Reviews (page 4 of 14)
Great album. Highlights: velouria is a classic, dig for fire, is she wierd. Best pixies album? Maybe not.
**An ok album
Still like Doolittle more, although Velouria is their best song.
I would do 3.5 if I could. Likes and “okays” flip flopped throughout the album
6/10
Identifying as a 'Middle Aged White Man,' I am required to enjoy this album.
Love the Pixies!
Saving "Doolittle" for last, huh? Don't think I've listened to this album in its entirety. A very spacey and surf rock-like sound, fitting given the album cover I guess. I always found the Pixies to be more entertaining/tolerable when they focused on producing creative/weird, yet cohesive jams as opposed to being noisy and abrasive (yeah, I didn't care for "Surfer Rosa" if that wasn't obvious...) These tracks don't really overstay their welcome, yet each still provides a clean & contained punch of sound.
Sjov blanding af lidt old school rock, noget heavy, noget skramlet a la Libertines. Alt i alt pretty cool.
Completamente misleading el titulo. Me aburrió. Completamente aburrido, literal. Onda, es rock y whatever pero me emboló, no lo pude ni terminar del embole, nada, ni lyrics, ni melodías, ni instrumentos, nada. Puro embole.
Man, if I would have known a Pixies album sounded like this, I would have been listening years ago. Very good album. I really dug the music and energy throughout.
A shift in style from previous Pixies albums with a more polished finish. Album includes hit single Velouria
Are the Pixies the original Grunge band? A always liked their music for the most part but the lyrics were so corny. The first album I heard was Trompe Le Monde. I didn’t really like it and I didn’t understand why everyone else was so into this band. This album is really good though. I'm kind of embarrassed that I was so dismissive of this band I love the harmonies.
Like opening - starts off strong - and liked everything after.
Awesome
There are a few good songs from them. None of them are on this album.
There's a lot of unpleasant vocals, but mostly it's fine. Nothing amazing about this album on the first listen, but it's solid.
Bueno, otro 3
Love this
I like the vibes and their sound. Sometimes repetitive.
It was fine. Catchy but also somewhat repetitive for my taste.
2.5
No bad. Enjoyed listening to this. But only had the remastered 2011 version.
I wasn't excited to see another Pixies album on the list, but they won me over anyways.
Honestly? Outside of "Is She Weird" I have little to say about this. I liked what I've heard of Pixies before, but this album is almost entirely 100% forgettable. There's not a single track (again, besides Is She Weird) that I thought about for even a moment while it was actively playing. Background noise dad rock.
While it certainly doesn't have the same hits as the other Pixies albums from the time, it is well worth a listen, finely blending surf rock with punk sounds and sensibilities to create an endlessly listenable album. Not the first Pixies album I'd recommend, but still fantastic to listen to. Highlights include Rock Music, Velouria, and Hang Wire.
I've heard Dolittle, but not this. I dig the thumping bass lines. 3.5/5.
Not their best one but still great
Love the Pixies. Several of my favorite Pixies song, like Where is My Mind and Monkey Gone to Heaven, aren't on this album. Velouria is a great tune and this album was a good listen overall. Solid 3.
Great album but not my favorite Pixies album. A high 3. Season: Early Winter Favorite Song: Allison
I started this very hype. I was ready to rank it a 4 by the middel of the first song. and then ther next song played... and the next.. and I kind of just liked each one a little less? I dont think they were necessairly bad, but the first set high expectations and the rest of the album didnt meet it. But Overall, I defintly think that for less than new music (youre welcome Bob), they do a really good job sounding unique and fresh. I wouldnt have thought this song came out in the 90s. High 3 imo
Not as strong as Surfer Rosa or Doolittle, but still a really good Pixies album. Dig For Fire might be my favourite song from them. 4 Stars.
As Pixies albums go I think this is the worst one we did, it doesn’t quite have the hit power. It is still a base level of good and enjoyable alt rock though.
Got some bangers but it gets repetitive and hard not to skip tracks.
3.5 stars. Starts heavy/noisy and gradually moves to more traditional alt rock and then becomes trippier with elements of psychedelia/space rock. Like this and has a lot of their defining power riffs but prefer other Pixies to this record. Standout is surf-rock "Ana".
I don't even know what they were trying to do here. I don't think they knew either
I was about to comment on how I liked Doolittle and then one year they make this garbage but then I looked up my ratings for Pixies on this site and found out I misremember liking Doolittle and that they always sucked
Another great Pixies album, but not quite as strong as most of their other early era albums. Still an undeniable classic.
Don’t love loud but aimless indie rock. Mostly sounds like noise to me. I liked dig for fire, rest was boring and I’d forgotten all but a vague impression by the end of the day. Had no word tracks like Pet Sounds which was interesting
I know the hits, this should be fun listen. I wouldn't say I did any real active listening to this record, but had it play through while I was working.
It's a great album and I wish planet of sound was on it as well.
I reckon this is the last evidence of a balanced and happy Pixies as a band. As much as Trompe Le Monde is also great, it plays much more like a Frank Black solo album than this one. The hits are there - Velouria, Dig for Fire, Allison. And the pop and noise elements are still pretty perfectly balanced. As an album though, it's not quite up there with Doolittle. But what is, really?
A poppier sound than Doolittle and Surfer Rosa but still stands the test of time.
Una verga. 4 temas buenos y uno meh (Havalina) 6/10. Solo porque son los Pixies
Not my fav Pixies, but not bad Pixies.
Weird how this is the first Pixies album I've ever listened to. Definitely a mistake on my part because I don't get the appeal at all. Need to check out their more acclaimed stuff.
I wouldn’t say a bad album but no songs grabbed me it was ok to listen to but not something I would listen to again
Was almost gonna 2 star this based on the first 2 tracks cause i got nothing out of them, but from “Is She Weird” onwards is pretty solid. “Is She Weird” is my standout and maybe the final track too.
This is my least favorite kind of rating decision to make, the cusp between a 4 and a 5. On the one hand, there are so many great songs on this album and I think the effort to make the Pixies sound more accessible really works. If we were rating songs, “Velouria” is one of my favs Pixies or otherwise. But I just don’t think the album is anything near the bold artistic statement of Doolittle. Doolittle is its own sick world with its own sick aesthetic. Surfer Rosa isn’t as good, but there is so much in it that points the way — plus Where Is My Mind — that I gave it a 5 too. Bossanova tho… it feels a lot like most Frank Black albums, an enjoyable collection of songs by a clever guy. Really good, but not essential in the way I imagine a 5 album to be.
Biggest criticism of this album is that the songs aren’t longer.
Nice instrumentation but the occasional screaming is not my cup of tea.
I usually quite like alternative rock so this was fine, but none of it screams "masterpiece" to me. Favourite two tracks: All Over the World and Blown Away
I never really got into the Pixies, so this was my first real introduction to them. I wouldn't use this album to introduce them to other people though. It is a fine rock album, but I think it settles for "a fine rock album that is played in a bar to mask uncomfortable silences". Nothing really stuck out to me in this album the way "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" or "Kid A" does. It appears that the albums preceding Bossanova are the ones to really check out.
Meh 5.8/10
Man if cecilla Ann had vocals….. Rest mid
The best of the 3 Pixies albums I’ve heard but I still didn’t really like it that much and won’t be listening again.
There's a lot about the Pixies that I should find irritating but they just aren't.. It's raw, driving melodies and ripping vocals and i just like it.
Straight up pop classics, but with surreal goth lyrics and raging quiet-loud-quiet abrasive guitars and singing. Such weird little geniuses. And this is like the third or fourth best Pixies album.
The Pixies are amazing, but this album sadly is not. There’s little spark here and the songs settled into a blah flat line for me.
I thought this was pretty neat. I felt like I was listening to a concept album, or following some kind of narrative, even though I couldn't tell you what it was supposed to be. Very cohesive, quirky, and fun. Still kinda forgettable, as many of these rock albums are turning out.
Good music, not quite my genre, but i liked it.
The Pixies were in a league of their own with the album Bossanova. This album is full of so many amazing space rock songs, and in my opinion this is one of the best releases from the early 90s. 4.8/5
This is a great album, an awesome follow up to Surfer Rosa and Doolittle
Bueno
Instrumentals are pretty good, but the vocals suck. They're like a worse version of Alice in Chains.
I'd rather listen to The Breeders.
Another decent offering from Pixies. 3.5 stars
Just some typical 90s alt rock jams. I never got into Pixies but I didn’t hate it. I also didn’t feel anything. Nothing stands out, but I can at least finish it….I just didn’t feel like it…
One of my favourite bands, but I haven't listened to this album that much. A 4 as it is not quite Doolittle or Surfer Rosa. I added Is She Weird and The Happening to my playlist
Not bad but also not my cup of tea
Not so much my stile but i understand the importance and impact they have on the music.
I had somehow never listened to Bossanova by Pixies before, even though I already knew and loved some of their songs. Listening to it now, I was surprised by how much I could hear the influence it had on many alternative bands. The spacey atmosphere of the album especially reminded me of Muse, while the connection to Nirvana almost goes without saying. Songs like “Velouria” and “Is She Weird” make that influence feel very clear. It’s interesting to discover just how influential Pixies were, and it makes me wish I had paid more attention to them earlier.
not my thing.... SORRY!
Really liked it. It is very emotional and droning at the same time. The production is great. It feels frantic at times. A few tunes will become a staple of my beer drinking sessions. Good record.
Not the best Pixies album, not the worst, but I'm always done for the show that the Pixies bring.
Really more of a 3.5. I love the guitar tone on this record, and some songs are just so fun, especially "Valouria" and "Dig for Fire." This is not my favorite Pixies record because I feel that it lacks those one or two anthemic, unforgettable songs that other albums have ("Wave of Mutilation," "Where is My Mind," "Monkey Gone to Heaven"). Plus, there is one even bigger problem with this record: Not enough Kim Deal! Still, enjoyable enough.
Gosh, what a boring album! I swear, people have got to be lying when they rate some of these albums just because they're on this list or they were told something was good once upon a time. Anyway, "Allison" was the only song I really liked. "Stormy Weather" was pretty cool, but then I got bored and realized it was less than 2 minutes into a 3:26 song. Not a great sign. 2 Stars and that's probably generous.
I'm glad this wasn't the first I'd heard of the Pixies because this album was deeply underwhelming. The songs from this band that I know are from the first two albums and this one just doesn't hold up to it's predecessors.
The Pixies are a modern classic band. I love their music and my children do too. I suspect they will have legs for generations. However, this album is not my favorite. Still great, but hardly peak Pixies.
I've always thought of any Pixies album other than the first two as lesser Pixies, and that's true. The loud-quiet-loud remains, along with the creeping menace. It's all quite enjoyable, just lacking the transcendence of, say, Doolittle. Some real bangers on here though, and maybe their best pop-type songs in "Alison" and "Dig for Fire." Good, not great.
En 1990, les Pixies ne sont plus le petit secret bien gardé du Massachusetts. Ils sont les rois sans couronne de l'alternatif mondial, les parrains d'un truc qui n'a pas encore de nom mais qui va bientôt faire exploser les charts sous l'étiquette « Grunge ». À cette époque, les Pixies étaient tout simplement le centre de mon univers musical car après le choc frontal de Surfer Rosa et la perfection absolue, presque terrifiante, de Doolittle, on attendait leur troisième album comme le Messie. On voulait du sang, de la fureur, du sexe déviant et des hurlements de possédé. Et, qu’est-ce qu’on reçoit ? Bossanova. Autant être honnête tout de suite : à la première écoute, j’ai eu l’impression que la poussière de fée commençait à s’éventer un peu. A l'époque, le groupe était déjà en train de se craqueler de l'intérieur. Ils avaient tourné jusqu'à l'épuisement, Kim Deal et Black Francis ne pouvaient plus se voir en peinture, et Kim était déjà partie fonder The Breeders pour s'amuser un peu loin de l'ego de Charles Thompson. Le résultat, c’est un album totalement sous le contrôle de Francis. Exit les compositions de Deal, on entre dans l'ère de l'obsession extraterrestre de Black Francis. Fini les références aux mutilations bibliques ou au surréalisme craspec, place aux OVNIS et à la zone 51. On commence par « Cecilia Ann », une reprise surf-rock des Surftones. C’est sympa, ça glisse tout seul, mais on est loin de l’agression sonore de « Debaser ». Puis vient « Velouria », avec son thérémine qui plane comme une soucoupe volante au-dessus d'un désert californien. C'est beau, c'est mélodique, c'est du génie pop, mais c'est... poli. Voilà, c’est le mot qui me restait en travers de la gorge à l'époque : poli. Car à l'époque, les gens (et j'en faisais parti) voulaient du punk-funk déchiqueté, et ils ont eu du surf-rock atmosphérique produit par Gil Norton, le fameux « cinquième Pixie ». Et l'album est truffé de morceaux plus doux, plus aériens. « The Happening » nous parle directement d'Area 51, « Down To The Well » nous raconte l'enlèvement de Barney et Betty Hill par des petits gris. On sent que Francis a la tête dans les étoiles, ou peut-être juste ailleurs que dans le studio. Mais heureusement, il reste des éclairs de génie pur. « Rock Music » et « Stormy Weather » nous rappellent que ces types savent encore mordre quand ils le veulent. La guitare de Joey Santiago est toujours là, ce son de scie sauteuse qui découpe la mélodie avec une précision chirurgicale. Alors oui, si je devais être froid et objectif, je lui mettrais un 4 sur 5. C’est un album magnifique, certes, mais qui souffre de la comparaison avec le monstre sacré qu’est Doolittle. Si je regarde la partition, les arrangements et l'inventivité pure, je reste sur mon 4 sur 5. Car il manque peut-être cette petite étincelle de danger, ce sentiment que tout peut s'effondrer à chaque seconde, qui faisait le charme de leurs débuts. On sent que le groupe est sur des rails, très bien huilés, mais des rails quand même. Mais avec le recul, c'est un disque d'une cohérence folle, et même « décevants », en 1990 les Pixies étaient à des années-lumière au-dessus de la mêlée. Ils avaient encore cette urgence, cette capacité à créer des mélodies qui vous restent dans le crâne comme un implant alien. Et à côté des albums de leur « seconde vie » sans Kim Deal, cet album est un sommet de créativité absolue. Et surtout il y a le « Je ». Ce « Je » qui a passé des heures en studio radio à caler le diamant sur le début de « Dig For Fire ». Ce « Je » qui a usé ce vinyle dans sa chambre d'étudiant, en rêvant de contrées lointaines et de filles bizarres (coucou « Is She Weird »). Et si j'écoute ce « Je », le 5 sur 5 est inévitable, car c'est l'album d'une époque où l'on croyait encore que le rock pouvait nous emmener ailleurs, très loin de la grisaille quotidienne. Bossanova n'est peut-être pas leur « meilleur » album au sens académique, ce n'est pas le plus révolutionnaire non plus. Mais c'est leur plus beau voyage, un voyage entre le surf de plage et les nébuleuses lointaines, emmené par un groupe qui, même en train de se désagréger, produisait une musique que personne d'autre sur cette foutue planète n'était capable de concevoir. C'est l'album qui a le mieux capturé l'air du temps de ce début de décennie, avant que Nirvana n'arrive et ne rase tout sur son passage en essayant d'ailleurs, de l'aveu même de Cobain, de « piquer le truc des Pixies ».
Ahhhhh memories of hosting the overnight radio show at CFMU with Clarke and Ove makes my heart sing. This album is easy-listening Pixies. For those that don't like Frank when he gets a tad shouty. Still freaking great though. I'm reserving the five stars for Doolittle (obvs), but a solid four stars.
I really enjoyed the other two Pixies albums I listened to through the list, so been looking forward to this one. First impression is that this one has quite a different sound to the other Pixies albums on the list, Doolittle and Surfer Rosa. This album is decidedly heavier. And they lose a bit of the melancholy as a result. Rock Music is an opening statement that seems to say "this is not your typical Pixies album. We're back and we've reinvented.our.sound." Still, they do come back to their roots somewhat with Ana and All Over the World Overall I don't think Bossanova is quite as good as Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. It's still very solid, it just lacks slightly in uniqueness compared to those two absolute masterpiece albums.
Had this cassette back in the day. Never got into it. Would’ve rather listened to ‘Sufer Rosa’ or ‘Doolittle’, but upon listening again it resonates more with me. Definitely appreciate the production and sonic craftsmanship much more.
This is giving me Weezer by a lot! Maybe Weezer used them as a reference, I’m not sure! To be honest, there’s not really a song that I latched to! Not saying the record isn’t catchy (or that it matters tbh) but it’s not like something I would have continuously in my head (but tidbits of the last song is playing, so maybe I’m a liar)! That being said, it was a very enjoyable listen! I was bopping along to it and I felt it added a little spice to the rock genre! There were some chord changes I didn’t see coming at all! I had fun listening!
This album sucks. Grunge? Teenage garage rock? It's just bad. Feels like no effort went into making or playing the songs. Maybe that was the feel at the time of "I just don't care"?
Umm, not to be rude but this was pretty meh... I don't know if it was revolutionary for the time or what but this just didn't grab me at all. The first track on the album is instrumental and that was my fave. This is the first time I've listened to the Pixies and I've always heard they were a 'cool' band, but I was expecting something more than this... sorry. 2/5
Increíble
Every song on this album sounded almost identical to me. None of them made an impression on me and I couldn't have hummed a single one of them the second after it finished.
So new so cool.
Before listening: Even tho I really didn't vibe with "Doolittle", I truly am hoping this album hits me differently. I like lowkey wanna like their stuff, but like I'm not gonna force it. so here we go 1. Cecilia Ann - I really like how this sounds 2. Rock Music - Honestly, I don't even hate the vocals of this. If there were lyrics that I could care about maybe I'd like it better 3. Velouria - ooh, okay vocals. I really like this. The perfect amount of weird, without being yikes the way old rock has a habit of being. really fun and pretty and cool, slay 4. Allison - okay I kinda love this one? It's short but so punchy and fun. 5. Is She Weird - So, I actually love the sound of this. Lyrically...eh 6. Ana - LOVE the guitar at the beginning, holy shit. pls be a good song. okay, dreamy vibes/vocals. Pretty good actually. Not as amazing as I'd hoped, but yeah I really like this one 7. All Over The World - Sounds cool, I really like that one repeating guitar part. Otherwise just okay. 8. Dig For Fire - Eh 9. Down to the Well - Oh, i actually really like how this sounds. Sounds cool. Not the style of vocals I tend to prefer, but it really makes this song 10. The Happening - I like the start. oooh, this one is really cool, i really like 11. Blown Away - okay 12. Hang Wire - meh, not my vibe 13. Stormy Weather - eh, kinda boring 14. Havalina - eh, it's okay i guess Okay, so this wasn't as bad as Doolittle. I'm honestly glad. I might have to go back to that one day with a fresh perspective, but not anytime soon. I wish I got this album first lol. I really do like the sound of the instruments/production. Since I'm a lyrics girlie, I wish there was better lyric accompanying them, but you can only ask for so much I guess.
3.5
Day 5 — Pixies — Bossanova (1990) Listened: Feb 27, 2026 Genre: Alternative Rock / Surf Punk Vibe: Spacey, distorted, dynamic alternative rock Highlights: • Velouria • All Over the World • Dig for Fire Impression: Fun, fast-paced spacey surf rock. Appreciate its cultural significance even if not fully in my lane. Rating: 2.4/5 Keep songs? Favorites only Revisit album? Maybe
Now this is what I'm talkin' about. Pixies have their own weird/unique sound, and it just works.
Definitely listen again
Not great.
2.5 not good enough for 3 stars.
Another fave!
Some good songs, some too out there for us.
Much better than Surfa Rosa
All the songs made sense and it flowed really well. I have personally never listened to them so I was curious to what their sound would be but I’ve definitely enjoyed it.
Huge Pixies fan. I love this album. The combination of the songs and production works for me. Not perfect (to me) like Come on Pilgrim or Surfer Rosa, but excellent nonetheless.
By no means is this Pixies' best album, but then again that's like talking about your children when you love Pixies. Black Francis had clearly pushed the band to a bigger, metal-inspired sound where the jagged overtones started to get fuzzed out and spacier. The drums are far more present here and Joey Santiago's riffs are dug deep. It's a potent mix that goes off like a bomb, without much regard for where the shrapnel might go. But there are absolute treasures on it too. It's a beautiful, awkward 90s mess.
I don’t dislike the pixies, but I don’t get excited about them either. This wasn’t as annoying as I feared, and it deserves another listen.
Nothing really to say about this other than it was ok.
Non l'ho finito ma è ok
I think I would have loved this if I had owned it in my teenage years. It's a solid album, but feels a little stale for me now as an adult.
Aight not enough bangers
I've learned from this generator that I'm not a Pixies fan
Bossanova
Y que viva las lesbianas
Awesome as always
i see why kurt was inspired, weird loud indie
Et gjensyn med Pixies, og et album jeg har tidligere kjennskap til. Et album hvor halvparten av sangene er jentenavn. Ikke like fantastisk som Doolittle, men like fullt et dritkult prosjekt. En del intense rockelåter her, men totalt sett et roligere lydbilde enn på nevnte forgjenger. Ofte behagelig og nydelig. Solide greier. Top 3: Velouria, Is She Weird, The Happening
Fantastic work. The music is excellent and distracts From the fact that the album doesn't have much to say. Cecilia Ann is an incredible opener.
-Cecilia Ann a very fitting, atmospheric intro -Guitar tone very consistent -Vocals are not my favorite sonically but lyrical content is great -Song structure is unique and not adherent to standards -Is She Weird is the exact kind of personality I want injected on an alt album like this -Down to the Well definitely influenced a ton of future alt bands. You can Nirvana and Pearl Jam listened to this song. Riff is awesome and catchy, dope song -Front half of the album I was a bit underwhelmed but at the midway point it really picked up and felt like the personality of the album really shined through
Makes me stomp while I walk
This must be why people like the Pixies
Really think I need to spend some time on the Pixies. I think they would grow on me.
I've had a few Bossa Nova albums in this project but this was a totally different vibe - may have been a naming error; they probably should've called it 'Alternativerock' instead, but that doesn't sound as interesting. Really enjoyed it, no further notes.
2/17/26. I didn't know Pixies rocked like this. 7/10
It feels like an indie / art rock band tried to make a grunge album. This has great continuity from one track to the next and would have probably been a killer set to hear live. As an overall product though I actually like the more hooky, pop oriented sound Pixies were famous for from Doolittle and Surfer Rosa.
I saw the Pixies on the 2011 leg of their Dolittle tour and that show is actually in my bottom 3 live experiences. There was little band chemistry, stage banter was non-existent, and there was just no energy in the room. Their playing was good, but I left feeling like I was better off just staying at home and listening to Dolittle on my own. Overall, it felt like no one wanted to be there and the whole experience soured me on the band; I haven't listened to them since that show. Well, 15 years later and I'm happy to be listening to the Pixies again. Bossanova is a solid indie/alt rock album with their classic surf rock twist. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to it this morning and am finally ready to dive back into this band.
Being from Chicago I was fortunate to have WXRT as the radio on which I kept my dial set. This station to only played classic rock music from the 60's and 70's, but as the years went on, they would play new and emerging music. I became aware of the Pixies by listening to 'XRT and from the music my son liked as well.
Standard Picies album- punk and alternative sounds. Overall good, but no real standouts
coo
This is my favourite Pixies best, substantially more melodic and slightly less freakish than their other efforts, while still retaining easily enough of their trademark weirdness in both music and lyrics to keep it fresh and interesting.
Pretty good - grew on me. 3.25 Best Songs: All Over the World, The Happening
Before: It's not my favorite Pixies album, but it's a darn good one. My favorite album by them is not even on this list, Trompe Le Monde. Anywhoo, this is probably going to be a 5. I've probably listened to it 100+ times already, but here goes, one more time. During: It does have a few weakish songs but still, 11 out of 14 are good enough to make it on my favorites of 1990 list. I only have 56 total for 1990 so the Pixies comprise 20% of the list. You'd think it would be my favorite album for 1990 but I have to give that spot to Mazzy Star's, She Hangs Brightly. OMG, that album is not even on this list, nothing by Mazzy Star is. How is that possible? After: Yeah, it's a 5.
This was actually pretty enjoyable for the first half but I really can't get into albums were all of the songs are under 3/4 minutes. I need some more variety. Shame because I really liked a lot of the first half of this album but it kind of fell off.
Started off so strong and just didn't quite maintain the same energy to the end. Still, I found this a good listen and might come back to some of these songs.
Quite a short, fun, punchy album that definitely has a mix of some really great songs and some that maybe needed a bit more work but overall I really enjoyed this and would come back again.
It's ok - not really my kind of stuff though. They're a bit loud
theres so many better rock albums of the time, this one aint bad just background radio music tbh
Did not like Rock Music, skipped it. Like Allison - more reminiscent of the stuff I liked in high school/college. Fast forward through All Over the World. I'm not into this album for whatever reason.
One of my favourite bands, love em. 10/10 Favourite track: The Happening
3.5/5 - Olin kuullu Pixiesilt vaan ne suosituimmat biisit ja tää ei ollu kyl yhtää sellane mitä odotin! Tän levyn rakenne oli kiva ja pituus just sopiva, tykkäsin myös täst soundista ja tähän tollane laulaminen sopi yllättävän hyvin. Tykkäsin myös et biisien väliset vaihdot oli pääasiassa seamless. Täs ei kuitenkaan ollu sellast wow-efektiä, minkä takii annoin tälle sen arvosanan minkä annoin.
Tykkään Pixiesistä ja luultavasti olin kuullut tämän levyn aikaisemmin. Bossanovaksi nimetty kolmas albumi on tyylillisesti jatkoa edeltäjälleen Doolittlelle, vaikka mielestäni tuo kyseinen kakkoslevy vetää pidemmän korren yksittäisillä huippukappaleilla. Bossanova on kuitenkin kokonaisuutena erittäin onnistunut ja varmasti tulen tätä vielä kuuntelemaan. Varsinkin kun viime viikkoina tämä haaste on tarjonnut kuunneltavaksi monta ei-niin-mielenkiintoista albumia, Pixiesin kuunteleminen tuntui helpottavalta. Jäin kuitenkin kaipaamaan enemmän Kim Dealin ääntä.
It feels more like straightforward alt rock than something like Doolittle maybe, but is still really good fun. I love the hard surfer rock instrumental intro, and from there you blast through a very consistent set of songs. I think this is probably a good Pixies record to give someone who isn't sure if they like them, even if it's not the pinnacle of their work.
Such a consistently nice atmosphere, but no bangers that perticularly stand out
This album did for me what Doolittle couldn't. I love this one. I really love the little touches of surf mixed in.
A couple of my fave Pixies songs inc Velouria and Dig for Fire, but prob slightly prefer Doolittle overall.
Doolittle is my favourite Pixies album by some way, but this is a good listen and it was nice to revisit it. However it’s only getting a 3 from me - which feels a little harsh but I gave Doolittle 4 when that came up, and Bossanova ain’t no Doolittle.
Enjoyed without anything really standing out
Not my favorite Pixies album, but still great.
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.
Starts super strong then slowly wanes. Nice moments tho
8.5/10
This was OK.
Solid, fun and and encapsulates the grunge spirit. Favorite songs: "Cecilia Ann", "Is she weird"
I think this album helped solidify how I feel about this band, disappointed. I really like some of their tracks when they are trying to be innovative but then these are interspersed with one-minute wonders where it is just brash guitars and words shouted repetitively into the void. It’s like they can’t make up their mind who they want to be.
It’s no Surfer Rosa, but love it
3- not my fav pixies album, although I do love them so so so much. Fav Song: Havalina is a long time fav
Just wasn't my style. Nothing really stuck out.
...
Zwei gute Songs. Der Rest wie gewöhnlich: Pixies for the dixies
I did not like it
Honest i didnt vibe with too much of it but it was still pretty good again brought me to amazing vibes so love just not that much
I don't think I'm the prime Pixies audience. There's some good tracks but the rest feels like naval-gazing.
Incroyable
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
Pretty cool riffs but I don't see myself listening to it often. Favourite track: Cecilia Ann
7/10 It's pretty good but honestly nothing here really grabbed my attention.
Trying too hard. Sounds like a mixed up tribute band to me
This one is not that good
I know the pixies are good but this one was a bit noisy for me
Noisy noisy. Unfortunately I listened to this while I was locked TF in at work and only remember the last song, which was quite nice. Favorite song: Havalina.
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.
My second Pixies album and it was fine. This should be something I'd like a lot, but it just fell a bit flat, although I could appreciate it.
eita bossanova eu amo FAVS (top 3): is she weird, down to the well, the happening mençoes honrosas: cecilia ann, rock music, alison, all over the world, dig for fire, hang wire gente achei q ia ser um album de bossanova KKKKKK sla ne mas n era! a primeira metade bem ?? mas a segunda metade MUITO BOA!! as musicas sao muito curtinhas q me assustei um pouco quando acabavam mas enfim nota final: 3.5/5
cecilia ann as the intro was so epic and tuff What a tuff album overall I need to get into the pixies more If u like this check out myslovitz cuz it lowk remjnded me of the polish rock scene
would run this back again.
Not their best but a solid album from a legendary band
Nada espectacular
Good driving music
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
klingt wie alles andere auch
Not really for me. Just kinda passed me by
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.
The opener, Cecilia Ann, sounds like an opening theme song for an 80s action/adventure show. Things quickly get weird from there. The music is solid while the vocals and lyrics go astray, and then timing gets out of kilter—maybe driven off course by the vocal oddity.
Реально хороший альбом, неожидала вообще. Пару песен в любимые добавила
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
Alternative rock, space rock, grunge.
Solid album. Surprised me. Notable tracks include Velouria, Allison, Ana, All Over the World, Dig For Fire, Down to the Well, Stormy Weather, Havalina.
This was fine. Can't say mush more about it than that.
good
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
Enjoyed this, probably my favorite out of all the Pixies albums I've listened to thus far
Solid work. No complaints
teenage fever dream. but late.
Not as painful a listen as Surfer Rosa was, but still quite a few tracks that I found irritating. Ended on a good note with Havalina. Think I’m still gonna rate this a 2/5 as the harshness of Rock Song really pissed me off.
nicht meins
Can definitely understand why they're influential to a lot of my favorite bands of the 90s, but I prefer their influences
Ahhhh, I don´t know, I know it´s Pixies and I should love it. I love ost music from that time. But somehow I just diodn´t click. I like it, and I believe it´s good, but it just doesn´t do it for me.
Didn't like
Definitely wasn’t expecting the pixies to sound so rock and roll I was into it
Two words....Kim Deal
Pretty good noisy, reverb-drenched indie rock, 7.5/10.
Play it LOUDDDD
Really liked it!
This was ok. Not my favorite recent rock album, but not bad either.
I like it, don't quite love it
I always feel like I should like The Pixies more than I do this comes real close to working for me but something still leaves me at a distance. Like, I like it but something is preventing me from loving it
didn't like this as much as i expected to given how much i liked Kim Deal solo album
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!
Too Screechy
A good start with Cecilia Ann, an instrumental only song, and it goes down hill from there.
Goes hard
so far this is def not the type of music I would personally gravitate too for my daily rotation, BUT some of these songs will be going on my pottery playlist because rock hits the best when I'm on the throwing wheel for some reason
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!
Few songs I love on here and there are a few that I don't think are that good. I'm sorry Pixies... Some of these could have used some more cooking...........
I like the Pixies you should too
Average Pixies
really liked the happening beginning was a 3 but its getting better.
A definite step down from their classics, but a fun listen nonetheless
“There is this old woman She lives down the road You can often find her kneelin’ inside of her hole” I don’t know if it’s just that there are fewer standout hits on this than on “Doolittle” but I sadly found “Bossanova” passing me by even as I was listening to it. I dialled into the occasional song such as “Is She Weird” and “Dig For Fire” which offered more like what I expected from Pixies but I was just not gripped by it the album at all. Much of it felt like a precursor to Shoegaze which I will confess I find a little contrived and boring anyway. This may explain my lack of interest in this. With all that being said I did enjoy a few songs here and there across the album.
wow. i never got into the pixies more than doolittle, and wow i loved this. cecilia ann was a great start the the album. overall lovely journey
Solid album
Good classic rock album, 7.1/10
Always had a hard time with the Pixies and the gloomy mood. But Bossanova's consistency of solid indie rock is mad impressive - maybe its more accesible than others (like surfer rosa) but each track just hits the right tone.
A third Pixies album? How long will they continue to haunt me?
Prima album voor een keertje, maar niet iets wat ik nog snel een keer zou opzetten, met uitzondering van de banger 'Black Hole Sun'.
Leider nichts so catchy, dass man es sofort wieder anmachen will bis auf „Dig for Fire“. Aber auch nicht schlecht.
This is the last of the run of great/good pixies albums. Velocity possibly their best song. However the rest of the album plods rather than thuds. All of their best work done earlier in their careers possibly.
Ew
Ya like indie music?
Damn this is my first introduction to the Pixies and boy did they deliver; This is a sound I feel like I don't normally find in other bands, it still has it's rock punchiness through the bands instrumental sound but has this real creepy undertone through the vocals in most tracks that I really jive with. All the tracks are literal consistent bangers, they know what they do best and keep it pushing throughout the album, the vocals also show a good range in soft moments in the albums that give it a nice sentimental mood rather than the creepy or rocky angry undertone he would typically have and just having that dichotomy within their songs and STILL make it sound consistent and good is insane.
Fun
Acabo o álbum sem nenhum destaque, o que não tem de ser necessariamente uma coisa má. São 39 minutos que se ouvem bem, não achei um grande álbum que me dê vontade de voltar a ouvir, mas ouve-se muito bem! Sinto que os Pixies podiam ser uma das melhores bandas de Shoegaze (têm essa vibe), mas seguiram pelo caminho do Rock alternativo e também o fizeram bem!
cool
was zalig album ! zeer goeie muziek top
Melody and songwriting with all the discord. When I think of pixies I always remember the discord and the hard punk and grunge elements. I forget that there is typically some nice conventional songwriting too. This record seems quite rich in the melodic. Almost feels country rock in parts. I really like the instrumentals
loud... ?
Another one where I didn’t know what to expect. First two songs were a one two punch, the rest of it was just kind of meh. Might not revisit this one any time soon, maybe with more Pixies context
meh
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…
cool i guess, probably wont ever listen to it again but its was very ok
I don’t like rock and that type of music, but in general it was alright
Solid 90s rock
Solid album, rewards multiple listens, comfortingly familiar.
Just not that interesting of an album
As I figured, I enjoyed this. Need to listen to these albums again to better gauge which I like best.
only liked the first song (which was an instrumental) but otherwise i’d give it a 5/10
It’s a very 90s album I didn't like it that much most of the singing was actually screaming
The three Pixies albums on this list have been pretty spread out for me. I reviewed Surfer Rosa at 182, Doolittle at 943, and now I’m getting Bossanova at 1058. I gave both Surfer Rosa and Doolittle four stars, but I enjoyed Doolittle a bit more than its predecessor. Bossanova will be the first Pixies album that I’m reviewing where I don’t know any of the songs. I’m confident that I’m going to enjoy Bossanova, and I’m excited to crank it up! When it comes to the Pixies, I think I was able to save the best for last, because Bossanova was excellent from start to finish. Full of excellent guitar playing Bossanova has a bit of everything you could want from guitar rock. Whether the song was fast, noisy, and chaotic or sincere and melodic, the Pixies crafted a wonderful album here, where each track feels so fresh and distinct, while not wavering from the band’s sound or methods. I wasn’t expecting this album to start off with an instrumental song, but “Cecilia Ann” managed to hook me in right away, with its beautiful guitar tones and excellent drumming. From there, Bossanova cranked out some wonderful songs, like “Velouria,” “Ana,” “Dig for Fire,” and “The Happening.” I really enjoy Frank Black’s vocals, and his ability to go from screaming on one track to crooning on the next, and doing both really well, is pretty remarkable to me. I also loved the songs where Kim Deal provided backing vocals, and I thought the way the vocals were mixed was excellent. There was often a shimmering, echoing tone to the guitars and vocals on this album, but it was never done in a way that drowned out the other elements, or made the songs sound completely distorted and tinny. I really enjoyed the whole album, but “Velouria” and “Dig for Fire” were my two favorite songs on the album. I really loved the vocals on “Velouria,” and the bass guitar on “Dig for Fire” was really exceptional. Overall, Bossanova is a wonderful album, and I will definitely be listening to it again.
Definitely 4
Cecilia Ann - 9/10. Älskar i princip allt med låten Rock Music - 7/10. Ingenting speciellt egentligen, men jag gillar det ändå Velouria - 6,5/10. Bra, riktigt visuell för mig, men ingenting särskilt egentligen. Definitivt bättre än okej. Allison - 7,5/10. Kort och koncist, men ändå bättre än jag förväntade mig- Is She Weird - 6/10. Absolut bra, en sådan låt som kan fastna i huvudet i flera timmar, men jag vet inte om jag skulle sätta på den självmant så ofta. Ana - 9,5/10. Tror detta kan bli en favorit. Älskar rösten, trummorna, melodin, gitarren. ALLT. Men jag önskar den var längre. All Over the World - 5/10. Inte det bästa jag hört, men inte dåligt heller. Skulle inte bli arg om någon satte på den. Dig for Fire - 5,5/10. Bättre än den förra men inte lika bra som de andra låtarna på albumet. Down To The Well - 7/10. Simpel men jag gillar den. The Happening - 7/10. Jag skulle ge den 5/10 först, men bryggan höjde den. Blown Away - 5/10. Ingenting speciellt men inte dålig- Hand Wire - 7/10. Förvånansvärt bra. Repetitiv men det är okej. Stormy Weather - 6/10. Helt okej men ingen märk värt. Havalina - 7,5/10. Bra, men skulle nog inte sätta på den själv. Den första halvan var definitivt bättre än den andra. Det känns som att allt blev ganska tråkigt i slutet. Min favorit är definitivt Ana, och den jag gillar minst är All Over The World. Helhetsbetygssättning: 6.8/10
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.
90s grunge is growing on me
Loved it I mean...it's the pixies duh
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.
A good album also if I didn’t really like the genre it is not my favourite but in reality the songs are also different one from another they are sperimental. Liked some songs like Havalina and Cecilia Ann. The first song of the album feels like a movie soundtrack really cool.
Banger no skip Allison meilleur son
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.
This one is really random but I like Havalina
Wasn’t in the right headspace for this today
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
Jesus Christ, the Pixies are not for me.
Maybe I am kind of out of my standard punk phase, but every song on this sounded the same, and it just reminds me of stuff I would have listened to with headphones at the age of 14 reading rolling stone
It took me a while to get the Pixies. For a long time (besides Where Is My Mind and Debaser), their off-kilter approach to songwriting and structure turned me off. That or Frank Black's (Black Francis'?) screams terrified me then. Then one day, I kept trying and trying and it paid off when Doolittle clicked for me. Soon enough, Surfer Rosa clicked as well and now the hype for the first two Pixies albums that I had heard about through other mediums made sense. Sidenote: Surfer Rosa is name dropped on OK-GO's Here It Goes Again, Where Is My Mind is famously used in Fight Club and Paul Rudd goes on a fan-boy moment during This Is 40. Anyways, Bossanova wasn't as familiar with me, so this was a complete blind listen. My verdict after two listens is that the strongest material lands either in the singles (Velouria, Dig For Fire) or the late stages (Blown Away, The Happening). Between that, there's a lot of ehh stuff that feels either too short or too insignificant. I know this is good by Pixies standards, but compared to what I know, it's simply inferior. They sound like a band having a good time on the other albums, but on this one, I can't help but feel like they're reduced to another music industry act. Maybe that's an insult, but I don't know, it's just from what I hear (6/10, 3/5 on this scale).
Really liked!!! Rock has been growing on me
Nunca había escuchado este grupo, rockerito de los 90. La canción de Velouria mola mucho.
Wow. I was going into this with no expectation since I never heard of this band before. It really reminded me of the Stone Roses, a great band that I also found while doing this challenge. This is a 5/5 for me. I can replay all the songs but that ending Havalina was spectacular
abzolite favs
i sorta get why people enjoy it, but i imagine they’re pretty blah.
Super, swietnie się tego słucha, na pewno wrócę do tego albumu
Second Pixies Album in five days. Enjoyed in more than Surfer Rosa on average, but every song started to sound the same after about the fifth track. So the highs of Surfer Rosa are more appealing to me and the lows of Bossanova are not as discordant as those on Surfer Rosa but I still feel like I’m missing the context of what makes the Pixies so important and influential.
Great album. I somehow missed the Pixies while growing up in the 90s. This record is a vibe. I certainly enjoyed it.
It was more rocky than bossanova, i’m okay with it
Not a ton to say Seems like a weird choice for a pixies album to include, but I'm not sure what the list criteria is. Surprisingly samey for such a unique band. I think this was their second last record and you can kinda hear the exhaustion. Still a fun listen and some great tracks on it. I feel like Kim deal could have gotten some songs on this thing.
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.
Nice record that has some pretty surprisingly heavy moments. I guess I didn't realize that the Pixies got that heavy. I like how dynamic the album can get, it makes it feel pretty fresh as you listen throughout it. Overall a 3 ish for me. Cool album art, definitely very 90's. The bossanova mole in the top right is particularly interesting haha.
3.5
Pretty tired of getting albums by the Pixies. It is a LOT of noise
Not a fan… but better than screamo
I’d actively skip all the songs in this album if they came on shuffle
ну примерно этого от пискей и ожидала, может чуть меньше ора, но довольно эклектично
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.
mag ich
I really like to Pixies, this album had some great stuff, and some less good stuff, to be generous. Not bad at all, but not worth more than a 3 in my opinion.
really like it
Weird but enjoyable! Would listen again!
This is my first time listening to a Pixies album, and I'm very confused. I only have a passing knowledge of them with Where Is My Mind and Cactus, but I thought there was a woman that sang on their songs? Why is this just a guy? Did she leave the band? I thought they would sound more rough & tumble, but this album sounds so polished. I don't know. I like how creative this album is, but I still feel let down by this.
Fairly listenable despite not really being my thing. Would listen again.
After Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and Doolittle this has always felt a bit of a let down. But…compared to all the other albums by other bands its still 5 Star. I like the surf element that appears here and continues in Frank Black’s solo career and even in Kim Deal’s fantastic recent album Nobody Loves You More.
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!
Rock vibes
Love it - sick band listened to their other albums aswell