Bossanova

Coming on the heels of Doolittle, this album is a drop in most senses: it's not as creative, not as catchy, not as surprising. But, it's still a good album in its own rights. It still lays the groundworks for future music (including, surprisingly to me, some early signs of metalcore). This isn't a radio hits album, it's not really written for the casual listener, it's written for those who enjoyed the experimental side of Pixies, and that's what it delivers.

moltbe! no es el doolitle però molt xulo :) viva pixies

Extremely influential, I have no doubts about that, but not really my thing.

8.5/10

Solid, fun and and encapsulates the grunge spirit. Favorite songs: "Cecilia Ann", "Is she weird"

It’s no Surfer Rosa, but love it

The original four album run by The Pixies from Surfer Rosa to Dolittle to Bossanova to Trompe le Monde is pretty unmatched in music. In some ways Bossanova is a different sound altogether. Little bit more spacey and a little bit less jagged with still a whole lot of abstraction. I love this album but knowing that two of the aforementioned albums are on this list that I love more will put this at four stars. I was planning on only giving one five star review to a pixies album but that problem is for another day

Not their best. Still very good

7/10 It's pretty good but honestly nothing here really grabbed my attention.

Очень хороший альбом мне понравился

Along with MBV, the last rock band to do something different with the traditional guitar/bass/drums/vocals setup. Unfortunately, that unique sound was heard on Come On Pilgrim, Surfa Rosa and Doolittle. Bossanova is more of a straightforward rock album and easily the weakest of their initial run of LPs. I want to give it five stars coz Kim Deal (how are The Breeders not on this list, by the way?), but it really isn't a five star album and probably wouldn't be in my own personal 1001 list despite my love for this band.

would run this back again.

cool shit

echt wieder mal ganz gut, bin nur gelangweilt weil echt 80% dieser musik weiße männer rock aus den 70ern bis 90ern ist, GET CREATIVE

Very valid energy! ★★★★

I think this is a middle point album to me 3.5 but I’m giving it the 4 here. Kind of a deep pit album where it’s almost too cohesive where there isn’t the diversity that keeps you sucked in to each song. But it does sound great as a whole, it is hard to find a single point I really like.

A classic Pixies album that doesn't quite reach the same heights of frenzy nor depths of insanity that Doolittle, or to a lesser extent Surfer Rosa does. It's a little more "safe" in it's compositions and performances, and with a few notable exceptions the songs don't distinguish themselves very effectively. That said, there's a lot to love about this album. Velouria, Dig For Fire, Down The Well, and Hang Wire are all great tracks that sit amongst the pantheon of the Pixies output for me. Nothing is really "bad" per se, and perhaps in a vacuum, without knowledge of their previous work, I'd be judging this differently. It's a challenge for me because the entirety of Doolittle is burned into my soul, and was well established as one of my favorite albums of all time before I ever heard Bossanova. Hopefully Doolittle is on this list as well, as that's an easy 5 from me. This, however is going to sit at a 4

Solid album. Surprised me. Notable tracks include Velouria, Allison, Ana, All Over the World, Dig For Fire, Down to the Well, Stormy Weather, Havalina.

If the songs from Velouria through Ana were the whole album, it would be an easy 5, though the rest of the album is great. I think this is probably a 4.5 to me. The descending riffs in that chunk are like straight crack.

Very good, but I prefer The Doolittle Album

Solid work. No complaints

Play it LOUDDDD

Really liked it!

23/01/2026 *1. cecilia ann - really loving the guitars and vocals. oh it's instrumental lol kinda surfy? fantastic!! 2. rock music - always found the vocals of the pixies to be toeing the line between annoying and really nice, and this is no exception. bit too screamy. like metal. realllly love the guitar. 3. velouria - not mad about his singing voice either, but i certainly like it more. more like generic 90s alt rock. stillll realllllly nice though. still 10000x better than the smashing pumpkins! love the kinda ufo electronic sound. love the ending. 4. allison - great drums at the start. nice! 5. is she weird - like the bass. the vocals have grown on me. *6. ana - bit softer.... dreamier... guitar is phenomenal in this album :) more psychadelic. 7. all over the world - like the spoken word at the start.... just got to the loud part!! love the quick stop and start sound! loving the lyrics! 8. dig for fire - not much to say! didn't enjoy it as much as the other ones, but still realllly nice to listen to! 9. down to the well - guitar is crazy!! 10. the happening - guitar at the start reminds me a bit of dog food by iggy pop.... lovelovelove the guitar that starts with the lyrics. bass is sooo good as well. 11. blown away - like the kinda echoey vocals. love how screechy the guitar is in the solo just before minute in.... 12. hang wire - not as big a fan of the shoutier vocals in the chorus of this. works for the song though. *13. stormy weather - really love the start... not much to say other than great!!! 14. havalina - really sweet <3 kinda shoegazey? really loved this one! generally not a fan of 90s american rock, but it’s really good when the vocals aren’t whiny and shit!

velouria and all over the world have made me get the pixies. i've never been able to get into them much but i used to be really into bands like the smashing pumpkins so this album did appeal to that deep down part of my brain. big fan, think i will be listening a lot in the coming days/weeks

velouria <3 i love playing the bass to this album or the pixies in general. maybe my 2nd favorite pixies album? but a great listen all the way through!

I like the Pixies you should too

Solid album

Good classic rock album, 7.1/10

Not the best Pixies work. Still keeps their essence, though. However, why is this an album you must listen before you die? Gimme more Doolittle or more Surfer Rosa, I guess…

As I figured, I enjoyed this. Need to listen to these albums again to better gauge which I like best.

Definitely 4

I Love It.

I really liked it. The first album which was really my taste and I think I will sneak into the next albums in the next days.

It took a little bit for me to get on this album’s wavelength, but by the end I was vibing pretty hard, and kinda wanted it to keep going. Interested to hear more from them as this is my first album from the Pixies, and I’ve probably heard more from them but just don’t remember. Will probably come back to some songs here at some point this was nice.

J'adore les années 90 merci pour tout

Really nice vibes. I'm amazed by how much I liked this! I feel like it has a really strong influence on Dashboard Confessional, Deathcab, the Postal Service, and so many other groups. I really dig it!

Super fun listen.

Tracks I've heard before: None In no particular order: Top 3: Cecilia Ann Is She Weird Dig For Fire Bottom 3: Rock Music All Over The World Hang Wire

Really liked!!! Rock has been growing on me

Super, swietnie się tego słucha, na pewno wrócę do tego albumu

Great album. I somehow missed the Pixies while growing up in the 90s. This record is a vibe. I certainly enjoyed it.

Pixies make a great alt-rock stew. Fuzzy guitar riffs, bass lines that walk all over the place, lead vocals that are alternately raspy and screamed, and a bit of surf rock dropped into the stew like a bay leaf, infusing everything with a cool, groovy energy. This album is a real vibe. I would definitely like to spend more time with it. Lots of great melodies and hooks too.

Not my style of music. A bit rough at the edges. I imagine it was great at the time and I can see why it was influential to the bands that followed after.

really like it

Weird but enjoyable! Would listen again!

Dit was oprecht leuk! ik kende paar nummers van Pixies, en wist niet dat ze zulke leuke songs verstopten in een paar albums. Ik ga hier zeker nog naar luisteren

This was such a cool album. Defiently added a little spice to my day and was very refreshing. I absolutely loved it and defiently showed me more Pixies songs outside of the the mainstream ones! Very great recommendation!

Not quite their best but still streets ahead of most

Ha! Two Pixies in a row! A treat or a test? Turns out it was a treat! I liked this one much better.

“Rock Music” will never get old! It’s definitely one of my go to tracks when I need a pick me up. As for the rest of the album, it’s solid. This one feels more polished than their previous releases, and it might just be their most cohesive and consistent effort up to this point.

i didn’t think i liked the 90s or grunge but i actually rly liked this. fun album

So good I liked ANA

Fun, a little chaotic at times. Sometimes I loved the chaos And other times I hated it, but maybe in a healthy, cathartic type of way. Made me feel like an angry teenager, letting out some feels.

In 1990, if I wasn't listening to metal it was probably American alt rock. It's on my shelves. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ ★★★★☆ (8/10) Total reviewed : 184 Already owned : 42 Purchased : 7 Buy : 5 Nope : 130

Só conhecia uma música deles - “Where Is My Mind?” Achava que eram mais vibes chill, i guess not O álbum chama-se Bossanova mas de bossa nova não tem nada “Dig for Fire” bem haja brendon pelos ensinamentos de triângulo A intro da down to hell parecia que ia ser plagio da the man who sold the world Stormy Weather - não sei como caralhos eles tocavam isto ao vivo mas literalmente está sempre a mudar de dinâmicas e velocidade Havalina é vibes

3,7* Eita não tava à espera deste metal pesado do nd na 2 faixa aakakakak, e esta letrs tmb mt criativa, só 1 frase a música toda akaka Faixa 3 "Velouria" amei, imagino me a ouvir isto a estourar enquanto conduzo, that's a good sign Is she weird, is she white - hm ok akaka Velouria, Alisson, Ana, Betty, Havalina ns qm são vcs mas o pa lucky girls q têm músicas q falam em vcs akakaka Não percebi pq eq o album se chama Bossanova akakaka Gostei do álbum, tem uma vibe top, ouviria again. Fav song: Velouria

Só não e melhor que o doolitle ou surfer rosa

Pleasantly surprised! Reminds me of the cure, smashing pumpkins, and a bit of grunge 🕺🏻 I rate it!

I was in between a 4 and 5 but I think I’ll settle on a 4 because I’m not confidently at a 5. I really liked the sound of this. I’ve always meant to listen to more of their songs but never got around to it until now.

Really enjoyed this. Sits at a 4 for me on first listen but I suspect given a few more plays through I would be reaching for the 5 card.

Pretty weird, but a lot of fun. I really liked their more out there tracks. Listened to this one a few times since it first showed up on the list and liked it a little more each time. Favorite Song: Hang Wire

That was quite enjoyable - I've only ever heard Debaser by the Pixies. would listen again.

Solid rock

yes i'm blown away

Há mais de 20 anos esse foi o primeiro álbum do Pixies que ouvi inteiro. Comprei o CD em uma lojinha de discos perto de onde eu estudava e ouvi muito no meu discmann a pilha. O disco continua ótimo. QoA Cloudscape.

Mer rakt fram-rock än Doolittle, men fortfarande unikt och säreget. Mjukare och mer melodier. Lyfter låtar som Ana, My Velouria, The Happening, Havalina med flera.

För ovanlighetens skull så har vi amerikansk indie som faktiskt är riktigt bra. Detta är i mitt tycke Pixies bästa album. Gillar hur de använder de ensamma gitarrslingorna istället för att bara bröta på. Flera fina låtar, inte minst Velouria och Happening.

168/1001 Pixies - Bossanova Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Whilst it doesn't have the incredibly great tracks like Surfer Rosa or Doolittle have, this is a a thoroughly consistent listen. There's the weirdness you get from Pixies, but also a level of polish about it. It's an extremely solid album.

Previously rated: #812 - Surfer Rosa (4/5) #289 - Doolittle (4/5) *************************** Album #996 I listened to this over a week ago, so I've forgotten the specifics, but I thought it was unique sounding and wanted to give it another listen, so 4/5 again.

Classic Pixies sound: fun, creative with the unique atmosphere that Pixies deliver

Not the most popular album from the pixies or one that I might use to introduce the pixies to someone. But solid album and very enjoyable

By this record Pixies were everywhere on college radio. I purchased this on CD and played it regularly for the kids at the school I was teaching science and math at. So frequent was this album in rotation that most of the kids could sing along to the deeper cuts. Surprisingly, for me anyway, was that the album opened up with Cecilia Ann, originally by the Surftones. Blew my mind as they stay remarkably true to the original. A little more aggressive perhaps but still pretty close to the original. Normally this would be buried towards the end of the record but here it works beat leads straight into Rock Music with Frank screaming repeatedly Your Mouth’s a Mile Away for most of the song. Velouria still sounds great after 35 years. Oblique lyrics which only make sense when you sing them. How does Lemur skin reflect the sea? Good question. What does that even mean? Somehow it all works. Straight forward rocker Allison has hints of the surf guitar but is just a teaser as Dig For Fire, The Happening and Hang Wire fill out the record with catchy sing-a-long songs. It’s a very good record and can be played on repeat without fear of the dreaded overplayed label that comes with some records. It’s the grit, it’s the grunge, it’s Kim who adds the nuances that make the songs so enjoyable. Top shelf this one! 4/5

feb 11th 2026 just what i like , i started off really strong then took a bit of a dive towards to end, but overall i fuck with it,

Really enjoyed havalina - quite dreamy and a great ending to the album. A solid album with a cohesive vibe but still takes from different genres for some contrast - great to just have on in the background.

me senti teletransportada pra juventude dos anos 90. shoutout pra is she weird.

Thats a good album! Every song has its own unique feeling, but without falls into the consistency of the album. Even keeping the wholeness of it, it was made in a way that every song has its own thing. It is new, even being old. I can see how pixie is a great band. Before listing to this album, i thought that it was a band of one song only, but goddam, how i am happy to be wrong. This album is amazing!

Great album!

Don't get me wrong, it's a great album - it's Pixies, duh. But well, I think Where Is My Mind? made me subconsciously expect every song of theirs to be some single-being-worthy hit with greater purpose ahead. But, well, no. It's just a very well-written alt rock album which I enjoyed and I might come back to, but I wouldn't call it an ethereal experience.

Damn, sure. Ok Pixies. My apologies, I was unfamiliar with your game. I don’t know where this came from, but I kind of loved it. I feel kind of bad saying the intro song “Cecilia Ann” is my favorite, but it is. I feel bad about it specifically because it doesn’t have any vocals, and I really did like this guys voice as well. I don’t know if you could call it a great representation of the band, but it’s getting added to my favorites playlist regardless. It was not only the perfect intro, but it had a classic surfing music vibe and reminded me of “Miserlou”, one of my favorite songs. Pixies are a band I’ve heard by name only, and can only pull their biggest hit out of my head “Where Is My Mind?”, which is not on this album, but I did also recognize “Is She Weird” from this album, so that was cool. I’m almost certain there are more songs I would recognize if I heard them by the Pixies. It’s one of those bands, you know the ones I mean. Can’t think of any songs you know, but end up recognizing more than you thought you would. This album was not your usual generic Indie Rock, it’s full of a bunch of different sub genres that jump from song to song and range from Surfer Rock, Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, Indie Rock, Punk Rock, and many more. All that is to say, it never gets boring. To me, this is a 4.0 on the dot. It JUST reaches into the territory of being outstanding, but still far from perfect. I found myself running into a good issue to have with this album a few times today. Every time the album would end and restart, I’d find myself saying “Damn, that was the entire album??”. At 39 minutes and 14 songs a pop, this one feels more like it lasts for 10 minutes. Like I said, it’s a good problem to have. This is the first of 3 Pixies albums I have rolled for this this project, and currently the lowest rated on the website. That absolutely shocks me. You’re telling me they get even better?? There’s a very high likelihood I give this band a 5 or 2 before this project is over if they keep kicking this much ass. Good stuff here. Will be returning to it for sure. I’m a big fan of this. Badass album art as well.

It always amazes me how weirdly good they sound.

I prefer "Surfer Rosa" but it's the Pixies. That's almost always gonna be 4 stars at least.

não achei que ia gostar tanto. vou colocar 3,5, mas dependendo dos próximos de pixies que saírem pode ser que eu aumente para 4.

I avoided listening to this one for a while as I'd always heard people say that it's not the best Pixies album. That's a fair assessment but it's still pretty great. "Bossanova" lacks the obvious hits but otherwise fits right in with the band's style, merging proto-grunge and post punk with surf rock and

Huge fan of Allison. Pretty good, enjoyed the guitar riffs

wild wild stuff

Great percussion Killer funk love it

I don't know what it is about Bossanova, but something about it charms endlessly. It's not the Pixies' best album, but it is so strong in spite of turmoil within the band. Kim Deal fades even further into the background than on Doolittle, but she would inject the surfy vibes from this album into the next The Breeders album. I think Deal would appreciate that the last truly 'good' Pixies album was the last one she was on. To their credit, while the songwriting isn't as inspired as previous records, there are some real earworms here, from beginning to end. Bossanova also gets the benefit of being newer and fresher to me, whereas I have played Doolittle to death. This is probably the Pixies album I reach for most often these days.

The Pixies have always struck me as pretty good, but not great. I feel like I should like them more - all the stuff I typically like is there - but they just don't quite connect. I've listened to their catalog quite a bit, in an effort to try to like them more, and I can't think of an album I would give a 5 to . . . or a 3.

I love Velouria, Ana, and Havalina. I like quite few more than that on this record. They kind of perfected their sound on this album, but it kind of makes me miss the less engineered feeling of the previous records. While they are not my favorite songs on their respective albums, I like the slapdash nature of Tony’s Theme or Hey. This album is more intentional. I also think that my introduction to the Pixies went Doolittle, back to Surfer Rosa and then Bossanova and that is affecting my perception of the relative value.

A mix of alt. rock, grunge, and slightly surfer vibes. Not wholly my taste but would definitely listen to again. Plus Pixies are just iconic anyway.

I, for one, really dig the Pixies sound. It's dark and visceral and loud, but also energetic and powerful and also subdued. I can see why Pixies were such an influential sound for later bands. While this album is not my favorite by Pixies (hellooo Doolittle!), it is still a great sampling of their sound. I could listen to it again and again.

Love the pixies

loved it, love the pixies. all the songs were great!

If there's a band that mixes excellent hooks and melodies with weird and quirky tricks, it's Pixies. It's a lovably noisy album. They definitely wear their influences on their sleeves and mix it all into a cornucopia of their own.

Not my cup of tea

Pixies feel like they are from another planet. Such strange choices that don’t all work in the moment, but add up to a crazed, manic, awesome whole. The more I listen to them the more I love them. Surreal and aggressive is a mix you don’t see a lot but it works. There might be it be a single here but the album works so well together I don’t think it matters. Can also hear their influence on alt rock ever since, esp w bands like modest mouse, dinosaur junior, ween.

EVERY MORNING AND EVERY DAY… I BOSSANOVA WITCHA - Hang Wire Doolittle was so great that it forced me to set my expectations SUPER high. This album has a handful of amazing moments that hang (Havalina, Valouria, Rock Music, Hang Wire), but it doesn’t pack the same punch. If Doolittle was a 100 miles an hour fastball, Bossanova is at 85 and Surfa Rosa is at 80. Remember back on Doolittle when Black Francis would open those screechy vocals up and let it rip? Not quite as aggressive on this. Ill cut the negativity though. This albums slaps and the Pixies are a truly great discovery for me on this journey. 3.5 stars and rounding up because Doolittle

ehh

I'd heard of the Pixies many times without having actually listened to them. Not necessarily the bottle I'm reaching for, but a good execution of the sound.

I have really liked Velouria since I heard the bad plus cover it. Glad to hear the full album finally. Fun time, surfy, punky, grungy

The Pixies are cool—they’re always more than I’m expecting them to be. I feel like I wasn’t giving this album my undivided attention, so I’ll need to spend some more time with it. I appreciate the rapidity of ideas.

een mindere knaller dan de twee voorgaande LPs, maar toch nog steeds beregoed

Y tú, ¿eres de “Bossanova” o de “Doolittle”? Pues los hitazos me gustan más los de “Doolittle” pero como álbum, “Bossanova” me parece más redondo. Y eso que ambos los escuché cuando Pixies ya no estaban de moda. Muy fan del sonido eléctrico, áspero y enojado de este. Hay algún tema que me pone algo de los nervios, todo hay que decirlo, pero está perfectamente integrado. Cuando queráis nos pegamos unos gritos juntos al ritmo de “Rock Music”.

awesome but not as good as dolittle

great stuff

One or two missers, but the other songs I really enjoyed both truly listening and while playing in the background. Several playlist additions too.

This one is so hard to rate. It has some absolute bangers, which for me are for sure the opening track "Cecilia Ann" and the tracks "Velouria", "Allison" and "Is She Weird". The problem is a lot of the rest of the album has songs that I do not really love. The songs I mention make me want to give it a 5 but since those together are not even close to half of the album I am going to leave it at a 4

This sure does sound like music from 1990!

pixieeeees!

The only thing wrong with this record is that it came after two of the most perfect albums of all time.

The more underappreciated Pixies album. A lot more tuned into surf rock and surf punk, and a lot more tuneful than Doolittle and Surfer Rosa. Still a fun time regardless.

Hell yeah, I don't think I'd actually listened to this pixies album before.

3.5/5

Head bangin in a dive bar in the 90s, if the concept were distilled into musical form

Fun 90s space rock

I’ve listened to the Pixies’ first two albums a lot but haven’t ventured too far into their stuff beyond that. Bossanova is really solid and probably about the best you could hope for. It’s not as great as those first two, but it’s still quite good from beginning to end. I’ll keep listening to it and who knows, it may just end up becoming a favorite too

Better than I expected.

Like the condensed noise of a thousand 90s rock bands. You can smell the influence.

love da pixies

Dang, was disappointed by the other Pixies albums, but this one hits just right.

Pixies is always in my list. Grew up listening to them.

The Pixies are so cool. Their sound is unmistakable.

good!

I missed the true era of Pixies mystery and appeal. Super catch hipster-nerd grunge. I would hear the occasional Pixies tune on alt-rock radio (think WHERE IS MY MIND 'first rule about Fight Club', DEBASER, MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN) but wasn't quite yet an angsty mood-driven teen yet. For some reason, this album helped me attach to what the generation felt with this album. No surprise Radiohead and Nirvana were influenced by them. Key tracks: VELOURIA, IS SHE WEIRD, STORMY WEATHER, DOWN TO THE WELL.

I didn’t really get the love for The Pixies at first, but I get it now. They have their own unique sound, and the vocals especially. I wouldn’t call them conventionally good, but they perfectly fit the instrumentals.

great stuff man

So this is an album i know, but have only listened to a few times. When I want to listen to the Pixies I usually take something earlier. I'm glad I did this album deserves more attention.

Obviously Pixies are an iconic band but somehow they passed me by , it is why I enjoyed listening to this album and rated it highly , the vocals were fab mainly because they reminded me a bit of Marcie Smith. The structure of the songs were great and the album raced by and could not wait until the the next track

8/10

I like the surf music and aliens vibe. Love the raw vocals and the band is rocking. It's maybe a bit light on tunes to stop it being an absolute classic but this is good shit.

Track 1 - fun intstrumental. Good guitar. Track 2 - short and sweet song. Last lyric is slag which is funny. Track 3 - closer to other pixies songs i've heard compared to the others. Theremin is always a plus too. Track 4 - another small track. Nice guitar parts. Track 5 - great bassline. Catchy song. Track 6 - not horrible, but so far my least favorite. Just not that much going on. Track 7 - good Track 8 - another banger Track 9 - nice guitar/bass Track 10 - i like this one. Probably 2nd favorite. Track 11 - alright. Track 12 - catchy. Not that bad Track 13 - i like the vocals on this one Track 14 - pleasant and warm song

I haven't listened to this in ages and had forgotten about all the songs I like on it. The video for "Dig for Fire"/"Allison" was a staple of 120 Minutes back when I watched religiously. "Velouria" is a classic. "Is She Weird," "The Happening," and "Stormy Weather" are fun. There's nothing on here I dislike.

This is not my favorite album of Pixies songs, although Dig for Fire is a highlight for me. That said, the Pixies with their distinctive sound, surrealism, and characters are like a comfort sitcom for me - Mork and Mindy if you will? - and I am always down for the show.

Cecilia Ann, Velouria and Dig for Fire are great tracks

Third best Pixies album but still absolutely phenomenal

My least favorite pixies album but still damn good

Fantastic! Not their best, but an enjoyable listen. I feel like there was a good vibe, but not a lot of memorable songs.

Yes, it’s good but I still prefer Surfer Rosa for its raw edge. This just sounds too polished

F*** yeah! Pixies! How to describe this? It’s just so good! I

Only skipped through this one but all the songs sounded like the opening scenes in School of Rock in a very good way

Pixies are just so good at the quiet-loud dynamic. It is a certified vibe. The album is short, punchy, and just efficient. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions Velouria Is She Weird Ana Dig for Fire

Is she weird? Is she white? Is she promised to the night?

Actual good punk

I would normally default to Doolittle (10/10) or Surfer Rosa when in a Pixies mood, and have overlooked this one before. This will be definitely be added to the regular rotation! 8/10

It’s the Pixies, it’s great. It’s not Surfer Rosa, which would get 5 stars from me immediately, this is more like 4.5

80s and 90s darlings with another wonderful output.

Soft 4, Strong 3. This felt oddly very Halloween-y. Not sure why or how. Just the vibe.

This was a new one to me. Enjoyed it - fun blast from the past, and at the end of the album, Apple Music segued right to the Breeders.

Maybe my rating is nostalgic because I just saw them, but I got fueled by anger yesterday from the news, so maybe that’s why it hit well too.

Nice album, much less catchy than the last one but still pretty interesting.

pretty damn good

First time I've put this album on, very enjoyable

Loved getting this a day after a Frank Black solo album. Not my favorite Pixies album, but still a solid 4 stars.

J’ai vraiment aimé!

I haven't listened to this in ages and had forgotten about all the songs I like on it. The video for "Dig for Fire"/"Allison" was a staple of 120 Minutes back when I watched religiously. "Velouria" is a classic. "Is She Weird," "The Happening," and "Stormy Weather" are fun. There's nothing on here I dislike.

Very different than Doolittle which I also enjoyed, but good. Need I relisten

Seemed to be pretty good, broken window day

Great album. Definitely one I will revisit in the future so I can listen properly and really take it all in

What a great album. Love the Pixies. Velouria is one of my favourite songs but all are really great

This doesn't live up to Doolittle for me. I think this might be the Pixies at their purest which sounds good, but honesty, I kind of only like this band in spite of who they are rather than because of it. Give me the more polished tracks every day. Likely invalid criticism aside, it's still a great album from a great band.

This album is like underage drinking with your close friends. You’re still too young for your fake IDs to work at pubs, and you think most of the people you go to school with are tools. So instead of hanging out with them, you go to your friends house cos his parents have a basement lounge where you can drink and party without being bothered by his mum and dad. The walls are cinder-block and it’s cold outside, so you put a fan-heater on. Before you know it, you are sitting in a sauna. But that is ok, there is a tv showing the Panthers v Sharks game and you’ve got enough Double Browns to last a nuclear winter. There’s only four of you there and sure, you are missing out on broader social interactions. But also you are spending some good times with your closest friends. You’re happy with your Saturday night choices.

Great, snappy songs. Will be revisiting.

A few songs in and already the variety of Pixies is songs is clear. They may all have that distinctive buzz of guitar but we ho from a western style instrumental, full on rock of imaginatively titled ‘rock show’ to the melodic joy of ‘Allison’. You can hear the influence that the Pixies had on the grunge scene across this album and as someone hitting my teens in the early nineties that alone elevates them above the chaff. I love ‘the happening’ which i think delivers everything you’d want from a melodic Pixies track.

8.8 ★★★★

Heard this album a million times. I think it's a great album, and would probably be at the top of most bands' discography, however, in the Pixies' case, it was preceded by two of the greatest albums of all time. I think it lacks some of the highs of the first two Pixies albums, but still, there's plenty to love here including "Rock Music", "Velouria", "Alison", and "Dig for Fire". The second half is a bit more uneven than the first and drags it down ever so slightly. 4.5 stars.

4.5

Another CD I owned back in 1990, in fact my first Pixie album. Black Francis and company tapped into the ethos, pathos, and logos of us 20 somethings as some of us started bands and made art. I'm Digging for Fire!

Super fun surf rock. Always liked the Pixies but never got too far into their catalogue. Album was great, like them even more now!

I really liked it! I like the pixies and it was nice to hear other songs by them other than the most popular ones

It’s no Doolittle, but I will always enjoy some Pixies

Solid Pixies album. Not my favorite of theirs, but their first 3 are all solid Pixies.

Great album

90s alt-rock nostalgia, great background when driving. Guitar heavy, but some soft melodic parts

Actualy very enjoyable not just because I’m drink

Pretty cool! Not sure I’d listen again but had a good time with it this morning. Particularly enjoyed Velouria. Reminded me at times of Mother Mother and some other kind of more modern indie bands I can’t remember now. (3.5 stars)

Not what I expected from the album title. Points for being more interesting than a lot of these albums. I quite liked it, even though it's not my kind of music. 3.7 stars.

it was decent

I feel like it would be impossible to follow up their previous two albums but I think they do well enough with this one. I love the breathing room that allows U to hear Kim Deal's beautiful work <3

really good!! only track i didn’t thoroughly enjoy was Rock Music

Leuke andere muziek van de pixies dan where is my mind!

64/1001 :: Pixies - Bossanova Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Fav Tracks: Rock Music, Down to the Well, The Happening I’ve never actually put together the list but I have to imagine the Pixies are somewhere in my Top 20 favorite bands of all time. I love them so much. Weird, innovative, aggressive, tender, literally all the things. Outta the first 5 classic Pixies albums this is my least favorite. That said, It’s still so good. And today’s listen reminded me that I need to own this on vinyl. It’s the only one of the first 5 that I don’t have… Should be noted Rock Music is an incredible track 1 to any Pixies playlist…

Pixies are a good band. This is a good album.

Never listen before, impressed

I like this album, great vibes, instrumentals standout, it's a fun one to listen to.

great

skroz dobar zadovoljna sam jako melodican i dobra pozadinska muzika vise rock sta mi ne bilo dir

The Happening is my favorite track so far. I really like this album.

Good album, quick listen at 40 minutes. Very pixies sound, gets better halfway through.

If surf rock ever hitched a ride on a UFO, it would sound like Bossanova. The Pixies took their snarling, off-kilter energy and launched it straight into orbit. Warped guitars that crash like waves, reverb that echoes through the cosmos, and Black Francis screaming like he’s channeling transmissions from deep space. It’s a strange blend: beach party vibes colliding with interstellar static. “Velouria” may have been the hit, but “Dig for Fire” is the track for me - laid-back, hypnotic, like a campfire on some alien shoreline. Bossanova is what happens when you ride the surfboard straight off the beach and into the stars. A cosmic, surf-punk fever dream that still feels completely its own.

Excelente álbum

Great album from an underrated band. So many musicians were influenced by the Pixies.

Feels very much like the Dead Kennedy's decided to just hang on the beach and become emo, dark yet relentlessly driving sound, a seamless mix of surf rock grooves and basslines with more pop punk and alternative sounds and bonafides. As a few other comments on this album have mentioned, the individual tracks don't seem to pop too much but taken together as a record this establishes a very distinct sound and feeling that I don't think fully comes through on any one track. Feels like the sort of music that would be perfect in a skating game as well. Rock on!

May have listened to this at some point. I like Velouria. Fun band. Been listening to them for years.

Perhaps a little generous.

I love this album. It’s punky beach vibes hit just right. In my mind it rounds down to a 4.5, but I can’t give it a 5 because there are a couple of weaker moments (Cecilia Ann, Blown Away) and 5’s should be reserved for masterpieces.

This album is to me what the definition of what I thought this list would be. Not necessarily an obsure band, but one one on the fringes of the underground/mainstream fray that clearly makes excellent music. I have always enjoyed Pixies, but never actively listen to them. I know their top hits and maybe a hand full of B-Sides, but that's it. This album is great. And the influence that this band and album had on, bare minimum, the next ten years of alternative rock music (among other genres) is undeniable. Great rhythms, unique vocals that are not taxing but rather enjoyable, concepts that have a freshness to them compared to the decades before, and the arrangement keeps the album moving where the 40 minutes flies by and keep the listener in a state of wanting more. In 147 album there have been maybe a couple dozen that I absolutely agree with the need to hear before you di,e this is one of them. I personally look at this list from a standpoint of historical context - did this album change/influence something, was it the absolute peak of something (genre/style/year/decade),did it introduce something new to the lexicon, or is just absolutely perfectly executed. things of that nature. So far most albums on this list are just a British circle jerk of mediocrity, but this album stands out amonst all of that. It is not a perfect album, but it is one that should be listened to. And I look forward to listening to it many more times. 8.9/10 147/1001

It can be argued that Bossanova is just as good, and maybe better, than Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. It's kind of an inevitable synthesis of the two, but more focused, more calculated. A little prettier but still not mainstream. None of the songs really have the common melodic structure or hooks for widespread appeal, but they are all quality. It's got the usual balance between cacophony and harmony that the Pixies were masters at. It leans toward some old school surf or rock-n-roll motifs a la Chris Isaak or Echo and the Bunnymen. Like a darker extension of "Here Comes Your Man" with a little sci-fi mixed in. It's hard to describe, but it's still fresh 35 years later.

Fun album woth many different kinds of songs. Opening track was promising an epic journey, almost like power metal. Rest of the album was either high energy punk/alternative songs that were really good or rock songs that were good, but not that special.

Favorite Track: Is She Weird

The first bossa nova album I liked. Ha. And the best of the 3 Pixies albums we've been recommended.

man i love the pixies

This is solid pixies. The sound from their previous albums is all there, but the previous albums just have some better songs on them. None of these quite stand up to where is my mind or monkeys gone to heaven, as good as they are.

Another favorite. Maybe not peak PIxies but I love it, and it has a couple of my favorite Pixies songs...Is She Weird and Veloria.. It's all Solid. Perhaps it's my sentimentality towards the glorious early 90s...but who cares. In light of the state of the world, I'm just going to go immerse myself in Pixies and pretend that it's 1991 and that the only things I have to worry about this weekend are what I'll be drinking, what I'll be wearing, and who I'll be sleeping with. Best times.

Even though the album runs 39 minutes there is lots of music here. The Pixies are able to convey a real sonic landscape in a compressed manner.

Glad to remake or completely make this one's acquaintance. I can hear this in rippling thru bands I stumbled upon later. The late 80s and early 90s created a bleak cultural backdrop for personal and cultural changes, punctuated for me by disappearance of album stores. Interesting twist that I was exposed to this album at a Food Coop in the heart of western hippiedom, whilst harkening back to more granola encrusted days. Havalina, I'll check you later, farther on up the road.

The first track, Rock Music, was much more metal than I expected. I love the kind of weepy surf guitar on Ana. This album everything you expect from the Pixies. I will always regret not getting into them back in their hayday.

For my first pixies album it was actually pretty fire. I didn't really know what to expect but there were some really catchy parts on this record. I really like the album cover for no apparent reason but aside from that thought the album was really cool

Great 👍

this is awesome for me because after listening to Doolittle two weeks ago i was thinking it was a shame i never heard bossanova and i wanted to listen to it!! clearly the algo read my mind... pretty cool and i enjoyed the more post punk sound this album has... still not lovin the pixies but still finding them perfectly enjoyable and good!

First listen of this album as a whole. Let's GO! The Pixies were the trailblazers for most of the music I enjoy. Alt rock, pop punk, even grunge to a degree came out of the Pixies footprint. The music is so unique, its energetic and up beat (maybe not the lyircs). It's just a really fun listen from start to finish. The album is bloated (as were most albums from that era) but it is mostly an enjoyable listen throughout. And honestly, this may be "only" their third best record. 3.8/5

Yeah I mean it’s great and all but where is the bossanova????

81/100. What stands out most is how well-recorded it all sounds. The production is clear and vibrant, especially for a band known for pushing their songs right to the edge. Focused, fresh, and full of personality.

typical Pixies

A damn fine rock album. Definitely a precursor to some grunge sensibilities, very enjoyable.

A really great alternative rock record but not as good as the first two! Sounds more like a Frank Black album!

Okay.

pretty good but not the best of my very limited knowledge of the pixies, lovely vibes but some are a miss probably a 3.5 but it deserves more than giving it a 3

sounds like my bus journey home 2nd year of uni

Really punchy noise rock

Great sound, short and urgent songs, a bit weird, nice!

Groovy roovy

I’m digging for fire

This was really a great album, very enjoyable early alt rock

They're not really my kind of band but this is clearly very good

Я не знаю как мне описать жтот альбом. Но я точно скажу, что вечером в городе на скейте/самокате/качелях/карусели - самое то.

Not their best album but a very solid album. This was more mainstream, if one could say that, compared to the previous albums. Some very good songs.

Jag gillar pixies. Lagom rock

The Pixies doing what they do best. Edgy, quirky, guitar driven indie tunes. An enjoyable listen that would have been fresh to hear for the first time back in ‘90.

Clearer than the previous two, tho just as punishing, Bossanova is aptly christened. Something's relaxed, has come into its own, namely Black Francis, who's learned Tom Waits's secrets of the weird trade. 'We will wade in the shine of the ever / We will wade in the tides of the summer'; 'Time is an arrangement / Time is an arranger / I am a derangement.' Juxtaposition, not so much: more like life itself, fire and all. Who'd thought fire'd be the chief element of our best pop music? Welp, they dug for it, and found it a salve for their brokenness, a balm for too much togetherness: 'It is time for stormy weather.' That's hard-luck; that's cheer and relief. Not heaven. 'Havalina.'

4/5. Definitely leaning more towards rock than the punk of their previous albums but I think the appropriate term would just be punk rock. A pretty solid album though, it also has some metal involved as well which the vocals screaming in some songs. It still doesn't feel like they overstay their welcome despite the longer songs. They are able to create sense of rushing even in the slower tracks, which is pretty impressive. I wouldn't say it was perfect but it was pretty well rounded with solid songwriting. Best Song: Velouria, Is She Weird, Cecilia Ann

Rokimpi ku muistelin! Hyvä levy! 4/5

Noisy but some good tracks

Pixies: Bossonova: This has some really cool tracks, great riffs, and great moments. Just a very enjoyable and fun album, though the vocals are a little lacking at times. The song rock music in particular is absolutely awful and I despise it, though it is the only one on here I disliked. Pretty good! 7.5/10

Dreamy

Very fun album, I liked the pacing of it. Just great to rock out to.

It plays like the soundtrack to a 90s movie that never was. Constantly changing but never losing the thread. This is only my second Pixies album but won’t be the last. Unless they only have 2…

I sometimes feel that Bossanova is an odd one to listen to in isolation, that is it's not the most normal introduction to the Pixies. It leans more into the surf rock influence that we hear in the earlier albums and I think in some ways makes it a more accessible album. I think the general opinion is that Doolittle is the most mainstream offering, but I think Bossanova leans into the success of tracks like Here Comes Your Man, Debaser and Monkey Gone to Heaven. In some ways it's the most fun of their albums pre-split after Trompe Le Monde. Is it my favourite, no - I prefer the raw sound of Surfer Rosa and Come on Pilgrim but I definitely think it's their most listenable before the release of Head Carrier in 2016. Kim Deal's harmonies and bass lines across the first albums are such a huge part of Pixies sound that I think post-2013 they just don't feel the same. Bossanova is a fantastic album, but it's just not quite there for me. I feel the same about this as I do about Nevermind. It doesn't quite feel like they're being themselves and for that it's a solid 4.5/5 - rounding down because I don't think it keeps up with the rest of their earlier releases and isn't the album I reach for when I want Pixies.

I feel like this album is closing a cycle for Pixies, started with Surfer Rosa. They refined their sound, somewhat made it more accessible (less experimentation and noisy bits than there were in the past), they master their recipe with the succession of loud/quiet moments.

FINAL REVIEW Another 4/5!! This is very much "my style", in that it has pretty melodies and dreamy backing vocals, but also a distorted, hard edge. I'm a fan of many bands influenced by the Pixies, so it's no shock that I loved this album too, and will probably love even more of their discography when I dive into it. NOTES 4:52 am - i know the pixies were influential on many bands that i like, but i only know one song by them, so im interested in finding out if i like them as much as i like many of the bands they inspired. 5:33 am - my first listen through, and i really enjoyed it!! i can see how bands like nirvana and radiohead were influenced by this. they themselves seem very influenced by the b-52s, another band i love, so making all of those connections is fun. honestly, i can see myself listening to this a lot. it has the kind of sound that i often like to put on while working.

This is just great Pop music 4

This one was refreshing after listening just the most popular tunes from them.

this pixies album is a fun one , the meldoy works for me . Somehow the ragged parts works... post punk has been a big miss for me so far but not here, this works

yeah oldie for me

This reminded me of the good times in high school. Driving too fast with the windows down, sitting on the roof in the parking lot after class, and even wandering the brickyard in the middle of the night.

All around great album, my only thing about it is how similar some of the end tracks get. Past that it's worth anyone's time and then some.

What an opener to an album. This album doesn't even have most of my fave Pixies songs and its still great.

Lacks the crazy energy of their previous album but still sounds great.

Its got nothing on Dolittle but they have a broader range than I expected so credit for that

Not quite to "Doolittle" level but a very good album.

Buen disco de rock.

I like the Pixies, but there doesn't really need to be three of their albums on here. There's not enough variation in them to make it necessary. I enjoyed the more poppy songs on this record, Velouria, Allison, Dig for Fire. They were a bit different to Doolittle and Surfer Rosa. The other songs are nice enough, but tend to be lesser versions of things that came before.

Listened at work while talking the morning work list.

Beyond "Where Is My Mind" and the associated album "Surfer Rosa". This is a good alt rock album, enjoyed it more than I thought. No particular song stood out, but as a whole it was mostly enjoyable.

I really don't think there needs to be three pixies albums on this list. I'm thinking 7.5 out of 10. I like this album but it's really for fans.

I did not expect this Pixies album to be present, I expect to still see Surfer Rosa and Doolittle somewhere on the list. That said, this is a great album!

Not the best pixies album but better than I remember.

Buy

Very little cohesion here but I suppose that's the point. Will listen again

Neither Bossanova nor pixie like but this jammed hard

Cecilia Ann 3.7 Rock Music 3.8 Velouria 4 Allison 4 Is She Weird 3.9 Ana 4 All Over the World 4.1 Dig for Fire 4 Down to the Well 3.5 The Happening 4 Blown Away 4 Hang Wire 4 Stormy Weather 3.5 Havalina 3.4 Score: 3.85

catchy rock tunes, missing the genius of their two previous albums

Thought it was a pretty good album. Didnt even realize it started over on me before halfway through the second play through. Everything flowed together nice

Grunge surf guitar? Surprisingly, I'm really vibing with this.

it nice

This Is peak pixies. Frank Black is screaming like a lunatic and the guitars are ripping. Perfection.

Godt

Great alternative rock from a band I’ve barely listened to but definitely a fan now

Loud, soft loud. Or is it the other way?

This one is fun, and a staple for the 80s-to-90s transition, when the alt rock genre was developing into its own. The Pixies' sound is so unique, and a lot of bands that followed were definitely influenced by them. Kind of wild they're still going today after all they've gone through, which is a testament to the quality of their music imo. I'm still a sucker for this style.

Pretty good. Had highlights like velouria, allison, and all over the world among a few others. 8/10

I feel like this was probably an inspiration for Pinkerton. Great album

this was so good!! i love the pixies but i hardly knew any of this album before today. very brilliant.

This is the Pixies album I've spent the least time with, excluding the post reunion stuff (which I don't really count anyway). The first two albums are the best for me, then I feel like this is more consistent than Trompe le Mobde but it also doesn't have anything that hits the heights of U-Mass or Motorway to Roswell either.

3.5 rounded up

Loved this one. Maybe not as good as Doolittle. I think this one has a few skips but some insane bangers too. I think i liked the first 2 tracks the most. Very strong 4

++*: Is She Weird ++: Cecilia Ann, Rock Music, Allison, Dig for Fire, Down to the Well, The Happening, Stormy Weather, Havalina +: Ana, Blown Away, Hang Wire +-: Velouria, All Over the World 8,1/10

Enjoyed this album quite a bit. I think there's an alternate universe where I picked up these albums in my younger years and became a pixies fan. Listening now in 2025, I'm impressed with how this albums stands the test of time.

High energy, très punk. il y a aussi quelque chose de Nirvana dans Rock Music (Bleach est sorti l'année d'avant). C'est pas ce que je m'attendais, en connaissant seulement where is my mind et en pensant entendre de la bossa nova. Ana est excellent, Havalina aussi. Il y a vraiment une variété de saveurs différentes sur l'album. Plaisant dans l'ensemble pour un amateur de punk comme moi.

Bon rock des années 90, quoique un peu inégal si j’ose dire. On sent l’influence que ça a eu sur tout le reste du rock alternatif de la décennie! Je m’y retrouve pas mal Highlights: Is she weird, all over the world, dig for fire

Not as much bossanova as I’d have expected. Still pretty dang good rock though. Lucky for pixies I don’t actually like bossanova all that much. 4 stars.

This album was refreshing from the garbage the generator has been feeding me for the last few days. So especially in comparison this album was fantastic. A wonderful listen undoubtedly. Actually I take that back, this is a great album regardless of by comparison or not, I was happy to listen to this album today multiple times. Good stuff from the Pixies.

7,57

Pixies are the kings of the loud-quiet-loud song formula Fave song: Stormy Weather

I enjoyed this a good (kim) deal. I could see myself getting into it on repeat listens. I think at this stage of their career they were really encompassing the entire grunge sound that was about to explode.

I'm a huge pixies fan, but this isn't their best. I'm a bit surprised it's on this list to be honest.

Pretty damn good album. I like Black Francis' voice and the band is nice

I mean, it's a Pixies album. It's going to be good. But, it's not their best album compared solely against other Pixies albums. Just put it on and enjoy it all over again. Then go listen to the rest of their albums

Got sauce

I really enjoyed Doolittle. By comparison Bossanova feels more polished and clinical and does not quite have the same energy/ joy. Still enjoyed it especially as listening at same time as Sebadoh which was a real struggle by comparison. Fav track Allison.

yay finally some 90s rockkk

Cecilia Ann starts the album off nicely. Is She Weird is very clearly a precursor to grunge. Did For Fire has some clear Talking Heads influence.

Awesome

A high quality album, if less experimental and compelling than Debaser. Cop out review as I listened a few days ago, twice, but failed to take notes. Just vibes.

Pretty good, toook some time to warm up to it, but was pretty good.

4/5

erm this isnt bossanova what the freak????///?? really good but doolittle is far superior in comparison. still a very strong album tho. that second half is killer

So clearly the granddaddy of so much that comes after it

I always want to call Pixies “The Pixies”. It seems there should be a “The” there right? Anyway, this is the first album of their’s that I’ve heard where I didn’t recognise any of the tracks. It sounded pretty much exactly how I’ve come to expect from their other music - very distorted, and fully of apathy. And that’s my favourite flavour of music. I enjoyed this a lot, although perhaps not as much as Doolittle or Surfer Rosa. Still a banging album though.

Overall: 7/10 There's some really great moments on this album. Is She Weird and Velouria are two of my favourite Pixies songs. However, compared to the previous two albums they made, this one feels like a mixed bag of half finished ideas for the most part. The one thing I REALLY love about it is the surf rock feel of a lot of songs. These guys tend to use that sound a lot but it's amplified on this one. Santiago is clearly the MVP of this album as his guitar work keeps even the worst songs from going off the rails. I still think it's a great album and maybe I would like it more if it was the first album I heard from them, but it's impossible for me to not compare it to their best work. Fav Song: Is She Weird? Least Fav Song: All Over the World