, me gustó bastante la verdad, pero no sé si sería un álbum que agregaría a mi día a día

No me esperaba esto, por lo que conocía de Pixies me sorprendió la onda medio metalera de algunas canciones del disco. Me tendré que adentrar más en la discografía. Sería 3,5 pero esto no me deja.

When I hear the Pixies, I listen and tend to enjoy it. This is no exception. I like this better than Surfer Rosa, and, hot take maybe, more than Doolittle. Very cool stuff indeed. 5/5

Bello, non il più famoso dei Pixies ma comunque un grande album, loro sono rivoluzionari

Very much a Pixies album but not as fun as doolittle or surfer rosa. Just fine

This one can sometimes feel like a bit of surreal mess. I've spent about 7 years trying to understand the Pixies and what makes them so beloved outside of Doolittle but I've come up short most of the time (and this is after I managed to find their entire original run on CD and grab it just because, not realizing that I'd mainly prefer one record and a handful of songs otherwise). Surfer Rosa suffers from a weird abstract disjointedness and an Albini-production job that is so dry that I can visualize the dust clouds coming off the walls in the studio when I listen to it (I usually love his style, but wow that album is painful to listen to sometimes), and this album feels like more of a scrapbook for ideas without the potential to bring them to life fully. "Velouria" is one of the best Pixies songs, though, and it's almost enough to lift this record to a higher plane.

Essential 90’s album

I really like Pixies' sound. Unique, grungey and draws me into the sound

Not one song stood out to me but this really holds up as an overall listening experience

I want to like the pixies, but sometimes they feel like they’rea band for a very specific demographic, and that’s just not me…

It's cool to love these guys... but I just can't

Always considered this the runt of the Pixies peak era litter, to the extent that I didn't get round to hearing Trompe le Monde for about a decade. I still think the latter has better developed space rock themes, and this really isn't on the level of their two earlier classics, but I do like this quite a bit more than I used to - the surf rock throughout, theremin on Velouria, Kims backing on Down To The Well - still most likely to dip into this for the Happening as a 1-2 alien double with Trompes Motorway To Roswell, or Allisons "when the planet hits the sun..." conclusion whenever Becker pulls off another, sadly now less common, worldie, or heads a last minute winner..

Nothing here to change my mind that, Doolittle aside, my opinion of the pixies back in the day was right. The usual standout track (velouria) packaged amongst half decent but not exceptional indie tunes.

Fire your boss

I have trouble with bands like this. Bands I like and know at least most, if not all of their catalog very well. Do I rate based on the album in the world? Or do I rate based on how I feel about this album compared to others they've released? I chose the former early on in this little generator expierence. This is a great album just not my favorite Pixies album. Rounding up from 4.5

Great record. I like Doolittle and Surfer Rosa a lot more, but this is very worthy to stand along those albums.

I found this one pretty average unfortunately and I was looking forward to it

Adoro o Pixies desde adolescente.

"Cecilia Ann" great intro "Rock Music" and "Velouria" my favorites I think This entire album was pretty good. ❤️❤️Thank you❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I liked it. I could see myself being really into it when it came out.

2.5

Ganska bra, inte lyssnat på mycket alternativ-rock men ska nog lyssna mer. Synd att det här albumet inte var den dom slog igenom med, den hade nog varit roligare.

Made the mistake of reading the blurb about Pixies on Spotify. Which means that I can hear how their sound might have inspired the likes of Nirvana. Given that I would probably rate Nirvana as 4, ill be giving this three. But might be a bit mean. Mainly, the issue for me is that I don't like this kind of music.

You can’t go wrong with Pixies. While this didn’t pack the same punch as Doolittle, it was still a consistently engaging listen from front to back.

Wasn’t familiar with them but really enjoyed this

I've listened to Doolite and Surfer Rosa an awful lot. I've only spun this one up a couple of times. Although I don't think this hits the high points that those previous albums do, it's still a really good album. I especially like Stormy Weather - which is a super simple song but just grabbed me for some reason.

Surprisingly good for a Pixies album but it is still Pixies after all…not my favorite band

Fun. Like pixies. This seemed softer than their other albums I’ve heard but in a good way.

Veo la visión, pero se me ha hecho un poco largo y ninguna canción se me ha quedado particularmente marcada. Está guay.

Some mid noise rock songs. Held up against their best work, this album is just okay.

This was never my favorite Pixies album but I find myself enjoying it a lot more this time around. Sure, the songwriting isn’t quite as sharp as Surfer Rosa or Doolittle, but they’ve carried over those excellent tones and textures from the latter into some new, twisted if simple forms. A fun ride, but probably not where I’d recommend somebody start with this band.

“Bossanova” by the Pixies is one of the most cohesive albums I've ever heard, and it's far better than any of the individual songs on it. That's why it makes perfect sense to listen to it as a whole, from start to finish. The band’s sound is fantastic and creates a dark post-punk atmosphere thanks to the largely uniform drum and bass grooves. Yet the songs are varied, achieved through strong dynamics and perfectly contrasted by Black Francis’s equally versatile vocals. A truly powerful album - and all with the simplest of means!

Ok, cooked zucchini omelet to it

’ve listened to a lot of indie rock and i still can’t quite tell exactly what made Pixies so important. they existed in a post-Dinosaur Jr/grunge/Sonic Youth world, and it’s not that innovation is necessary to become canonized but still. i don’t get what makes this stick out from the other noisy-leaning indie of its era. i will admit that Havalina and Rock Music were pretty good. deserves to be one of the 1001? i think honestly the first 3 Pixies albums all have a claim to a spot on here, but i would cut either this or Surfer Rosa probably

cool. I don't like that some songs feel like filler due to many of them are like 2 min long, but still, it was a fun listen, I enjoyed this quite a lot.

Cecilia Ann - 4/5 Rock Music - 3.5/5 Velouria - 4.5/5 Allison - 4/5 Is She Weird - 3.5/5 Ana - 3.5/5 All Over the World - 4/5 Dig for Fire - 4/5 Down to the Well - 4/5 The Happening - 4/5 Blown Away - 3.5/5 Hang Wire - 4/5 Stormy Weather - 3.5/5 Havalina - 3.5/5 On its own, this album is a pretty solid one for the early 90s indie rock scene. But seeing how this is coming off of two of the "better" albums from the Pixies, this can be seen as a bit of a let down. This has that mix of 80s and 90s weirdness that haven't yet fully meshed together, resulting in something that ultimately while still good is definitely below their earlier works. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Velouria

Fine album, mostly fell into the background while I was listening. I really enjoyed “Is She Weird”

Pixies walked so Weezer could run. It is apparent on this record. The drums, the clean-dirty-clean guitars, the emotionally vulnerable lyrics...while no Surfer Rosa or Doolittle, Bossanova is an important step in The Pixies' sonic journey.

Very good alvum by the Pixies. A band which don't appear on my radar normally. But I need to check them more often

Super solid. Not my favorite from Pixies, but a few really incredible songs and a lot of pretty good ones. A bit half-baked I guess. 4 but rounding up from 3.5 because even meh Pixies is bangin.

8/10

Good stuff here. Chill but also brings a bit of edge at the same time.

Allison, top 30 song for me. Probably shakes out to my favorite Pixies album. So chill...never lost its luster for me. Feels like sitting down in the desert and looking up at the night sky.

Aagh, I didn’t enjoy my last Pixies album so was deflated when I saw this come up. I have respect for their craft and their chosen genre of that’s their style, it’s just not really for me. I wouldn’t turn it off, it was ok in the background but I wouldn’t choose to put it on.

B+

Reasonable album - didn’t grab me in the same way as no real standout tracks - finishes with stronger tracks in last 4

No Bassanova Music. 2/5

Very good, very nice.

I think I liked it better than the other pixies albums. A bit more accessible and less reliant on the quiet-loud-quiet approach they are known for. But I will never think about this album again after today probably

Chill music, but not for me.

Pretty fun reverb, sometimes post-punky, always melodic alt rock

All time top 25

Damn fine album. I've never had the same adoration for Pixies that some have, but they write undeniably good songs. Been a long time since I've listened to this one. Was nice to revisit.

Consistent album, easy to listen through, nothing spectacular.

Post punk

Pixies again. Rhythm guitar very basic, supposed incongruities of counter-melodies that are unsatisfying drones, some occasional pop sensibilities. I am not impressed to read about lack of preparation for recording - why did they think they should record - just because they could? I listen to the album, it seems very slight, nothing pleasing, nothing that makes me want to hear it again. Closing song Havalina seems particularly insulting because there is almost nothing to it, so much repeating of song title as though that meant something…. This is not for me, I find it hard to get why anyone likes it, this is Bad, 1/10.

While definitely a solid album, it's easily the worst of their original run, in my opinion. For me, there are just too many forgettable tunes here and the whole thing manages to somehow feel slightly meandering at times, despite its short runtime. It just lacks that special spark present in Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. However, the band manages to somewhat grow into this sound by the end of the album. Favourite track: The Happening

I really like the pixies but this is not my favorite album by them.

This albums pretty cool. I thought some of the high pitched sounds were mixed a little too piercing.

I enjoyed this! Interesting sound, will revisit

lacks consistency and was waiting for real bossanova

Only 35 albums in and this is already my 2nd Pixies album. I have to say I enjoyed Doolittle a little bit more as it had more standout tracks. Although this album played more fluidly and almost felt like one giant track, but in a good way. 3.75* rounded up to 4*

Not my cup of tea

There's not really anything else like this album - so different from every other Pixies album. Kind of the slickest and most produced they ever got and it never slows down, but they'll still throw in some bum notes and feedback and they open with an instrumental song followed by a song where you can't understand a single word he says. So funny that this is 1990 Pixies it's like they went through grunge and transcended into surf rock by the time Nevermind came out.

It's unique, it's creative.. But I don't find it to be an enjoyable journey.

cool, need more listen tho

​The Surf & Sci-Fi Aesthetic: Moving away from the biblical and gory themes of Doolittle, Black Francis leaned heavily into UFOs, aliens, and classic 1960s surf-rock instrumentals. The opening cover of "Cecilia Ann" and the gorgeous, dream-like closer "Havalina" frame the album perfectly. ​The middle run of this album is spectacular. "Velouria" is one of the most hauntingly beautiful love songs of the alternative era (elevated by a eerie theremin-like synth), while "Dig for Fire" acts as a brilliant, choppy nod to Talking Heads.

I’m on that always pixies tip fr.

- What a ripper of an opening. I love when a musician knows when they made a great melody and doesn't bother to add vocals to it (Choke by The Cardigans being another example of this).

undeniably catchy, some good guitar work, but it's a bit samey and the vocals occasionally tip over into indie rock flatness.

It's Pixies just a guaranteed 5 star

fantastic album!!!

Doolittle is one of my favorite albums but for some reason I just never bothered to find out what came after. When I first got into Pixies in the mid-aughts I feel like this album was less well regarded. Surely compared to the latter day Pixies releases, this feels distinctly like The Real Thing, so it was a joy to sort of hear where the voices I loved on Doolittle ended up: in LA, on the beach, wearing too many clothes.

I like the Pixies, but this definitely wasn't my favorite album of theirs. I didn't know any songs on this. It was the best thing I've listened to in about 10 days though.

Сара није слушала, јер ето Марко 2

So..the tracks are short. The third Pixies entry is not the charm.

Better than Doolittle, and much better than Surfer Rosa. Still not something I'd listen to again.

I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I think this will be a grower on me so will definitely be getting another listen.

Just fine. Pretty boring but not grating.

It’s not my favourite Pixies album but its solid, fun alt-rock punky vibes are good.

shit was ight

There's some nice music, but it's mid over all

Great album. Not perfect. From a band that was innovative.

Decent

Elegant and heavy. So much more musical than most alt rock/grunge contemporaries 4.4

# Album Name: Bossanova # Artist: Pixies # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Didnt particular enjoy this but didnt hate it. No memorable songs. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Hmmmm

I prefer Dino jr

I don't really understand why this on here.

I’ve always had a soft spot for this record. It is a good record even when it’s a bit out there. It just happened at a time in my life and reminds me of that time.

Ah, The Pixies! This album is full of songs I put on a random disk in the early 2000s. Rock Music is a classic. Velouria is a bop. Is She Weird is so catchy and random! Great album that reminded me of my youth. Would definitely jam it again.

Last Pixies album for my group, and this is certainly one album to go out on. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 4. It’s nice. I think it’s a little more than the sum of its parts in terms of just being enjoyable overall; there’s not too many super standout tracks that lifted my brain past “that was cool” or “I liked that”, but this album just exists as its own little world, written under Frank Black’s rules. It’s occasionally manic, often rather weird, a bit unpolished, generally reliant on its choruses, and if we were going entirely from those standpoints, I’d probably only be at a 3. The thing that pushes this album up to a 4 is just in its instrumental charm & how earnestly it plays itself. This is a “fuck it” album, both in creation & in practice. You wanna make that track? Sure, fuck it, go ahead. You wanna listen to this album? Yeah, ok, fuck it, it’s probably alright. It sounds like I’m saying this was made without care, but the intentionality put into making these sound good while being as nonchalantly made as possible & giving an overall air of slight musical defiance is a talent. It’s a talent I don’t think I appreciated when we got either “Surfer Rosa” or “Doolittle”, both of which I need to critically revisit. It’s a talent I’d like to appreciate here, but the reason I’m trapped at a 4 instead of going up any higher is because occasionally, that “fuck it” attitude does rear its head in much less engaging ways. Specifically, I think the album loses some of its potency by “The Happening”. The previous 9 tracks leading up to that point feel more purposeful, & the vibe around them is weird, but it’s the good kind of weird that’s appealing because it’s weird. When you lean into that a bit too much & push the boundaries of ‘weird’, it can make or break a track. I think it breaks a lot of the final 5 tracks, with “The Happening” having an unappealing wall of sound, with “Hang Wire” not feeling super engaging, & with “Stormy Weather” not bringing enough energy to cover up its repetition. Both “Blown Away” & “Havalina” are nice, though. Combine those 3 tracks with just a bit of lingering iffiness from that manic, unpolished, energy that underlines a lot of this album, along with the lack of really standout stuff, and I’m stuck at a 4. A fun 4 if you can allow yourself to accept Frank’s weird world, but a 4 nonetheless. It’s a weird world, but it’s one I wouldn’t mind sitting in a few more times. I’m a little hesitant to say this had to be on the list, if only because “Surfer Rosa” & “Doolittle” feel like a more proper representation of why the Pixies got as big as they did, but I do think it’s important to understanding who they are as a band. I definitely think I needed this, at least in terms of making me want to critically revisit those prior 2 albums, which I only gave a 3 & 4 respectively. I gave Frank Black’s album a 5, but shh. If nothing else, “Surfer Rosa” as a 3 feels wrong as hell, because I probably just didn’t get the appeal of it back then at a technical level. It was the 91st album we’ve got, and this is our 921st, so 830 albums later… yeah, I gotta hear that one again.

The pixies sit on a strange place between punk rock and pop rock. On one hand their more messy screamy parts are too punky for me while their chord progressions and hooks are too poppy for my tastes. It's fine and the pixies have definitely had a big influence on the genre. I don't see why this specific record is on the list though. It isn't anything special in their discography as far as I know. 6/10

A genuinely cool and different rock album from the 90s. It builds on itself quite well, with a unique, though still very much 90s sound. The harsher and slightly more punk influences work quite well with the 80s roots that can be heard in this album. It does start to fall of a little bit through the middle as it does become quite a lot of the same. Later in the album it does pick itself up again.

Achei interessante. A única coisa que eu ouvi de pixies foi Where's my mind então eu tinha uma impressão totalmente diferente, mas talvez até dizer que tinha uma impressão seja um exagero. Mas achei divertido, me lembrou uns emos dos anos 2000 que já ouvi. Dito isso não teve muitas músicas que me marcaram, minha favorita foi Is She Weird.

No misses. There’s something to Pixies I can’t identify that makes what should be conventionally catchy cheese sound great. I feel weird giving a 5, but it could get there.

Great album. More familiar with their other stuff, but add this to my future spins.

Not my favorite Pixies, but def got bangers.

moui moui plutot cool

This album grew on me a bit on its third listen, but still failed to capture my fancy. I grasp why The Pixies were always lauded within the music community, and have now garnered a larger audience as a comeback band. However, I have not found them too likeable. These songs have at best part of what makes The Pixies influential. The literal hardcore screams of “Rock Music”, the melodic qualities of “All Over the World” and the anthemic chants of “Stormy Weather” all showed the skills of the band. Unlike their stronger work, there were not multiple interesting elements in the songs. The screamos came off more as noise and the melodic tracks did not soar into anything too interesting. As a whole the mood was less fun than other efforts. Usually some pop song qualities appear in the choruses or guitar work to liven up the grimmer elements. I found the choruses uninspired and less of the interesting guitar work of “Surfert Rosa” and “Doolittle.” This record just has the harangue of anger rather than sugar to make the pill go down.

Eh. It was recognizable as music.

Fine.

A creative album with a mix of alternative, grunge, and noise rock. There's a little here for everyone, and I could see myself sitting back down with this one.

Not really a big fan of the album A few tracks that stood out to me are the happening, all over the world, ana and is she weird

fine, didn't convert me to a pixies fan

Alternative rock you say? Everyone seemingly has an opinions on the Pixies. Despite me being avid music listen my entire life, evidently this one escaped my opinion. Or perhaps I heard it but it just didn't register hard enough. The problem with a lot of this rock and punk sound of the era is they were meant to be played live. And alas, cheap concerts are a thing of the past. I just passed up a DJ I really wanted to hear live because it would have come to near $200. I was born in the wrong decade, perhaps.

Nirvana like and raw. Starts out like 'teen spirit' then tranforms into something 20 years ahead of it's time. Great.

Even mediocre Pixies is better than most music

Not as strong as doolittle, but nice

It’s just not up to scratch. I love Pixies but ‘Bossanova’ was always a bit of a let down. It’s not an actual bad album; listening to it, I am miles away from having a bad time. It’s just that I’m never thinking “This is the best Pixies record”. I’m sure there are other acts I can listen to their “lesser” works without having to be constantly comparing them with their best; I just enjoy them as they are. Pixies are just one of those bands that having hit such highs, it’s difficult to accept them at anything below those peaks. Most people would agree if I was talking about their comeback material, but I assume few will think the way I do about this album. Honestly though, I also listened to ‘Trompe Le Monde’ today and I preferred it! I never thought I would be giving any Pixies album in the 1001 less than 4 stars, but it seems I was wrong.

Fun. No other notes here

It’s not really necessary for this to be on the list. It is a clear step below Doolittle in quality and not that different musically or historically important. Good album though.

definitivamente para escuchar con auris y el volumen al palo. con el tema Alison arranque a mover la cabeza y no paré. divertido, me costó enganchar al principio

solo hizo falta una escucha, increíble álbum. me gustó absolutamente todo, siento que los dos primeros temas (instrumentales) crean ese ambiente tan placentero y agradable de escuchar. realmente es buenísimo de inicio a fin con sus puntos mas altos en Velouria - Allison - Is She Weird - Down to Hell - Blown Away, entre otros. el mejor tema de lejos The Happening realmente una obra de arte. está definitivamente dentro de mi top 5

This album makes me hate the Pixies

I liked it more than I thought I would, and it's obvious some bands I like were influenced by them. I'd listen to it again.

Another Pixies record - I think I prefer this to Doolittle? Still not REALLY my thing, but this one is a bit weirder and I dig that. Standouts: Cecilia Ann, Velouria, Allison, Hang Wire

Fine, but not amazing.

Literally not one single standout thing I can remember about the album. 2.5 stars.

Rock alternatif avec beaucoup de solo de guitare basse etc vraiment bon Meilleur que certains albums bien plus connus

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. I didn't know what to expect but my only disappointment was that it was only 40 min long.

Fine - not much to say about this one.

My 3rd favourite of the original Pixies albums, but still a banger. Surf music drowned in reverb, it's quite a switch from earlier offerings, with the possible exception of Alison. Songs like Digging For Fire are otherwordly, and I always feel like I've been dreaming about space and Hicksville USA after listening to this album. Less in the way of odd time signatures, screaming, and one-note solos. More in the way of melodic storytelling. Me gusta.

3.86 for Bossanova. One of my favorite Pixies albums. Songs are fast and furious and that infamous Pixies Wall of Sound just hits you on this one. Really well put together harmonies and hooks. This one is a keeper. Can't say anything bad about an album that ends with a beautiful ode to a wild pig.

#369 I should really have delved into Pixies more than I have because I’ve only really focused on the greatest hits. I must have listened to an album or two at one stage but not this one. It doesn’t really contain any of the big hits yet it’s still a very good album which feels greater than the sum of its parts. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): Cecilia Ann; Velouria Rating: 8/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ah! Part of my misspent youth. Can't be anything but a 5. I'm curious if Doolittle (the previous album to this) is on here, I'd suggest it's more ground-breaking...

Пиксис нормально так дают грязи, неплохой альбом. Та сторона гранжа, которая меня более менее привлекает. При первом прослушивании особо много конкретных песен не выделишь, но особенно мне зашли: Is She Weird All over the world Blown Away Теперь я окончательно въехал почему Dirt от Алисы в Цепях мне не понравилась. Мне нравится отчётливая драматургическая линия альбома, что, к примеру, прослеживается в Bossanova от Pixies. Ты слышишь разные мотивы, настроения, где-то грязные нойзовые риффы, где-то чуть психодела, где-то текста более пространные, где-то осмысленные, а завершается всё милейшей закрывашкой Havalina и весь тот периодический мрачняк что наваливался в альбоме до этого - ощущается куда сильнее и оттого бьёт больнее. Когда же ты слушаешь AIC - Dirt (в моем случае) ты слышишь полный треклист +/- одного и того же эмоционального состояния.

fuck yesssss.... i've been waiting for a pixies album to come up and this doesn't disappoint! i'd only heard surfer rosa before this so im really hearing how much their sound matured between albums. like, the rawness of their earlier stuff still comes through on tracks like "rock music", "dig for fire" and "the happening" (my favourite track), but then songs like "ana" and "velouria" feel much more focused, like they managed to control the energy. it's a cleaner feel, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but it's not really a bad thing either.... and in any case, it's still unmistakably pixies. its close, but as much as i still love the sound i do find myself missing the frantic energy of their earlier stuff, especially in the vocals. i'll revisit this i think.....

Ahead of their time I suppose, I can hear the influence on the grunge scene.

Loved

Really solid album. Giving this an 3 for now but I have a feeling it’d grow on me with repeated listens. Every time I listen to the Pixies, I wonder why they didn’t get bigger in the early 90s.

4/5 Favorite Songs: Cecilia Ann Velouria Is She Weird All Over the World Dig for Fire

i knew i would love this album. it made me want to listen to pixies more.

For how difficult their music should be, the Pixies make them feel easy

Loved this listened to it twice in a row

This is not a bossa nova beat.

Punk

Classic Pixies

Honestly, I've never liked the Pixies and struggled to understand what others like about their music. Every time one of their songs starts to get tuneful, some out of place distorted guitar tears up the sound or Black Francis screams something weird. I hadn't heard Bossanova before, but it didn't help.

I have no strong feelings toward this album. Some songs were fine; Others felt like endless noise. Favorite track: Allison

I don’t think I’m cool enough to get it. All the songs feel pretty unremarkable. I didn’t hate it. 2/5

Starts incredibly strong before hitting a few rough patches. Back half is enjoyable alternative I'd listen to again, although unremarkable. Could see myself turning on the first 3-4 songs of the album again and then getting pretty heavy on the skip button. Ultimately doesn't have the hit power of Doolittle or other Pixies records. 3.5/5

ultimately this isn’t my style of music but there were a few songs that caught my attention both in style and perhaps attention to detail in terms of execution

My first introduction to Pixies' Bossanova was the song, "Velouria", on a mix tape my sophomore crush gave me back in '93. Side A of the tape was Frank Black's first solo album that was just released, and Side B was an assortment of really cool songs by bands like Teenage Fanclub, Belly, and Pixies. He was so cool and he had the best music so I asked him to make me a copy of the entire Bossanova album. And he did because he had a crush on me, too. Mix tapes in the early 90's were a form of love language. Bossanova is not my favorite Pixies album. Reading these reviews, most people seem to think it's like the step child of Pixies' content. The underdog. Thats kinda harsh, so I listened and loved it harder this time around. Also, "Velouria" still makes me happy, too. So, I give it a solid 5.

339/1089 i liked it but i feel my expectations were skewed a bit bc of Where Is My Mind. Havalina was my fave 64/100

nice

Yeeeees! Ful mam rada Pixies. Ampak ta njihov album nism še neki preposlušala, poznam pa kr neki komadov. "Cecilia Ann" je kul. "Is She Weird" mi je ful nepoznan, a ga prvič slišim? Hm. Mi je pa všeč. "Ana" mi je od nekdaj ljub. Glede na to, da hengam na balkonu, upam da ni cajt za "Stormy Weather". (Spoiler: totalno je bil.)

Mix of grungier and softer fare, which works well as a package.

pienso que es bueno pero muy aburrido, no soy el publico al que va dirigido

Love these guys

This was my first time listening to Pixies and their sound was not what I expected at all. This was a solid and raw-sounding record.

I like the pixies but this isn’t their best work IMO

This felt super rushed, not a single memorable line. Still catchy and weird, but definitely felt like there was a deadline.

Ok, I guess. I wanted to like it, and some tracks are quite cool, some are boring to me, though. I don't know what to make of this, really.

This is the first Pixies album where Kim Deal takes a back seat, and the album is notably lacking for it. Whilst the album sounds glossier and richer, a lot of the quick and charm of the first two has been diminished - there isn't the bass line of where is my mind, or the pop hooks of debaser on here. It's still a pretty well realised album, but it's quite hard to justify it's placement on here, when the kim deal side projects with the breeders are notably lacking

weirdly almost feels like this band's twee album. Maybe I'm just realizing that the singer kind of sounds like the singer of Belle and Sebastian

Хороший альбом

I already had all of these tracks on my Liked songs before I started. I love Pixies and this is my favorite album of theirs.