Doolittle

My grampa listened to this record a ton right after my dad was born in 1989. My dad listened to this a lot right after I was born in 2002. I'm about to have my first kid in about 6 months; you better believe I'm going to be rocking out to this shit the first few days after he's born. Thanks gramps, this is a killer record. And in our family, it's the daddiest of dadrock albums.

One of the most influential albums of the 80s. There would be no Nirvana, Radiohead, Strokes, etc. without this band or this record. Loud quiet loud, baby. This is a top to bottom masterpiece of noise, melody and killer production. Black Francis’ voice on this is shredded and Kim Deal is just the coolest bass player ever. Favorite track(s): Debaser, Tame, This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven Least favorite track: No 13 Baby

Believe it or not, I've never listened to Doolittle all the way through before today, and now my brain is fried. It's as disorienting as if I'd been on a half dozen rides at a carnival after getting drunk. Maybe it's the sheer number of influences Frank Black draws from on Doolittle, from country to reggae; or how the album whipsaws from pop to punk on a dime, from sweet to shrill, or it could be the highly original freakshow lyrics, but no--ultimately, it's that all of this winds up sounding not like a stylistic mishmash, but rather an astonishingly congruent and cathartic artistic statement. Some of the songs on this album burn themselves into your brain on first hearing--Debaser, This Monkey's Gone To Heaven, and Wave of Mutilation come to mind--but every last track contributes to the cosmic mindfuckery that is Doolittle. Let me see if I can explain a little how the Pixies pull this off. It's not that these are virtuoso musicians or anything. It's more about how they bring together disparate elements in violently imaginative ways. One thing that Frank Black does is he tends to cut out sections of songs that would normally be left in as part of conventional pop structure. For example, on Debaser, there are these little two or four bar sections that connect ideas--they're exactly as long as they need to be and no longer. It's as if Frank Black found a way to make ADHD an integral part of his songwriting. And then, there's the contrasts: on the same song, check out how the poppy countermelody of Joey Santiago's guitar co-exists with Frank Black's shouted vocals. Or the segue from a gentle reggae lilt to a demented hillbilly stomp on Mr. Grieves? This is twisted stuff, even before you factor in lyrics about sliced eyeballs, driving into the ocean, and interracial relationship fantasies. Doolittle is a blast from beginning to end.

this album make me go wohoo like a cowboy

I adore this album. It’s as if they wanted to play music like the early Beatles but every time they tried this twisted sound came out instead. Frank Black screeching vocals, Kim Deal’s insistent bass, Joey Santiago’s intricate guitar solos and David Lovering’s sharp drumming - what a combination.

Already a firm favourite. I get lost in the guitar before getting kicked by the angsty vocals. Love the backing vocals on this album. People forget the voice is another instrument. Quality

Awk COME ON. It's feckin' Doolittle like. It's "alternative rock" at it's finest, whatever that actually means.

Big part of my high school and college years and beyond. They laid the groundwork for so much that was to come (and which is still going). My favorite part is the unique phrasing. Everything is so infectiously memorable. The lyrics are a great combination of cryptic poetry and a down to earth, almost conversational quality. Their music too is a seductive balance of simplicity and sophistication. Very human/vulnerable. Love both Frank Black and Kim Deal. Saw Frank Black solo playing a good amount of pixies material in college for like 3+ hours. Such stamina and energy. Total force of nature. Sweat running down from his bald head into his eyes the whole time.

It's always interesting when you realize where an artist's influence comes from. A few songs in I was like... wait, Mitski??

Doolittle is a very loud, noise-filled album and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I'd never heard any of this bands music before, so it's safe to say that when I pressed play and the opening track 'Debaser' started to play, I wasn't expecting what I was hit with. Tame is filled with screams and really weird noises and made me feel rather uncomfortable, to be honest. The rest of the album is filled with more of the same loud, noisy vocals and instruments. I have never really listened to anything like this before and I enjoyed it.

I need to listen to more Pixies

At times visceral (Tame, Gouge Away) and at times pure pop (Here Comes Your Man, Debaser), Doolittle is an indie guitar masterpiece with hooks galore. Their loud quiet loud aesthetic has often been copied and maybe dulls the impact of listening to this album today but no band has done it better and on this album the Pixies nailed it.

Awesome Alt-rock album. A long overdue intro to the Pixies

Love the variety and “Hey” is on just about every mixed tape I ever made.

This was so fun to listen to, especially in the car on my way to work. I saw my life in the 90's run right by my eyes. I can definitely hear how this album influenced so much 90's music. Not only is my favorite song 'Hey,' but if I wrote a song, I might call it 'Hey.' I needed to find out more about the songs, finding this piece that you all might be interested in: https://consequence.net/2019/04/pixies-doolittle-10-stories-behind-the-album/2/ And, this: https://www.nme.com/features/30-information-pixies-album-doolittle-30th-birthday-party-2476993 Now, my biggest question is if I should change my dating profile to say, "I'm looking for someone who whistles at me like in La La Love You."

Let's be serious for a moment: there's a serious argument to be made that this is the best rock record of the 80s. Yes there were bigger sellers, and this isn't exactly adhering to any prominent "sound" of the decade, but for the level of influence this thing has had ON TOP of some of the best damn songs ever, you cant help but think, maybe. Probably, even!

Doolittle is an album who tries to find itself with a lot of songs (15) in a little time (39mins). It does not help since I felt as no ideas were experienced completely. The first half of the album reminds The Cure's songs while the other half, the more original and exciting one, creates an Radiohead-like atmosphere. Since the style varies so much during the listening, I felt lost and couldn't fully appreciate any songs due to its premature ending. What seems like a ground-breaking album, for it being in the list, will last in my mind as a compilation of attempts to find a new style.

Really cool well crafted almost pop rock in parts, in other parts however its really erratic and jarring. It doesn’t linger on one musical style for long. There’s a huge contrast between light and dark, it shouldn’t work but it does. Intricate and interesting guitar work, gritty but jangly at the same time. And the combination of male/female vocal styles is also really well done. I cant quite put my finger on it but I like it. And I also don’t like it. But I also love it, It’s weird. 5/5 - A really interesting listen, way better than I thought it would be. Listened repeatedly for a few days

This is really good, but should be listened to actively

Everything about this album is so on the money. So loose and tight at the same time. Cmon it's the best

What's not to love. Black Francis spirits and screaming out these strange stories, backed by that solid rhythm. But the thing that takes it next level is Joey Santiago's sonic wails, they just accentuate everything. Here Comes Your Man is great pop, written by Francis when he was 15.

How could you not give Doolittle 5 stars. There isn't a single moment on this album which isn't at the very least wildly entertaining. Its absolutely packed full of songs which not only set the template for decades of alternative rock. The fact that Here Comes Your Man, Wave of Mutilation, Hey, Monkey Gone To Heaven and the absolute monster of a song Debaser all appear on the same album is absolutely remarkable. Additionally a lot of modern music from Nirvana all the way through Pavement to the Strokes would probably sound very different. Dolittle deserves 5 stars and more.

A magnificent album that somehow managed to push through to the mainstream. Who knew that tales of messy sex, chopping up body parts and dead monkeys would be so popular? Everything is perfect about Doolittle; the songs, the musicianship, the production. Kim Deal's bass is an absolute beast and holds it all together. Note how the quiet, loud, quiet thing predates Nirvana by a couple of years. One of the few albums that I could play on rotation and not get bored.

Wantlist

Hard to revisit this one objectively. I remember purchasing this when it was first released and thinking this is the likely the best release of the year and one of the tops of the decade. Not much has dissuaded me that my initial impression was incorrect. I am a sucker for the combination of melodic pop and overlays of loud guitars. Add to it odd, cryptic lyrics and off kilter harmonies and I am sold.

This album finds its way onto my rotation every few years. It's loud, dissonant, with some great melodies sprinkled in. It's like the band Television stopped practicing and playing long solos and the outcome was a rougher and cooler album. It sounds like a live album. Like you are watching them play on stage. No polish just raw music. It scratches a nostalgic itch really well and is fun, but I can't honestly say it holds up in today's world in any serious way. If it came out today I would not be sold. That being said it did come out in 1989 and was a real shake up, so for that reason it's an essential listen.

Pleasantly surprised - a lot heavier (in sound and lyrical content), more substantial, and more interesting than my perception of the Pixies, which was formed by hearing "Where Is My Mind" over and over again in various contexts over many years.

Another good album, am I gonna rush out to buy it? No. Will it eventually make its way into my collection? Possibly. But nothing wrong with it, just not my absolute cup of tea.

I realize Pixies were a huge influence on the 1990s so-called "alternative" scene - the quiet/LOUD/quiet music that among others Nirvana capitalized on. So there are a lot of people that like it obviously :) - confession: I really hated this genre of music and especially when I lived in Boston around the time the Pixies were active; almost the opposite of the kind of music I was into and grew up on. I always find it good to revisit music I rejected years ago to see how I might hear it differently... I'm definitely way more open-minded about music than i was in my early 20s. I can appreciate a few of the songs as having a decent melody and I definitely tip my cap to them for being pioneers of this sound. Hearing "Here Comes Your Man" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven" throws me right back to being 22 again and walking around Harvard Square, heading into Newbury Comics... that was a nice memory :) All said, beyond those songs I don't enjoy it and won't listen again - would have reflexively given it a 1 star 20 years ago :D just out of spite haha and honestly still feel that way for most of it (would be 2 or 3/10) but I'll give it a 2 on influence -> still not for me (and Black Francis' voice is just a straight up 'no').

Absolutely stunning album from start to finish. Very catchy yet abrasive at times. A timeless album.

Easily one of my favorite albums of all time. Such a cohesive album, it's innovative and creative and inspires me to be my creative best. Nearly perfect album. Favorite Tracks: "Debaser" "I Bleed" "Monkey Gone to Heaven" "Hey" "Gouge Away" "Wave of Mutilation"

Liked it and it was entertaining all the way through

A great mix of surf rock, danceable songs, and a twinge of instability.

Every single song on this album is killer. A true masterpiece beginning to end.

The video game Rock Band allowed online players the options of purchasing various albums that were available to play in the game - this album was one of them. I have lovely memories of screaming at my living room TV during Monkey Goes to Heaven as I did my best Frank Black impersonation and mashed buttons on a toy guitar. Also, Here Comes Your Man is a perfect pop ditty (that must really rankle Black Francis) and the best song ever recorded about train-hopping hobos.

Once again, the Pixies do not disappoint. Doolittle is such an influential album that there's not much more I can say about it. It is a wonderful blend of punk, surf rock, and new wave that would go on to influence bands like Radiohead and Nirvana. This album is more accessible than their debut, Surfer Rosa, but without compromising what made them great.

i love the pixies, they were basically the gateway to my punk phase this album is full of bangers

I've listened to a few of these songs before but never the entirety of the album. Loved it.

My favorite record by one of my favorite bands. No skips. Rips at any volume and in any setting. Kim Deal is the absolute best and her singing and playing are the soul of the record to me. But all the parts are great. On this, which must be way past my 100th listen, I’m really listening to the drums the most. So tasty, but with so much variety to them. Listen to the tom tom madness and weird fills on Dead and then the straight ahead snare/tambourine On Monkey Gone to Heaven. Totally different and you can’t imagine either song having the same impact without them.

It's all the best bits of rock n' roll from 1960s surf rock to 1980s hardcore thrown together in a way that is completely and utterly unique to the Pixies. Well it was unique at the time, every man and his dog ripped off the simultaneously abrassive and catchy formula in the early 1990s (hello Kurt). Although no one, Nirvana included, got anywhere near the surrealist genius of Charles' lyrics. It's in my top 5 favourite albums of all time without a doubt.

And if the devil is six Then God is seven Then God is seven Then God is seven

Amazing album, i like every song

One of my all time favorites. Hey always makes me want to pick up my bass.

Damn that's good

SLICING UP EYEBALLS AH HA HA HA Favourite band of all time. Dark, Furious, Surreal, Funny, Melodic, Noisy And probably their most well known album (though I prefer Surfer Rosa as an album) Debaser is possibly my favourite pixies song, single at least. Wave of Mutilation also amazing. and Gouge Away. Ugh all of it! But some other less known absolute favourites are also here - La La Love You, Hey, Tame

Ladies and gentlemen. Here's the definition of indie.

We saw the Pixies perform this full album on it's 25th anniversary tour at DAR Constitution Hall. A seemingly unconventional venue for the Pixies. They must be true Daughters of the American Revolution. Kate asked if we heard this for the first time today, would we feel the same way about it that we do after discovering it at a much younger age and listening to it for more than two decades. This review nailed the dynamic of the Pixies, and what makes them so great - "The tension from straddling pop’s melodies with punk’s energy, Black Francis’ anguished lead vocals with bassist Kim Deal’s harmonies, and Deal’s own juxtaposition of flatly deadpan with perky and sweet make all of these tracks jump."

It’s amazing to me that a band could be this weird, loud, and catchy all at the same time.

Well, my actual review got deleted when the page refreshed. So anywayyys...5 stars for this album of all killers 'n no fillers. Great job by a talented bunch of Mass-holes! They're probably Patriots fans too ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gave this a good couple of listens as I've been looking forward to landing on a pixies album in this little adventure. Have always wanted to do a deep dive on them but never got around to it. This is a solid album with a few 5 star songs. Overall 4 but keen to hear more from them.

There's a fine distinction between landfill [insert genre] bands, and bands that sort through everyone else's trash to make something new and, hopefully, exciting. The Pixies are that distinction.

Looks like we get the entire recipe for "Nevermind" this week! Fabulous album, loved it from the first time I heard Debaser's screeching riff. Never saw them live, stupidly

I love the Pixies, but hadn't listened to their albums before this project. This album has a lot of the songs I had heard to make me fall in love with them. They are just so unique, but do it perfectly. For me the music has a 50's sock hop vibe, with punk rock vocals, and 70s/80s style lyrics. They created such a uniquely perfect sound that really welcomed a new generation of alt rock. They were so unique, and to this day you can hear bands that were 100 influenced by them.

Fantastic album! So, so good mirror universe indie rock. Fave track - there are maybe 2 or 3 tracks on the album that _aren't_ contenders for being a fave. I'm going to pick "No. 13 Baby" from my listens yesterday as the highlight - those guitar lines!

So many great songs packed into less than 40 minutes!

so good it's not even fair. i will play every track on the jukebox until the end of time.

Too biased on this one, but here’s an album I didn’t fall in love with until it had been out for almost 20 years! Late to the party, but it’s a timeless classic for me.

This sounds just as amazing as when I was 15. I remember getting Doolittle and anything else on an indie label out of the library! I love Kim Deal’s backing vocals and the playing on it still sounds really exciting.

This album absolutely owns.

One of my all time favorites, so nice I listened twice. Just prototypical and great

Just wasn't into them at the time but this was justifiably popular then and now. Great sound- almost retro and great energy paving the way for many bands afterwards. They blend all kinds of sounds into a cohesive whole and all the time it's never dull or repetitive. It either works or doesn't at all. For me it's 5*****

I wish I found this in 1989

Just amazing…. Weird and wonderful!!! Easy 5.

I fucking love this album. It rocks very hard for me.

different

UN CHIEN ANDALOUSIA

‘tame’- less kind to my ears first thing in the morning… ‘Wave of Mutilation’ on the other hand… ‘Here Comes your Man’ makes me feel nostalgic! It feels like pop- mind you, in the nineties I thought Radiohead was an appropriately jolly band to play at a party, so what do I know?! ‘monkey Gone to Heaven’- very familiar! And, one of the best songs about a monkey. ‘la la Love you’- I like the fact that there’s no ambiguity about the lyrics. I do love the noisy riffs, and tuneful melody combo.

One of my all time favorites!

Pretty much amazing. Raw, vibrating and energetic. Tunes of a lifetime mate.

In my top 3 of all time

One of my acquaintances in high school would give me the nickname 'Pixies' because of my love of this band at the time. So you can easily imagine how close to my heart this legendary record is. Probably in my top five list of all-time favorites... But reading the reviews from this group, it seems I'm far from being the only one to find this album so frigging good. Black Francis' muscled-yet-sugary pop chops, his geeky pot-pourri of surrealism conniving with references going from the bible to sci-fi, both of them mating with teenage angst--not to forget his stellar choruses and his mock-hardcore punk growls--along with Kim Deal's velvety background vocals or plucky basslines, Joey Santiago's forays into surf rock or jangle indie, and David Lovering's gated drums with a very retro (?) sound, (thanks to producer Gil Norton)--all of this makes it one for the ages, a record that's both adventurous and terrifically cohesive overall, both totally indiosyncratic and immediately catchy and hummable. A masterpiece. But what struck me the most reading all those reviews here, is the sheer number of *first-timers* telling how hard this record slapped them in the face, so to speak. Some of those first-timers already knew a few indie hits like "Wave Of Mutilation" or "Monkey Gone To Heaven" , but they couldn't anticipate how good everything else would be, from "Debaser"'s soaring introductory bassline to "Gouge Away'"s alternate use of minor and major chords to conclude the album on an ominous and surprisingly somber note. Commentators and reviewers have also rightly pointed out how important this album was for rock in general, with its quiet-loud-quiet dynamics foretelling the "alternative" explosion of the nineties of years later. But as Kurt Cobain knew himself--and this, probably at the very same time he confessed having 'ripped off' Pixies for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"--all of this wouldn't be worth a rat'a ass if the *songs* had not been so good. And personal. And hummable and weird and strange and funny and dark and twisted and light-hearted and wonderful. It takes a genius songwriter to recognize the genius of one of his peers. And this is what Doolittle is: pure genius. Number of albums left to review or just listen to:  less than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

An absolutely perfect album

Who doesn't love Pixies?

At their height, this is such a great end to end listen, almost a concept album but with several stand-out tracks. Hearing it again, it’s still fantastic, such crisp production, moving between silences and wall of sound

Outstanding album. Every track is top drawer.

Know this one well. Two Pixies albums in a row! Unlike Bossa Nova yesterday which I didn’t know well but thought had the same “vibe” but none of the tunes, this is an unequivocal start-to-finish classic that has been in permanent rotation since I first heard it 15 years ago.

👑👑

Amazing album. Quiet / loud / quiet perfected. Have listened to this many times before and will continue to listen in the future.

I've never actually listened to Doolittle before today and I feel like I've done myself an injustice. There is not one bad song on this album. Some great musicianship and sheer inventiveness in each song, everything sounds different and still balanced. Definitely going into the rotation!

4.7 - fantastic album full of rock and roll excitement. Great nostalgia and bass licks that always bring smile to my face.

One of those bands, like Velvet Underground, that spurred thousands to form bands of their own. This album and the previous release Surfer Rosa were absolutely electrifying to me, as a young musician at this time.

Hi-Debaser, Tame, Wave of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man, Crackity Jones Lo-Mr. Grieves Probably regarded as The Pixies most famous album (this reviewer prefers Trompe le Monde), it's wall-to-wall short and sweet bangers, packed to the gills with Frank Black and Kim Deal coolness, there really isn't a bad track in the bunch, maybe some that just aren't as good as others (Mr. Grieves), but nothing offensive and they're all short that by the time you might think of skipping a track, it's already over, with the longest cut clocking in just shy of 4 minutes. Unfortunately, that means the party is over all too quickly!

Loved this album before thos app. This is definitely a must listen for everyone. Certified Alt rock classic.

I am thoroughly obsessed with this album I first got into this album when I was about 17 and it felt incredibly cathartic during an absolute shitshow time in my life, so it will always be special to me for that. And it's never grown old!!! Despite the darkness and weirdness of some of the lyrics, screaming along to them will always give me a big serotonin boost Its just so bloody good and an easy 5/5 for me Fave bits: literally all of it? Okay maybe the bit in Gouge Away when he screams "I break the WAAAAAAALLS"

Friends much cooler than I forced the Pixies on me in high school. Hey was on a mixtape that has a very special place in my heart and I still listen to the playlist often. I love this album so much.

Two 5s in a row is a rare treat and a third this week to boot. Christmas has come early. I wonder what we'll get on Christmas day. It better be fitting for the occasion. I don't want to be sat around with my family listening to Sinead O'Connor, crying into my Christmas Pudding.

This is the album where it all came together for the Pixies; there expertise at going quiet-loud-quiet. Their expertise at churning beautiful pop melodies while maintaining their hard noisy edge. With songs like Debaser, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Here Comes Your Man and especially Gouge Away, The Pixies found the object blend of pop sensibilities and manic rock energy. A no brainer 5 star album.

Every note of this record is stitched into my soul. Easily one of the best and most influential albums on this list. 10Million/5

Have heard this one before but this time it really clicked, great stuff 👌

You can’t really go wrong with this album

I have no idea how they do this. I've listened to this for a long time and love it. But if someone describes songs like Tame and Crackity Jones, you would think this is unlistenable. But the violent vocal delivery somehow fits and there is plenty of time for balance and melodies as well. It's an incredible album.

I don’t have a lot to say about this, don’t know enough about the genre or The Pixies but this album is great.

один из любимейших среди инди-рок альбомов

The finest album by the best band of the late eighties. If only Black Francis had been a hottie, they'd have absolutely cleaned up instead of being the most influential band of their era instead.

Albums are often referred to as "seminal", but in the case of Doolittle this word rings true. The singles "Here Comes Your Man" and "Debaser" were delicious, but it is on tracks "Hey" and "Gouge Away" that the band set up the blueprint for much of the music that was to come in the first half of the 90s. When Kim Deal and Frank Blacks voice come together the satisfaction is similar to when you manage to zip your coat up with just a hand in one go.

Ahead of it's time and has aged so well. Love it.

I've listened to this album a billion times and will listen to it a billion more. Don't waste your time reading this review. Listen to the music.

1989 - Alternative rock; indie rock; noise pop

Absolute classic, so many great hits in one album! Doolittle, Wave of Mutiliation, Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone to Heaven are in my repeat listens! I listened to this album 3 times in the day period it was given to me!