QRO’s review of Pixies at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY on July 18th, 2018
Photos of Pixies at Paradise in Boston, MA on May 21st, 2017
QRO’s review of Pixies at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY on May 28th, 2016
Photos of Pixies at 2015 Boston Calling in Boston, MA
Photos of Pixies at 2014 NOS Primavera Sound in Oporto, Portugal
Photos of Pixies at 2014 Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Spain
Photos of Pixies at Fox Theater in Oakland, CA on February 21st, 2014
Photos of Pixies at Orpheum Theatre in Boston, MA on January 18th, 2014
Photos of Pixies at House of Blues Foundation Room in Boston, MA on January 18th, 2014
Photos of Pixies at Olympia in Dublin, Ireland on November 18th, 2013
QRO’s review of Pixies at Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY on September 18th, 2013
Photos of Pixies at 2013 Riot Fest in Chicago, IL
QRO’s review of Pixies at Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY on November 5th, 2011
QRO’s review of Pixies at Moncton Casino in Moncton, NB, Canada on April 10th, 2011
QRO’s review of Pixies at Rimac Stage in San Diego, CA on September 26th, 2010
QRO’s review of Pixies at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY on November 23rd, 2009
Photos of Pixies at Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA on November 5th, 2009
There is not much that has not been said about the Pixies and their uniqueness, and when a new album comes out, people will inevitably be both thrilled and prone to disappointment if it does not do justice to their sound. This is mostly because of the place they hold as the lone alternative and indie monarchs amid the grunge era; they advanced music while playing on previous sounds and made weird experimentation cool again.
Head Carrier is the second album they have released since the comeback began and first since new bassist, Paz Lenchantin, was added, and Indie Cindy (QRO review) was well enough received by most, but also a bit different and somewhat less approachable even than the previous catalog of classics, in a way too raw even for them.
Unlike with Cindy, here there is something more and even at times too familiar about some songs, but at times this does not matter, such is the case on “Might As Well Be Gone”, which rocks either way.
At other times the Pixies become so obscure that they sound like an art band like Swell Maps, or branch into intentionally muddy punk – see “Baal’s Back” or “Classic Masher”. ”Oona” and “Talent” are what you expect in terms of the experimentation, and while there is not much in the way of hooks in most of the songs, these two have them, as does “Might As Well Be Gone”. The sarcasm in these is good too, and “All the Saints” is a decent alternative number, as are “Bel Esprit” and “Classic Masher“, and both fit Frank Black Francis’ bordering spiritual interests.
“Um Chagga Lagga” is even more what one expects from the Pixies, punkish. “Head Carrier” and “All I Think About Now” are oddly less so, some of the less rock tracks. Head Carrier, while not perfect or as good as their prime, has in most of these songs definitely raised the bar far over the previous release Indie Cindy. A good addition for both the Pixies and for rock.