| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Carl |
Posted - 09/09/2009 : 03:04:03
Okay, so the old 'Really not worth a topic' thread is a total mess, with lots of stuff that's really not worth posting AT ALL. So, I thought I'd start a new thread for little articles and things, but not cram it with every little thing that mentions Pixies! So anyway, came across this and hopefully this is an example of something possibly worth posting:
NYTimes.com - Living With Music: A Playlist by Joanna Smith Rakoff.
1) Is She Weird, Pixies. Nowadays, when people talk about the 1990s, the first band they mention is Nirvana, but for me — and most of my college-radio-station-DJ, record-store-regular friends — that era was all about the Pixies, with their irresistible, genre-busting sound: the slow, precise bass, the shifting tempo, the eerie hiss and scream of Black Francis. In 1990, when “Bossanova” came out, I listened to it endlessly — even though it wasn’t on the level of “Doolittle” or “Come on Pilgrim” — thrilled by this brief, odd song, a freaky gloss on Macbeth: “Is she weird? / Is she white? / Is she promised to the night? / And her head has no room.” I was 18 then, and felt very weird and very white. |
| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| pot |
Posted - 06/19/2020 : 13:26:24
There really ought to be an actual Pixies tribute band featuring 4 females called the Pixie Chicks |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 06/19/2020 : 10:24:14
When I first heard them that's what I often thought Black Francis looked like. Was surprised to find out the lead singer was not also a Mrs. |
| pot |
Posted - 06/19/2020 : 02:54:19
quote:
Originally posted by stuczuba
Dave looks very high-maintenance..
Defo had the painters in when that photo was taken for sure.. |
| stuczuba |
Posted - 06/18/2020 : 17:34:04
Dave looks very high-maintenance.. |
| pot |
Posted - 06/18/2020 : 14:52:35
Since faceapping gender swapping is all the rage these days I thought I'd knock up a quick one for the Pixies. What the Pixies might have looked like if they'd all been chicks. I think Joey looks kinda cute?
 |
| tamefan |
Posted - 06/06/2020 : 18:53:52
Reading thru the YouTube comments on the demos for the first time. I'm happy that everyone's happy with these songs. Hope the band glance at the YT comments sometime, I bet they'd warm their hearts. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 06/05/2020 : 10:08:26
Looks like Ready For Love has an official video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qkUKAbdsNY |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 06/04/2020 : 07:27:42
quote:
Originally posted by stuczuba
Well, you can count me amongst the those never noticed the tablas until they were pointed out but I've always thought it was a logical progression from Bossa - there's nothing stylistically out of place whilst FB and TOTY are sonically very different to my ears even if some of the lyrical themes continue.
There's stuff on both those initial solo albums that wouldn't fit the Pixies mould. It wasn't like the more recent 'no Kim' nonsense, it was very much 'this is a very different, less extreme thing' and there was an awful lot of 'this isn't as good as Pixies' at the time, especially after that Reading show which was the first major solo gig I can remember. I loved that gig but do remember people muttering about it afterwards. That didn't happen when Trompe came out, it was more like 'Oh good, more Pixies'. Even leaving aside Kim's input, there's tons of Dave and Joey business all over the album that is 100% pure Pixies.
Trompe being the first solo album idea seems to be a much more recent conceit, very hindsight-driven and specific to this parish ;)
This debate never gets old for me. We should submit peer reviewed journal articles on this.
I hear your points and they are good points. As I recall, most of my friends thought TLM was good when it came out, like they did with Bossanova, but by and large everybody kept obsessing over SR and Doolittle. TLM continued the movement away from the earlier Pixies sound while still being Pixies. The solo albums, while not literally being the work of one person, continued that departure, under a new label but with some of the same partners (Joey, EDF, etc). If the fax wasn't sent in 1993 and Charles, Joey, Kim and Dave had produced a sixth album, we could assume it would have Los Angeles, Brackish Boy and other Solo tracks on it. From a time / space standpoint, Solo albums are closer to the emergence of the 1.0 sound, a year or two removed as opposed to twenty plus years away. If you could go back in time and remove TLM from the 1.0 canon and replace it with IC, would we think of IC as pure 1.0? |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 06/04/2020 : 07:15:35
quote:
Originally posted by Jason
quote:
There's stuff on both those initial solo albums that wouldn't fit the Pixies mould. It wasn't like the more recent 'no Kim' nonsense, it was very much 'this is a very different, less extreme thing' and there was an awful lot of 'this isn't as good as Pixies' at the time, especially after that Reading show which was the first major solo gig I can remember. I loved that gig but do remember people muttering about it afterwards. That didn't happen when Trompe came out, it was more like 'Oh good, more Pixies'.
I love reading accounts from way back like this. I've don't think I've never read anyone talk about the Reading set. That's very interesting to me. I WISH that I had memories like that to share. My accounts of seeing Frank Black live don't start until 1996!
And thank you, Discoking. Maybe I'll start a new topic for these articles with the next one. Probably on the main Frank Black forum here, since FRANK BLACK is where we're going next...
Yes Jason, I encourage you to start a new topic and link all your posts. These are great! |
| Jason |
Posted - 06/01/2020 : 07:00:35
quote:
There's stuff on both those initial solo albums that wouldn't fit the Pixies mould. It wasn't like the more recent 'no Kim' nonsense, it was very much 'this is a very different, less extreme thing' and there was an awful lot of 'this isn't as good as Pixies' at the time, especially after that Reading show which was the first major solo gig I can remember. I loved that gig but do remember people muttering about it afterwards. That didn't happen when Trompe came out, it was more like 'Oh good, more Pixies'.
I love reading accounts from way back like this. I've don't think I've never read anyone talk about the Reading set. That's very interesting to me. I WISH that I had memories like that to share. My accounts of seeing Frank Black live don't start until 1996!
And thank you, Discoking. Maybe I'll start a new topic for these articles with the next one. Probably on the main Frank Black forum here, since FRANK BLACK is where we're going next...
|
| Discoking |
Posted - 05/29/2020 : 04:42:28
these posts about Frank Black-o-Rama are in the wrong place!
they *are* worth a topic.
 it's educational |
| stuczuba |
Posted - 05/29/2020 : 01:54:54
Well, you can count me amongst the those never noticed the tablas until they were pointed out but I've always thought it was a logical progression from Bossa - there's nothing stylistically out of place whilst FB and TOTY are sonically very different to my ears even if some of the lyrical themes continue.
There's stuff on both those initial solo albums that wouldn't fit the Pixies mould. It wasn't like the more recent 'no Kim' nonsense, it was very much 'this is a very different, less extreme thing' and there was an awful lot of 'this isn't as good as Pixies' at the time, especially after that Reading show which was the first major solo gig I can remember. I loved that gig but do remember people muttering about it afterwards. That didn't happen when Trompe came out, it was more like 'Oh good, more Pixies'. Even leaving aside Kim's input, there's tons of Dave and Joey business all over the album that is 100% pure Pixies.
Trompe being the first solo album idea seems to be a much more recent conceit, very hindsight-driven and specific to this parish ;) |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 05/27/2020 : 12:57:16
quote:
Originally posted by stuczuba
Think you're spot on about splitting cos of their age though that last tour with U2 does sound awful too.
I don't get the Trompe is the first solo album - at the time it was just the next Pixies album. The metal/rock angle was definitely a thing in a lot of UK articles. If anything, Theme from Narc was being put up as a 'look how much fun we had recording the album' anecdote.
Narc was awesome.
While I think there is more Kim on Trompe than we first realized almost 30 years ago, I think the thinking is it’s closer on the needle to FB and TOTY than CoP and SR |
| stuczuba |
Posted - 05/26/2020 : 10:21:30
Think you're spot on about splitting cos of their age though that last tour with U2 does sound awful too.
I don't get the Trompe is the first solo album - at the time it was just the next Pixies album. The metal/rock angle was definitely a thing in a lot of UK articles. If anything, Theme from Narc was being put up as a 'look how much fun we had recording the album' anecdote.
Narc was awesome. |
| Jason |
Posted - 05/21/2020 : 13:22:04
Thank you so much. I think on "Bossanova" Black Francis starts to slowly turn into Frank Black, but on "Trompe le Monde", he's mutated further into his future state. Eric Drew Feldman is also so important to the first two Frank Black albums that I think if the Pixies somehow continued after "Trompe le Monde", he would have likely been the "fifth Pixie". He did tour with them in 1991 and '92 and on stage added keyboard to some old Pixies songs even (see the "Live at Brixton" concert video). So, Feldman's presence is a turning point for me.
And, yes, I'm looking forward to the future entries, too. I have a bunch of notes. They're a big mess. But I'm going to make sense of them because that's my idea of fun.
Right now, the next five entries look like this
#6 FRANK BLACK
#7 TEENAGER OF THE YEAR
#8 PEEL SESSION EP WITH TEENAGE FANCLUB
#9 BLACK SESSIONS LIVE
#10 THE CULT OF RAY
Those entries are set in stone, but the numbers aren't.
I might do the HANG ON TO YOUR EGO single in there as #7, but I'm not sure, yet. I don't want to get too into the collector weirdo thing, but those B-sides never showed up anywhere else! |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 05/21/2020 : 05:06:46
Great stuff Jason. Loved every minute of reading this. And I learned a few things!
I am definitely one of the people who considers this the first FB solo album, although I guess sometimes I think Bossanova would qualify too. I remember buying the TLM cassette tape the week it came out. At the time I still thought Surfer and Doolittle were better, but my how times have changed. Trompe is the best thing he's ever done in my opinion (as I think I voted in album survivor).
You really do justice to all of the albums that you cover. Can't wait for the article on "Frank Black."
And that 1996 quote of him in the Dallas Observer, wow, that is heavy.
I can't ever seem to find much in the way of behind the scenes of the recording of TLM out there. If you know any please pass along. I think it deserves some 331/3 or Past is Prologue type treatment. This album transports me back to high school without ever getting old. That is talent.
Thanks again for writing these and sharing with us. |
| Jason |
Posted - 05/19/2020 : 16:59:46
Thanks stuczuba!
Also...
Frank Black-O-Rama! #5: TROMPE LE MONDE
http://www.theconstantbleeder.com/2020/05/20/frank-black-o-rama-5-trompe-le-monde/
Break-ups and aliens and faxes. |
| stuczuba |
Posted - 05/01/2020 : 08:05:53
Hey, my thumbs up post has disappeared into the ether :/
Thoroughly enjoying reading these, I've not played out the earlier stuff but Bossa is the one which keeps on giving :) |
| Jason |
Posted - 04/26/2020 : 06:44:30
Thanks for reading, Bedbug (and others here who are bothering with it). I really appreciate it. I wanted this article finished earlier, but World Events slowed me down for a bit. I seem to be on a once-a-month cycle with these things.
I listen to TLM here and there and I like it a lot. I will have many positive things to say about it in May. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 04/24/2020 : 09:38:17
Brilliant, great observations as always. Really enjoyed reading that one.
Bossanova was definitely the first thing he did that fans (some, most, all?) didn't like, but how many of us have come to love it. My second favorite 1.0 after TLM. Really appreciate your series. Great insights and history. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 04/24/2020 : 05:57:36
Yes! Can’t wait to read it! |
| Jason |
Posted - 04/24/2020 : 04:01:59
Frank Black-O-Rama! #4: BOSSANOVA
BOSSANOVA is an apocalyptic album for these apocalyptic times. I, your humble reporter at the Constant Bleeder, attempts to explain why BOSSANOVA is my favorite Pixies album.
http://www.theconstantbleeder.com/2020/04/24/frank-black-o-rama-4-bossanova/ |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 04/21/2020 : 08:34:35
Sorry if this is old, old news but I just saw this funny aquabats sketch with Tony Hawk, got a nice FBF reference that made me smile. If you already knew than you already know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq16kD3CGAg |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 03/22/2020 : 11:35:19
The pop station at work will play the same songs multiple times a day every day for months and months. It truly is maddening. It would be less maddening if they were FBF tunes or something else. But I hear your point.
Looking forward to the Bossanova article. Lots of strong opinions around here on that disc. |
| Jason |
Posted - 03/19/2020 : 11:50:25
I don't know. There probably aren't very many songs by anybody that I could listen to everyday.
I am listening to Bossanova here and there lately and making notes for the next article and am enjoying it. It's probably my favorite of the pre-solo batch.
|
| Bedbug |
Posted - 03/17/2020 : 05:26:46
Very interesting Jason.
We probably could start thread on this, but what if any are some FBF tunes that you absolutely never get sick of, can listen to every single day, never hit the skip button on.
For me, nothing from the first three 1.0 albums would make that list. I'll be thinking about Boss and TLM if there are any on there. Seems that there could be some. |
| Jason |
Posted - 03/16/2020 : 19:13:59
Thank you. Also, Bedbug, you described exactly the hook that got me through over 2,000 words about "Doolittle". You love an album that you just can't listen to anymore. Now, it seems like the obvious way to go, but it took me a few drafts to figure that out. That's just how it goes sometimes. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 03/16/2020 : 08:47:38
This was a really good one Jason, especially when, like with SR, what can you say about Doolittle that hasn't already been said. It's such an interesting thing to think of these two albums as two of the best albums ever and yet be so sick of them that you can't even listen to one song unless you're doing it on purpose. That's really weird.
Anyway, great read, love that you're doing these and reminding us to check in from time to time. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series with you. |
| Jason |
Posted - 03/14/2020 : 18:49:12
Frank Black-o-Rama! #3 on Le Constant Bleeder Dot Com is up and it's all about DOOLITTLE.
http://www.theconstantbleeder.com/2020/03/15/frank-black-o-rama-3-doolittle/
I wanted this up two weeks ago, but I went back-and-forth on where I wanted to go with it. Albums that nine million other writers have covered are the hardest ones to write about for me. What do I have to add that no one else has said? That's when you get personal, but hopefully you don't crawl too far up your own ass. |
| Jason |
Posted - 02/10/2020 : 18:02:58
I appreciate that. Can't wait to get to "Teenager of the Year" and the Catholics era. That's where my heart is when it comes to Frank's music. All of that stuff is going to be a lot of fun to write about. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 02/10/2020 : 10:24:17
Another great read Jason, thank you.
Similar experience for me, discovered SR in 90 and couldn't listen again for a long time. Nothing else on earth like this album. |
| Jason |
Posted - 02/10/2020 : 09:08:46
#2 in the Frank Black series on The Constant Bleeder Dot Com is up. It's about SURFER ROSA and why I like it and why I also can't listen to it anymore. I also talk about the "Live at the Fallout Shelter" disc on the recent reissue.
http://www.theconstantbleeder.com/2020/02/10/frank-black-o-rama-2-surfer-rosa/ |
| Jason |
Posted - 01/22/2020 : 20:03:34
Absolutely! I'll post updates in this thread. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 01/21/2020 : 16:45:08
Let us know when the next installments are |
| Jason |
Posted - 01/19/2020 : 18:35:05
Thanks for the nice comments! |
