1001 Albums Summary

Surfer Rosa was a pleasant surprise. On the first listen with speakers, it felt like chaotic noise. I really wasn’t sure I would like it. By the third listen with headphones, I was amazed at all the little details added to the songs. There is so much intention with this album to sound exactly as it sounds. This album was not phoned in. Instead, it was brought into this world with all the care of a newborn. I also appreciated that the Pixies could keep coming up with new song intros that grabbed my intention throughout the album. That is a really hard thing to pull off for many albums. I really grew to appreciate the disjointed vocals between Black and Kim. There is such a thin line between intention and what looks like lack of ability when going against music standards. The Pixies walk that line with creativity and talent abound. I heard the highlight of the album ‘Where is My Mind’ before but I didn't realize it was a Pixies song. Still a top-notch song all these years later. I love the restraint of the song. Less is more here. It creates wonderful dynamics. The haunting synths and spotlight on the bass guitar really make the song standout from the rest of the tracks on the album. Overall, this album feels like the bridge between 80s punk and 90s alternative that later dominated the radio. Influential is probably an understatement.