Reviews (page 6 of 14)
me cuestan un poco ls pixies aunque entiendo su relevancia
"Rock Music"! A clapper but not their finest though, see "Come On Pilgrim"
This was pretty fun! I liked Velouria and Stormy weather a lot. Everything else kinda bled together.
Good blend of rock and atmospheric sound. It's nice to have a short album in the mix with many of the epic 2-disc anthologies on lists like this.
Never got into the Pixes, but I appreciated them much more on this listen. I think it's a little too late for me to really get into them, but I've added this to my library. Will plan to revisit.
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.
Gar nicht meins
Very different than Doolittle which I also enjoyed, but good. Need I relisten
Seemed to be pretty good, broken window day
It overall was a good album. Very grunge-alt tempo and feel to the album.
Kind of boring rock to me.
This Pixies album didn't do much for me. Overall I can't even name a Pixies song. On second listen I enjoyed it a bit more. I ended the bass player
Digging for fire is a classic, but the rest of this album was a bit disappointing. Doolittle was a bit of a magical moment for them, but this showed me that they kind of exhausted their good ideas. Still though, for the time period, this was still ahead of its time .
Shoulda picked Surfer Rosa. This album is fine and has more than a few Pixies twists and derangements. Just not enough. The songs have a real samey chugga chugga sound. Feels like they’re not fully into it? Still a notch above standard indie rock.
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
I like the Pixies, but this isn't their best album. It's fine, just, there's better.
I knew I really liked this, I didn't know I loved it
Just ok. Nothing great here. Loved the way it started but this album doesn't carry the energy from the start through to the end. An uneven album for sure.
3/5
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.
Not something I would seek out on my own, but it was cool!
Nur laut! Reicht mir nicht!
ana
The east coast answer to everything that was going on in Seattle is the way I have always see the Pixies. The problem is that they're a little more weird and harder to follow. Great heavy bass lines, but in the end it all kind of sounds the same (which is about the same for most early alternative). I get they are pretty influential, but alternative as a genre is one of those things that resonate with you when you're young but then fades as you grow older and find out there's more to life that what you can do in your bedroom by yourself.
Not their worst. It's just a Pixies album, they all sound broadly the same. Less punky and unpleasant to listen to than their early stuff, at least.
It's everybody's third favourite Pixies record. These guys are like a good 80s action flick. You don't watch it for a while, and then when you watch it again, you remember how much you liked it. Except there's way more depth! The band are fantastic. There's the right mix of scream, rock and gentle surf/Hawaiian. Honestly, I love it. Okay, it's not Doolittle! But it's an awesome album. Well worth the hype. Not enough Kim Deal vocals... Love the closer! And opening with a surf cover! Brilliant! 5 Stars.
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.
I like the Pixies but not so much this album. Has some good tracks and you can see their influences, and yhe influence they would have. But its no master piece from them
Here we have the Pixies doing their usual thing, but with less of the fun and that weird charm they nailed on Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. The riffs are familiar, but the energy's muted. There are some standouts, though—“Velouria” has a cool surf guitar vibe, “Allison” is a sprightly piece of new wave with some sweet bass work, and “Dig for Fire” is a bit of a funky surprise, with the verses carrying a groove that’s almost Talking Heads-esque, before it bursts into a catchy pop chorus. But for all its sci-fi surf-rock aspirations and space-age polish, Bossanova often feels like it's coasting on past momentum. Black Francis still yelps and screams with conviction, Joey Santiago’s guitar still squiggles and snarls, but the spontaneity feels calculated, the weirdness more aesthetic than essential. It’s as if they’re aiming for atmosphere over impact, which makes for a record that sounds good in theory but rarely grabs you by the collar. You don’t mind it while it’s on—but when it’s over, you’re not sure it ever really landed.
Some good tracks but Doolittle is still my favourite album
This album kicks off strong with “Cecilia Ann,” a track that had me hoping the rest would ride that same wave. Unfortunately, the second song derailed it for me. The vocals just didn’t land and pulled me out of it. “Velouria” managed to bring the energy back, but after that things started to blur together. It’s fun, and there are definite highs, but too much of it fades into the background. Solid, not stellar. 7.5/10.
Not their best
Rather than a concept album, this felt like an album of concepts. Half-finished song ideas weaved among a few complete thoughts. Very basic lyrics suggesting that not much time was invested in their polishing. It's a great vibe overall: I felt like I was listening to snippets of transmissions from a cosmic radio station. I just wish they had leaned harder into that concept (add static, channel changes, etc.) to pull the album together. Interested to hear their canonical best (which this was not because it barely included Kim Deal's contributions and was allegedly a rushed product). Sleeper keeper: Down to the Well
I wanted to like this more than I did. They know how to put out great beats and licks on this album, but I can never twig to their lyrical style. Great for those that like that sort of thing, but just not my style. I give them credit for producing a very tight and cogent album, however.
A weird and surprising album
Bossanova ist kein Album, das man "im Hintergrund" laufen lässt, es sei denn, man möchte beim Abwasch ständig das Gefühl haben, dass die Waschmaschine gerade den Geist aufgibt. Es ist definitiv ein Beweis dafür, dass intelligente Frauen fluchen (ich habe innerlich ein paar neue Wörter gelernt), denn es ist intelligenter Lärm. Ich verstehe, warum Musiker es lieben, aber für mich war es eine Reise, die am besten mit dem Satz "wenigstens ist es jetzt vorbei" endet. P.S. Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Mal, wenn mich jemand zwingt, eine Stunde lang Free Jazz zu hören... hihihihi...
Today I came to the sad realization that the Pixies is not a band made up of lesbians
This one really didn't connect with me which is a shame, since I like "Where is my mind." I wanted to like it but it kind of just became noise to me at some point. It's possible I'd like it more on a different listen but today wasn't that day for me. Standouts: Velouria Rating: 2.5/5
The Pixies post-date may rock music prime so yo me just like , well, lots of other bands. Can sing, can play, can write lyrics - so what? 2
nah. Sounds like something from the Empire Records soundtrack. I always hate barely-there vocals. Speak up, and the strange meandering of instruments is a hallmark of this era of indie rock.
Did not enjoy ☺️
Great, snappy songs. Will be revisiting.
7/10
All 3 Pixies albums here kick ass.
not a fan
don't like it, sorry, it's not my type
alternatieve rock. te vaag, paar aardige nummers
Another introduction for me to a genre I've never been into before. So I gave it a real good go. Didn't like Rick Music. Velour started but didn't end with promise. Alison more favoured, like Is she Weird. Ana is ok. Dig for Fire interesting. I really tried listening but couldn't wait for it to finish 😪 What or who the hell is Havalina!?
Why are the little pixies so angry? The first track was terrific. The last one was good, too. The middle…
Not my style but was a big one back in the day for some
some bops but mostly meh
like a deez nuts joke
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.
This nearly got 1*, but then I remembered all the albums I’ve given 1* to and thought that I was being harsh. I thought they were singing about DeLorean on track 2 - that was sort of fun?
I was a bit surprised that this was the first Pixies album to turn up, mostly because I'm no Pixies expert, but the songs I know and love are from their debut album. I liked this but possibly less than I thought I might. The Pixies influence on the music that came later cannot be underestimated, but that genre has never really been my favourite, so I don't have quite the reverence for it than many grunge fans likely would. An album I certainly wouldn't turn off if it started playing, but one I may not return to on purpose. 3/5
4.5
4.5
8.8 ★★★★
Good, but nothing special. 3.5 stars
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
Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty good Pixies album. You don’t have the all-timer, iconic, essential Pixies songs like Where Is My Mind?, Monkey Gone To Heaven or Gigantic but a couple o nice ones maybe with Velouria and Dig For Fire. Opener Cecelia Ann is pretty boss actually and a cover of a fake Surf instrumental cowritten by Steve Hoffman of Steve Hoffman Forums fame. Rock Music a bit of a severe stinky ear-stabby shrieker in the second hole and the tracks towards the end are very forgettable. It’s not the best inclusion for the 1001 list but at least it isn’t Teenager Of The Year.
This one is somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me. I enjoyed it but didn't love it.
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!
Decent
Super fun surf rock. Always liked the Pixies but never got too far into their catalogue. Album was great, like them even more now!
meh
Wasn't really for me. I liked a few songs but couldn't really get into it.
Yep, this is Pixies!
This was not a bossanova album Joking aside, kind of what I expect from the pixies. Don't super enjoy this sound or this album of theirs, 2*
I really liked it! I like the pixies and it was nice to hear other songs by them other than the most popular ones
This isn't the Pixies album I'd expect to see here. But maybe that is why it is on the list: to shed light on an otherwise overlooked album. It's good but there are others I'd gravitate to for repeat listens.
It’s no Doolittle, but I will always enjoy some Pixies
Not a very memorable Rock album, clearly has some good songs but underwhelming overall 3/5
Noisy
Eh, I'm hit or miss with the pixies. Overall not bad! Good album to hear start to finish, but not like, genre defining great to me.
Fine. Nothing bad but nothing super impressive, either. I still like The Breeders better.
Meh
i really like the pixies sound and although i don’t think this is their strongest album it was still fun to listen to
Solid Pixies album. Not my favorite of theirs, but their first 3 are all solid Pixies.
Brilliant
Reipasta ränkytystä ilman erikoisuutta
Decent. Few good songs and a few not so good
Great album
90s alt-rock nostalgia, great background when driving. Guitar heavy, but some soft melodic parts
Awful. Well the 5th song was bearable. Only good news is I found a genre of music I hate as much as bad rap and bad country. Cd gets better. First two songs awful
Actualy very enjoyable not just because I’m drink
Despite moments of the band's trademark weirdness and surf-rock flair, Bossanova feels like a diluted version of what made the Pixies exciting in the first place. The raw energy and tension of earlier albums like Doolittle are largely absent, replaced by a more polished, spacier sound that lacks bite. While there are a few standout tracks, the album as a whole drifts into forgettable territory. A disappointing effort from a band known for pushing boundaries.
Another from one of my favorite bands of all time! While it may not be my #1 album from them, it's got some of their most interesting, almost jazzy melodic structures and such a unique vibe. Saw them perform it (and Trompe Le Monde) about a month back at night one of their two night residency I attended, incredible show.
I'm not a big Oixies fan. I find it too low energy.
Overall, not a bad album, a bit rock-y 90s sounding, it was alright having it in the background. I was wondering what the popular Pixie song was, that I knew, but that is not in this album (Where Is My Mind?). There are moments when things are a bit harsh, but nothing too bad, as it was overal pretty chill and relatively enjoyable even, I would say.
This certainly was not the band the Pixies that I knew. Interesting, if I could do half pointe, would award a 2.5.
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.
Perfect. I live the Pixies and have heard this album 100s of times. I'm actually going to see them (minus Kim Deal) live in a couple days. I'm calling this one 4.5 stars since it's not my favorite album of theirs, but that will round to 5. 4.5 #176
Not the biggest Pixies fan myself. but I liked this album. Had some great songs Decent 7
it was decent
peakxies
I really loved this album. The pace, the rhythm, and the emotional undercurrent all clicked for me. It feels cool and controlled but still expressive. Velouria with its theremin stood out as especially mysterious and whimsically romantic.
OK
Light punk rock. Almost vruge. Fun to listen to, but not a mainstay.
Serviceable.
I appreciate the cranked up and out surf rock vibe and none of the songs are bad by any means. Just so boring compared to their 80s records which I'm even a little bit unsure of how I will rate them upon a long overdue revisit. Would certainly rather have an entry for the Breeders before this album. "Dig for Fire" is the standout track. Sadly, I think every song they released before this album is better than that one. Track ratings average out at about 3.5 but the sum of the parts is not greater...
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
Pretty heavy for a band called Pixies
Day 3 - Was pleasantly surprised with this one, I never hear this album discussed when it comes to Pixies discography, the spotlight is typically given to Doolittle and Surfer Rosa, because of that I didn't have the highest expectations going into this one. I enjoyed my first listen of this album, it perfectly balanced sounding like Pixies earlier works, and trying something new. It's clear to see that this album would help become a major inspiration of the grunge sound of the 90's.
Leuke andere muziek van de pixies dan where is my mind!
- Bwa, zeer matig. - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM
Not quite as interesting or dynamic as Doolittle, but still solid
I've never heard a Pixies album in full before. I only knew a few songs here and there (the famous ones). They were OK, but not really my kind of music. However, they are still a lot closer to what I actually like than some of the previous entries of this project. The album started out worryingly for me: I had to wait a full three songs to hear something I associated with Pixies. That hair metal opening song was a real doozy and the thundering 80s drums in the second one were also a major turn-off. That drum sound is something I actually had to force myself to tolerate in order to start getting into 80s music (The Cure, R.E.M., later albums of Blondie, etc.) and it still keeps me from enjoying most of the 80s albums that otherwise contain good music. Having said that, in the end this album actually grew on me. I liked it more and more as it went along. It's definitely not "have to have on vinyl" category, but I hear a ton of later bands I like in there that were clearly influenced by Pixies and I'll probably listen to it more. And I'll DEFINITELY go back to check out their other albums. Also, I 100% agree with Jon on Kim/Breeders > Frank/Pixies :)
I want to like this more but, for the Pixies, it's just fine. It isn't quite able to recapture the magic. (3.5)
Not a big fan but I liked a few songs and will listen to a few of their other albums b4 I make a decision on them !
Give it follows Doolittle, I think one of the more under rated Pixies records.. It has a different vibe than the first couple. I think Frank shines and you can tell he took control of the songwriting on this one, which for me is a good thing. What makes this special are the tracks like Allison, Dig For Fire and Havalina, which are so different than anything they’d previously done
This album is good, but not great. It never quite reaches the heights of their earlier records. The opener hooked me instantly with its repurposed surf-rock vibe, followed by a track that channels the intensity of ’90s alt classics, and then my personal favorite: the song that captures Frank and Kim interacting at their best here. Beyond that strong start, there are still enjoyable moments, especially in some of Frank’s guitar work scattered throughout, but overall the quality drops a notch for me. A look at the song credits makes the reason clear: Kim has no writing credits here, and her reduced vocal presence compared to earlier albums is hard to miss. Whether that absence stemmed from the well-documented tensions on the previous tour or simply because Kim was busy writing and co-writing every track on the Breeders first album released the same year, this record is very much a Frank project. Frank and Kim are both musical geniuses, but for me Kim > Frank. Kim’s contributions and presence are what could have elevated this album from good to great, but her impact is unfortunately missing.
This is quite a short album and I was able to listen to it more than once. It got more enjoyable with each listen. Will likely come back to this one.
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…
Une tâche à écouter. C’était agressant, vraiment pas mon genre.
Ok I am relived that was not entirely screamo. Still, the vocals cant be called pleasant nor does the mix do any favors for picking out lyrics on many tracks. The guitar work is great though, far and away the strongest aspect of this record. Listened to: commuting from 5MW. Favorite tracks: Blown Away
Love me some pixies! It’s no surfer Rosa but still some great tracks
Nice album to zone out to (in a good way!) All over the world is a stand out
Pretty cool album gets the Cobra seal of approval
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.
it is time for stormy weather
Favourites: All of them!
point6.
Not my piece of cake. Although I enjoyed some songs, I find them pretty unpolished in a bad way.
IS SHE WEIRD? IS SHE WHITE? IS SHE PROMISED TO THE NIGHT
Nothing special 2/5
great
Not my thing :)
My favorite Pixies album after Doolittle.
Allison yapicam adımı, Is she weird da güzelmiş bir de evin garajında yazılmış gibi bi havası var ama sound olarak sarıyor. (Allison'dan vazgeçtim Ana daha güzel)
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.
Fine for the pixies.
Excelente álbum
Ya, I know people are generally all gaga over this album. It just doesn’t really connect very deeply with me. What can I say.
2.5 stars
25/08/2025 Much of a muchness here. Boring in places, good in others. Spotify listeners: 9.8 million
This record begins the end. Their first three records established them as "pioneers of alternative" with creative song structures, but this record shows how they slip into traditional styles, making them more accessible to radio and the masses. A couple of tracks carry their original vibe (Down to the Well, The Happening) but also shine light on the new direction leading to Trompe Le Monde - I stopped listening to them.
Definitivt bra men inte peak Pixies
Överlag rätt najs, börjar riktigt starkt men tappar lite mot slutet. Hade kunnat vara högre betyg annars, men jag fattar verkligen deras inflytande.
Blandad påse. Överlag rätt nice sound, men lite "stökigt" för att vara det hela vägen igenom.
awful album
Did not like the Album
eh, okay
so bored
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!
Okay for background. Nothing special.
May have listened to this at some point. I like Velouria. Fun band. Been listening to them for years.
Screamy 90s pre grunge. Sounds like opening to MTV tv shows in 90s, or Reno 911. I should appreciate it, but don’t love it
Perhaps a little generous.
Fun album
I feel like I have written this before and maybe I have. While nothing wrong with this music it just doesn't work for me. I feel it goes to much towards punk for my taste in a lot of songs rather than rock.
Ще один альбом з цікавими піснями, які мене не чіпляють
В мене складні стосунки з піксіз, деякі альбоми мені більш-менш норм, але цей зовсім не подобається.
People love the Pixies. I like them.
I thought I was going to like this more than I did. :\
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.
I LOVE THIS! One of my fav bands ever!
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
Die Pixies aus Boston veröffentlichten 1990 ihr drittes Studioalbum Bossanova. Aufgenommen wurde es überwiegend in den Master Control Studios in Burbank, Kalifornien. Im Vergleich zu den Vorgängern rückt das Album stärker in Richtung Surf- und Space-Rock, ohne die kantige Indie-Note der Band aufzugeben. Auffällig ist die klare, teilweise glatte Produktion, die den rauen Charakter von Surfer Rosa oder Doolittle zurücknimmt und mehr atmosphärische Weite schafft. Die Texte von Black Francis bewegen sich zwischen surrealen Fragmenten, Science-Fiction-Anspielungen und Alltagsbeobachtungen. Kim Deal steuert wie gewohnt Bass und Gesang bei, David Lovering und Joey Santiago runden das Bild rhythmisch und klanglich ab. Trotz dieser Geschlossenheit wirkte Bossanova auf manche Hörer weniger explosiv als die frühen Werke, fand aber schnell Anerkennung im britischen und amerikanischen Musikjournalismus. Insgesamt markiert das Album eine Phase der stilistischen Neuorientierung: weniger Punk-Energie, dafür ein dichter, schwebender Sound. Für die Entwicklung des Alternative Rock bleibt es ein wichtiger, wenn auch nicht unumstrittener Baustein.
The Pixies just don’t do it for me
Was always more familiar with Doolittle, but this album was better
Should be 100/10
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.
different fun their last, but still fun
idk man the pixies just dont do it for me.
i just cant get into the pixies like this… but there were a few great moments
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.
Not my style, but a nice taste breaker. A lot of the songs are quite in your face and noise, but some songs were calmer. Is she weird and Ana were catchy.
Not for me.
nah dog
Not a bad album
I’m just not a fan of the Picies
nothing caught my attention quite much, probably not revisiting
Još jedna apsolutna bangerica od albuma. Genuinely svaka pjesma je svoja priča ali isto tako 10/10. Nemam vise toga za reci jer stvarno NISAM iznenađena da su Pixies ovako pojeli. Najbolje pjesme su mi ( redom ): "The Happening", "Havalina", "Velouria" i "All over the world" ali AS I SAID, svaka pjesma je banger!!!!
Not very good.
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.
I had never heard this one, which is odd, but I can see why. There is nothing that this one does that the earlier albums don't do better. Now I really wish I'd given Surfer Rosa a 5, as Doolittle is a solid 4 and this is a 3.
I think I'm missing something - will keep trying with Pixies but not sure they're my thing. Weird as I would have thought they'd be up my indie alternative street but found myself a bit bored again with this one.
Cecilia Ann, what an opener. Feels like the intro to a western movie, but put it in space. Its a fast album, with short songs. Velouria is great, i love how it goes between heaviness and quiet throughout. Used to listen to a good bit of Muse, and I feel like a lot of their influences came from this album. Ending of the happening is exactly the same as "I love you" by Fontanes DC.
Not the best Pixies album, by a lot.
Not my kind of music.
Svega od dosadnog pseudo-kul indie rocka iz noćne more do nekih baš zanimljivih melodija. Tog prvog daleko više.
Good(ish) Best Song: Velouria Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3/5
Opening track was the only good song. The rest was quite unbearable
Not as good as surfer Rosa or Doolittle but still good
1 of 3 must-have Pixie albums....
Just has not aged well can see they may have inspired some and been on a cutting edge at some point but now just feels like its music in no mans land
OK listening when cycling.
Album No. 0004 on my list. For whatever reason, I've never really listened much to Pixies at all. I was aware of the success and influence of the band, and of course knew a few songs. However, I've never become a regular listener. Bossanova was hence my first full Pixies album. I expected a good album, but unfortunately, this was very underwhelming. For some reason, it seems I just don't get the band. No song really stood out for me; there is nothing memorable at all about this album. It all just sounds and feels very boring. Not at all bad, just simply boring. I listen to a lot of 90s alternative rock and so Pixies are just one of these artists that I'm supposed to like, but I'm afraid that even after listening to this album, I just don't get them. Hope that someday I'll listen to another pixies album that may change this. 2/5 stars.
Cracking album.
Not for me. Two stars.
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.
Pretty fun just not a pixies fan
own
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 👍
I don’t think I’ve actually heard this before… some of the tracks, but not in full! Didn’t like it as much as the first two!
I think I like this the most out of the pixies albums I've heard. Noisy!
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
I had high expectations after surfer rosa :(
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.
Sure was a Pixies album. If I had been given this before Trompe Le Monde and Doolittle, I would probably like it more, but it really felt like "songs in the style of the Pixies"
none of their true hits but still the best pixies album. weird and interesting throughout
forgot to rate this one when i listened — 2.5
typical Pixies
A damn fine rock album. Definitely a precursor to some grunge sensibilities, very enjoyable.
One of my all time favourite records.
This was a great Iron Maiden Album! What?! It’s not Iron Maiden in the first song? Yep, but that was definitely Steve Harris bass gallop! The second song was a snap-in-the-face punk anthem, and then the album seemed like it find its groove. It’s a good album, and for Pixie lovers, this album sits in the pocket. Honestly, I don’t know if this album offered me anything that other Pixies albums haven’t. Key tracks for me were Hang Wire and Havalina, a little fast and a little slow. My world wasn’t changed, but I wouldn’t burn it down listening to this again either.
Random thoughts: * I was surprised to see this album on 1001. Not at all surprised by the other 2 choices. * I'd never listened to this Pixies album before. * The bass just rocks on all Pixies songs! Kim Deal is a rock badass! * I dug some of the more chill tracks like "Ana". * The quiet/loud dynamic was in full display here, like on "All Over The World". * The singles from this album were just okay. * The whole album was alright. I'd listen again but nothing that people really need to hear.
A really great alternative rock record but not as good as the first two! Sounds more like a Frank Black album!
Tremenda mierda de grupo. Otra de esas bandas para que los snobs sordos tengan ídolos. Parece que se están inventando las canciones sobre la marcha (y tampoco tienen mucha práctica). Esto es un grupo de barrio como mucho.
3.0 - Ok
Okay.
I don't care for the Pixies
The Good: We get a bossanova! The Bad: It’s not that kind of bossanova.. The Ugly: rinsing the other bossanova out of my mind… If there is one thing that I believe most participants to this 1001 journey can agree on is that nobody would like to listen to a full album of bossanova, it becomes tedious after a while… Maybe that is why this album is called just that? Because it becomes tedious after a while? And I really want to like it, but I can’t… sorry… Guess I don’t like tedious? Or I just don’t understand what the big deal is with the Pixies? Anyway, as I was away for almost 2 weeks I am playing serious catch up on the list and will leave this album with a 3* rating as it was neither here, nor there, for me...
Low/mid 3? Where is the bossanova? Is She Weird is the standout to me
Interesting. Well produced and performed. Definitely a Nirvana influencer.
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
Better than I remembered. Still my cup of tea.
At several points, I forgot I was listening to this. It's not too long though.
Really punchy noise rock
It’s ok
It’s not so much that I disliked most of the album in a bland, idc kinda way, but maybe that this genre of music is just so dated and aged. I’m glad I listened but I won’t be back.
Was ok. Prefer their other albums
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
Bleh mostly
Velouria
no thanks
Ngl i zoomed out most of the album
They're not really my kind of band but this is clearly very good
90s alt rock. Interesting Western rock opener. Incredible guitars. A hint of goth, epic. Dark and sexy.
The strangest thing about this thousand and one albums challenge is, they keep giving me albums by groups. I’ve listened to, but not the album that they’ve sent. I had never heard bossa nova before and I’m not sure that it’s better than Surfer Rosa or Doolittles. With that being said, I listened to it three times and tried to get a unique vibe from it, but it just didn’t sound special to me.
Я не знаю как мне описать жтот альбом. Но я точно скажу, что вечером в городе на скейте/самокате/качелях/карусели - самое то.
Side note on today’s album. If you aren’t a big pixies fan then this isn’t really the album to start with. It’s solid but Surfer Rosa and Doolittle are flawless albums. This one has some jamz and continues down the same path as Doolittle but they don’t quite reach that high water mark left by the earlier stuff. Also way less Kim deal on this. It was the start of the falling out. Pixies aren’t the pixies without Kim deal Bossanova is a great album. Just being a grump
ONLY LISTENED ONCE I NEED MORE TIME.
Most overrated faux indie there was. Sure, some great songs but god, it’s boring half the time. Worst drummer in rock history doesn’t help.
It was a decent album
There were some good songs
Surf rock for goths
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.
Cool
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.'
I'm running out of patience for Pixies
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
This is a great album. I'll be returning to it. Songs were great and though it's alt-rock through and through, they wear their influences on their sleeve and it's a mish mash of great stuff. 4.5/5
Really solid album, I’m almost upset I never looked into this one! I didn’t get to finish it but I think this is actually a 5 star. I really love the. 90s alt rock feel.
3.5
A collection of songs that I really liked, but I didn't love listening in one go from start to finish.
Not my flavour
Rokimpi ku muistelin! Hyvä levy! 4/5
melkein nelonen!
Noisy but some good tracks
Not bad
Fun rock/punk. It feels like a good rock album to have on in the background as you do other things. Nothing stands out hugely, but the vibes of the album are very good.
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
Amelodic drivel
Right in my wheelhouse really, but after a while I found all the songs were structured the same and I tired of Frank Blacks vocal style. Still a fan of the band but didn't enjoy this as much as I though I would.
Very fun album, I liked the pacing of it. Just great to rock out to.
Expected to like this more than I actually did
While this still has some d.i.y. charm the songs are just boring. As usual this band gets on my nerves with disinterested bad singing and the superficial punk pose.
I wanted to like it more than I did
Much better than the other Pixies album on here
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'm not sure I would agree there are multiple Pixies albums you need to hear "before you die" and if I were choosing ONE Pixies album for this project, it would have been Surfer Rosa. But that being said, I do like this album and consider myself a Pixies fan. I like the Breeders more though.
I’ve always had a bit of a strange relationship with Bossanova. It’s one of those albums I want to love more than I actually do, mostly because I really like the idea of surf-rock Pixies blended with outer space weirdness. There’s a lot here that works — I dig the spacey vibe and that kind of woozy, sunburnt feel that runs through it. But for me, the songwriting just doesn’t hit as hard or feel as urgent as Doolittle. It’s more of a hazy cruise than a rollercoaster. That said, I do still enjoy spinning it now and again. "Velouria" is a solid tune, all chuggy and mysterious, and I actually quite like "Ana" even though it barely gets going before it’s done. There’s a laid-back charm to it, and I can see why some people might prefer this to the more manic Pixies stuff. But for me, it's a decent album rather than a great one
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.
Pixies vaan on tosi tylsää… kuulostaa aina vain laahaavalta heti, kun lupaavasta reippaammasta introsta on päästy.
Levyllä ei ole montaa biisiä, jolla ei olisi omaa muotoaan/luonnettaan. Keskivaiheilla tempo tasaantuu. Mutta Rock Music on totaalista neroutta. Ei ihme, että se esitetään levyn alkuun mukamas kuriositeettina. 3,5
Not for me
I’ve always thought that Pixies were sort of the evil goblin godfathers of grunge and hard to get into, but this album actually turns out to feel more like a 60s garage/surf guitar record and is quite a lot of fun. I mostly enjoyed listening to this, but I was slightly disappointed that they didn’t include at least one proper bossanova track.
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 isn’t why the Pixies are great. It’s a fine album but it sounds like ‘Doolittle’ B-sides. After the third song it starts to sound same-y.
Went a little too far left for my taste. Love some other Pixies records but this one just didn’t quite tickle me in the right way.