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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6217 Posts |
 Posted - 12/11/2013 : 22:37:02
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I was very very excited when Kim S. joined. Letting her go this way, was a mistake in my opinion (based on the little info we have).
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 00:13:37
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Based on the little info we have... everything is pure speculation.
Some of EP1 tracks are already in my Pixies playlist. They're obviously future classics, even though nobody seems to like them. A band releasing new music after all this time, touring, etc... and still, nobody seems glad about it... unbelievable...!!! I kind of understand why Frank seems bored now. Every single interviewer has been harrassing him for almost 10 years about new Pixies music. And once it's done, everybody seems blasé about it. And things are even getting worse because of a trivial touring-bass-player-related issue. Seriously, WTF ? |
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The New Bolero
= Cult of Ray =
394 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 02:45:38
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| So why don't they just put out EP2 or whatever's next and change the focus? 1 song. 1 good (or even terrible) song will get everyone talking about what counts, the music. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 03:28:54
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| The bass player issue is entirely their doing. The lack luster reviews of ep1 was crap, considering the sycophantic reviews of that dog shit album Reflektor <--- spelt with a K and not a C for effect! |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 03:29:48
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Well... It's not a damn crime to have a marketing plan, is it ? Every single band who releases records / tours does the same. Like whoever said in another topic: EP1 with first leg / 1 video per month / maybe EP-2 with the launching of the US tour. Everything seems pretty normal until now...
They also did a bunch of new songs live on tour... so there's in fact plenty of new material out there !
Of course i'd like a full record too. On the other hand, I always liked Frank because he doesn't give a fuck. And right now, he clearly doesn't give a fuck. So... I have nothing to complain about, really. |
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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 04:41:30
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It's heartening to see fans like picpic defending Charles/Pixies' position but they're not a special case. They're subject to fickle/unfair criticism as a standard because the public are fickle/unfair. I doubt Charles/Pixies are feeling persecuted. They know the game. They know marketing plans need a bit of luck, luck that's deserted them for the timebeing and is turning them into a bit of a joke. The New Bolero's right, they can turn things around by releasing some out of this world music.
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 07:49:11
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
The bass player issue is entirely their doing. The lack luster reviews of ep1 was crap, considering the sycophantic reviews of that dog shit album Reflektor <--- spelt with a K and not a C for effect!
reflektor has a 79 on metacritic. that's good but it's not critics dribbling all over themselves. i'd also suggest your post is cut from the same reactionary-goober-cloth that got the pixies a 1.nothing on pitchfork. they're two sides of the same coin.
reflektor is a good album. it's not dogshit. EP1 is a *decent* release. not an abysmal one.
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 07:50:59
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quote:
Originally posted by trobrianders
It's heartening to see fans like picpic defending Charles/Pixies' position but they're not a special case. They're subject to fickle/unfair criticism as a standard because the public are fickle/unfair. I doubt Charles/Pixies are feeling persecuted. They know the game. They know marketing plans need a bit of luck, luck that's deserted them for the timebeing and is turning them into a bit of a joke. The New Bolero's right, they can turn things around by releasing some out of this world music.
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Ed is the hoo hoo
i'm sure they care about the shite reviews on some level, but their tour is basically sold out, so they're still a smash success. |
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lofiscifi
- FB Fan -
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 08:21:42
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quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman
I was very very excited when Kim S. joined. Letting her go this way, was a mistake in my opinion (based on the little info we have).
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
i agree. i don't think that folks are so much upset with the fact that they let her go, i think they're more upset/annoyed with the tactless, impersonal manner in which it appears it was handled.
if what kim has said is true (and i see no reason for her to lie), she was under the impression and was lead to believe that she would be back for the 2014 dates.
i mean the band's manager couldn't even give her the professional courtesy of telling her why she was let go. instead telling her "you did nothing wrong." huh???
and the whole thing about them being notoriously bad communicators being used as a way to somehow excuse their behavior is really wearing thin. not bad communicators, more like a bunch of self absorbed gits.
-=lofiscifi |
Edited by - lofiscifi on 12/12/2013 08:34:30 |
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frankblackphx
= Cult of Ray =
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 08:28:48
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Does anyone remember if they announced Km S as their new permanent bass player or a fill in for the tour? If they announced it upfront that this wasn't a long term solution then it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. If they replace Paz in the six months I wouldn't be shocked. My other thought is they always wanted Paz (speculating) and she wasn't available when they hired Kim S and used her until Paz could join them.
Here I am for your judgement
When the paint grows darker still
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6217 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 08:48:08
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She was introduced as the bass player for the last tour. At the time I saw her as a temporary player.
Things got a lot more serious (to me, at least) when Frank started rambling about
recording with her.
Most of the interviews were BF, Joey and Dave, no Kim...Then all those cover shoots came and they seemed to introduce Kim S. as a proper member.
I'm ashamed about the phone call, really. Most of all.
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 09:47:07
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quote:
Originally posted by IBreed
quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
The bass player issue is entirely their doing. The lack luster reviews of ep1 was crap, considering the sycophantic reviews of that dog shit album Reflektor <--- spelt with a K and not a C for effect!
reflektor has a 79 on metacritic. that's good but it's not critics dribbling all over themselves. i'd also suggest your post is cut from the same reactionary-goober-cloth that got the pixies a 1.nothing on pitch
fork. they're two sides of the same coin.
reflektor is a good album. it's not dogshit. EP1 is a *decent* release. not an abysmal one.
Reflektor is merely a rip off of 80s new wave bands like simple minds, depeche mode, and roxy music in the worst possible way. Long, drawn out, pointless ballads with little content and lyrics written by a talented 8th grader. Ex.
Alright, let's go back
Our song escapes, on little silver discs
Our love is plastic, we'll break it to bits
I want to break free, but will they break me?
Down, down, down, don't mess around
Although Butlers lyrical abilities were always the weakest link, it was almost an experiment of how bad of an album they could record and still get praise for it.
From pitchfork :
...Reflektor's sound is lush and imaginative, but never in a way that suffocates you with the fumes of its polish. It's limber and loose, as though the songs were performed live; the arrangements breathe, seethe, and sweat. As their detractors will be quick to point out, Arcade Fire's greatest crime in the past has been sometimes coming off too stately and self-serious (The Suburbs in particular had a buttoned-up quality that failed to capture the frenzied energy of their live shows), but on the first half of Reflektor they often feel like they're deflating their own sense of grandeur. It's nice to hear a band that showed up on the scene quite literally dressed for a funeral now sounding like they're having (at least a little) fun....
And it continues on in that hilariously sycophantic tone. And they gave it a 9.2. The songs have literally 2 minutes of content, repeated over 8 minute tracks.
I am glad you like Reflektor, but those reviews are as "group think" as it gets. And when you compare that to the utter evisceration they did to Ep.1, I find it a little detached. Actually, I would rather have the clowns at Pitchfork, Tiny mixed tapes (who gave it a realistic 100%), and the LA times hating that group of songs. It means they are still doing something right. |
Edited by - The Champ on 12/12/2013 09:49:28 |
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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 10:37:43
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quote:
Originally posted by IBreed
quote:
Originally posted by trobrianders
It's heartening to see fans like picpic defending Charles/Pixies' position but they're not a special case. They're subject to fickle/unfair criticism as a standard because the public are fickle/unfair. I doubt Charles/Pixies are feeling persecuted. They know the game. They know marketing plans need a bit of luck, luck that's deserted them for the timebeing and is turning them into a bit of a joke. The New Bolero's right, they can turn things around by releasing some out of this world music.
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Ed is the hoo hoo
i'm sure they care about the shite reviews on some level, but their tour is basically sold out, so they're still a smash success.
Conflating two issues. I was talking about their current credibility hiccups. Sold out tours are on the strength of the 1988-91 albums anyway, not EP1.
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1335 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 11:07:06
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
Reflektor is merely a rip off of 80s new wave bands like simple minds, depeche mode, and roxy music in the worst possible way. Long, drawn out, pointless ballads with little content and lyrics written by a talented 8th grader. Ex.
While I agree with the general thrust of your post this statement is factually incorrect on several levels. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 12:27:19
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| I should have phrased that differently. In my opinion, AF attempted to mimic those bands by "trying" to be experimental. Almost as though they went through the mandatory check list "long songs, weird random noises, citing exotic influences which are not at all apparent", and forgot the clever lyrics and compositions which defined those bands. I wasn't knocking Rocky music, depeche mode or simple minds. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 13:38:55
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quote:
Originally posted by trobrianders
quote:
Originally posted by IBreed
quote:
Originally posted by trobrianders
It's heartening to see fans like picpic defending Charles/Pixies' position but they're not a special case. They're subject to fickle/unfair criticism as a standard because the public are fickle/unfair. I doubt Charles/Pixies are feeling persecuted. They know the game. They know marketing plans need a bit of luck, luck that's deserted them for the timebeing and is turning them into a bit of a joke. The New Bolero's right, they can turn things around by releasing some out of this world music.
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Ed is the hoo hoo
i'm sure they care about the shite reviews on some level, but their tour is basically sold out, so they're still a smash success.
Conflating two issues. I was talking about their current credibility hiccups. Sold out tours are on the strength of the 1988-91 albums anyway, not EP1.
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Ed is the hoo hoo
i agree. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 13:44:33
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
quote:
Originally posted by IBreed
quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
The bass player issue is entirely their doing. The lack luster reviews of ep1 was crap, considering the sycophantic reviews of that dog shit album Reflektor <--- spelt with a K and not a C for effect!
reflektor has a 79 on metacritic. that's good but it's not critics dribbling all over themselves. i'd also suggest your post is cut from the same reactionary-goober-cloth that got the pixies a 1.nothing on pitch
fork. they're two sides of the same coin.
reflektor is a good album. it's not dogshit. EP1 is a *decent* release. not an abysmal one.
Reflektor is merely a rip off of 80s new wave bands like simple minds, depeche mode, and roxy music in the worst possible way. Long, drawn out, pointless ballads with little content and lyrics written by a talented 8th grader. Ex.
Alright, let's go back
Our song escapes, on little silver discs
Our love is plastic, we'll break it to bits
I want to break free, but will they break me?
Down, down, down, don't mess around
Although Butlers lyrical abilities were always the weakest link, it was almost an experiment of how bad of an album they could record and still get praise for it.
From pitchfork :
...Reflektor's sound is lush and imaginative, but never in a way that suffocates you with the fumes of its polish. It's limber and loose, as though the songs were performed live; the arrangements breathe, seethe, and sweat. As their detractors will be quick to point out, Arcade Fire's greatest crime in the past has been sometimes coming off too stately and self-serious (The Suburbs in particular had a buttoned-up quality that failed to capture the frenzied energy of their live shows), but on the first half of Reflektor they often feel like they're deflating their own sense of grandeur. It's nice to hear a band that showed up on the scene quite literally dressed for a funeral now sounding like they're having (at least a little) fun....
And it continues on in that hilariously sycophantic tone. And they gave it a 9.2. The songs have literally 2 minutes of content, repeated over 8 minute tracks.
I am glad you like Reflektor, but those reviews are as "group think" as it gets. And when you compare that to the utter evisceration they did to Ep.1, I find it a little detached. Actually, I would rather have the clowns at Pitchfork, Tiny mixed tapes (who gave it a realistic 100%), and the LA times hating that group of songs. It means they are still doing something right.
it's ok to hate reflektor and it's ok to love reflektor. what i dislike is this objectivist crack down on why refkeltor sucks and why EP1 doesn't. my point was you calling it "dog shit" is as untrue as pitchfork giving EP1 a score of 1. it's silly. objectively speaking, they're both fine releases. well performed, pretty well written, whatever. automatic 5 at least.
far as pitchfork on a whole, it's a bunch of different reviewers. sometimes they hit the mark, sometimes they don't. |
Edited by - IBreed on 12/12/2013 13:45:17 |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 14:40:37
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You and I both know that there isn't a single reviewer at Pitchfork who doesn't completely adore AF and Reflektor. No chance in hell. That is my point. They were absolutely not being objective. In fact, Relektor was probably given a perfect 10 by most fans and reviewers before it was even heard. I wouldn't even give EP-1 a ten or a nine. I do think that Andro Queen and Indie Cindy are two of the best songs they have ever made. Another Toe is what it is, and WGB is pretty rocking. If I could peg it down to a single number, I would give it an 8.
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1335 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 15:01:52
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I'd put Arcade Fire down in the same bracket as Radiohead. Worthy artists trying to plow their own furry and getting it right for a lot of people who know and like music. They'll never come anywhere close to getting under my skin like the Pixies have for the past 20 years.
But in the UK it's even worse we have to suffer every so often critics trying to convince that the Libertines or The Strokes are important artists that matter musically which to me is just insane...
The Pixies really are an archetypical cult band, just like the The Fall. People who get them really really get them, but most people don't. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 15:15:19
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
You and I both know that there isn't a single reviewer at Pitchfork who doesn't completely adore AF and Reflektor. No chance in hell. That is my point. They were absolutely not being objective. In fact, Relektor was probably given a perfect 10 by most fans and reviewers before it was even heard. I wouldn't even give EP-1 a ten or a nine. I do think that Andro Queen and Indie Cindy are two of the best songs they have ever made. Another Toe is what it is, and WGB is pretty rocking. If I could peg it down to a single number, I would give it an 8.
i can't speak for the entire pitchfork staff or arcade fire fans and i certainly don't think it's fair to paint the latter as being entirely blindly fanatical. why are AF even the enemy here?
again, reflektor got pretty solid reviews, but it also got its share of negative write ups.
pitchfork peddles in subjectivity. that's the name of their reviewer game. sometimes it comes down in a band's favor, and sometimes it doesn't. it's all opinions.
like, they gave "complete b-sides" a 9.6. i obviously love the pixies, but that strikes me as far too high for the content in that release.
(check out the pixies and arcade fires metacritic scores-- pixies is based on SEVEN reviews, where AF is based on FORTY SIX reviews-- it's also the lowest rated AF album of the lot at "79")
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 17:39:02
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pitchfork is the nadir of music journalism
 green star member since 2006. smb? |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2013 : 23:04:50
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
I should have phrased that differently. In my opinion, AF attempted to mimic those bands by "trying" to be experimental. Almost as though they went through the mandatory check list "long songs, weird random noises, citing exotic influences which are not at all apparent", and forgot the clever lyrics and compositions which defined those bands. I wasn't knocking Rocky music, depeche mode or simple minds.
Anyway "Experimental rock band" is a joke made once by Andy Warhol that too much people took dead serious. Real experimental music (=contemporary music) started to inovate a loooong time ago and at some point snob/stupid rock audiences thought the Velvet or Sonic Youth was inventing dissonance. They just used 2% of what contemporary music invented and made it sound kinda cool for some ignorant people who'd figure they're the top of avant-garde! I prefer the stooges approach, more truthfull to the original tutti frutti stupid crazy rocknroll. That was crazy and inovative in a primal way (regressive?) but not pretentious, why should it be? |
Edited by - Grotesque on 12/12/2013 23:07:47 |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 03:40:02
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quote:
Originally posted by IBreed
quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
You and I both know that there isn't a single reviewer at Pitchfork who doesn't completely adore AF and Reflektor. No chance in hell. That is my point. They were absolutely not being objective. In fact, Relektor was probably given a perfect 10 by most fans and reviewers before it was even heard. I wouldn't even give EP-1 a ten or a nine. I do think that Andro Queen and Indie Cindy are two of the best songs they have ever made. Another Toe is what it is, and WGB is pretty rocking. If I could peg it down to a single number, I would give it an 8.
i can't speak for the entire pitchfork staff or arcade fire fans and i certainly don't think it's fair to paint the latter as being entirely blindly fanatical. why are AF even the enemy here?
again, reflektor got pretty solid reviews, but it also got its share of negative write ups.
pitchfork peddles in subjectivity. that's the name of their reviewer game. sometimes it comes down in a band's favor, and sometimes it doesn't. it's all opinions.
like, they gave "complete b-sides" a 9.6. i obviously love the pixies, but that strikes me as far too high for the content in that release.
(check out the pixies and arcade fires metacritic scores-- pixies is based on SEVEN reviews, where AF is based on FORTY SIX reviews-- it's also the lowest rated AF album of the lot at "79")
You aren't giving the reviews justice at all. They didn't give them "solid" reviews. They gave them "foaming at the mouth" reviews. The 3 negative reviews (the only people who broke from the pack) could be considered outliers, because there are only 3 of them. The rest are all very positive or mostly positive. If you take them out, then that average will shoot up way over 80 percent.
Then look at the Pixies. NONE gave it a review over 6. Since it is truly a pretty good EP, there should have been a more normal distribution of reviews and at least a couple 80s. Most slammed it, and since there are only 7 reviews in total, that is more of a testament to the "professionals" not even having the time to listen to it. I don't believe the tiny amount of reviews is because it is only an EP and not an LP.
There is massive bias against pixies, and for AF. That is my point.
That AF album is worth about a 50%, and due to crazy sheep reviewers, it got bumped up to a 79. |
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ChienAndalou22
- FB Fan -
58 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 04:49:32
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| Got to remember that although releasing EPs is nice in the sense that you can set them aside from the albums if they're not well-received, it's riskier in a sense because one or two songs that someone doesn't like stand out more amongst 4 songs as opposed to a whole album. |
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Discoking
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1120 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 06:09:20
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
I don't believe the tiny amount of reviews is because it is only an EP and not an LP.
I do believe that is the reason.
With different EPs you can spread the attention over a longer period, but you'll get less attention than when you release everything at the same time as an album.
 it's educational |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 06:27:29
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[/quote]
I do believe that is the reason.
With different EPs you can spread the attention over a longer period, but you'll get less attention than when you release everything at the same time as an album.
it's educational
[/quote]
I would agree with you if it was anyone other than Pixies. The new music was probably the second most anticipated release, besides AF, of 2013 in the rock world. If not second, then certainly up there. |
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Mickey
- FB Fan -
USA
207 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 08:52:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Sprite
But in the UK it's even worse we have to suffer every so often critics trying to convince that the Libertines or The Strokes are important artists that matter musically which to me is just insane...
The Libertines and the Strokes are both important artists that matter to me.
-Mickey |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1335 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 10:05:41
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| I know the number of a good counselor if you're interested ;) |
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OLDMANOTY
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
469 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 13:12:59
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quote:
Originally posted by The Champ
Then look at the Pixies. NONE gave it a review over 6. Since it is truly a pretty good EP,....
Is there some sort of agenda? Lots of people don't seem to rate the EP at all, critics and regular people alike. Some of the comments I've seen re new Pixies at the bottom of articles or on youtube are almost comically scathing. But they're just opinions. As is saying 'it is truly a pretty good EP'. I like it a lot myself btw.
As for Arcade Fire, that band totally passed me by. From the bits I've heard they sound pretty ordinary to me. |
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Arm Arm Arm
* Dog in the Sand *
1037 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 15:35:15
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If the Pixies released something similar to Doolittle or Come on PIlgrim, in that style, critics would rip it for being derivative and trying to do what they did twenty years ago with no sense of growth. If they did something radical (and to a degree, the very beginning of Bagboy sounds nothing what you'd expect a Pixies song to sound like), it wouldn't seem like the Pixies, or how people expect them to sound.
Maybe it was a no-win situation with some (a lot of?) critics, the best thing was just to do what they felt like doing, which is what I hope they did. I don't think there was a critical agenda. If the songs sound like Frank's solo material filtered through Joey and Dave, (and how could it not, really?) then sure, there was bound to be critical disappointment since Frank's been writing amazing songs and albums since the break-up and it's gone somewhat unrecognized.
Pixies faced the "impossible" task of releasing new music without Kim Deal. Years from now we'll see if the critical perception changes. Maybe critics will love eps 2-?.
If nothing else, hopefully there's an end to seeing nostalgia and tour in future articles. At least the Nirvana references seem to have faded...!
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Fissile
= Cult of Ray =
518 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 18:22:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Arm Arm Arm
If the Pixies released something similar to Doolittle or Come on PIlgrim, in that style, critics would rip it for being derivative and trying to do what they did twenty years ago with no sense of growth. If they did something radical (and to a degree, the very beginning of Bagboy sounds nothing what you'd expect a Pixies song to sound like), it wouldn't seem like the Pixies, or how people expect them to sound.
Maybe it was a no-win situation with some (a lot of?) critics, the best thing was just to do what they felt like doing, which is what I hope they did. I don't think there was a critical agenda. If the songs sound like Frank's solo material filtered through Joey and Dave, (and how could it not, really?) then sure, there was bound to be critical disappointment since Frank's been writing amazing songs and albums since the break-up and it's gone somewhat unrecognized.
Pixies faced the "impossible" task of releasing new music without Kim Deal. Years from now we'll see if the critical perception changes. Maybe critics will love eps 2-?.
If nothing else, hopefully there's an end to seeing nostalgia and tour in future articles. At least the Nirvana references seem to have faded...!
Thompson should have never called Deal back for the reunion. If I had been in his shoes, I'd have hired on Paz in 2004 (that was the rumor at the time). If the reunion tour got some traction without Deal, I would have starting recording new material within a year.
Waiting for Deal for nine years was a mistake. They wore out their welcome in that time. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =
310 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2013 : 18:34:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Fissile
quote:
Originally posted by Arm Arm Arm
If the Pixies released something similar to Doolittle or Come on PIlgrim, in that style, critics would rip it for being derivative and trying to do what they did twenty years ago with no sense of growth. If they did something radical (and to a degree, the very beginning of Bagboy sounds nothing what you'd expect a Pixies song to sound like), it wouldn't seem like the Pixies, or how people expect them to sound.
Maybe it was a no-win situation with some (a lot of?) critics, the best thing was just to do what they felt like doing, which is what I hope they did. I don't think there was a critical agenda. If the songs sound like Frank's solo material filtered through Joey and Dave, (and how could it not, really?) then sure, there was bound to be critical disappointment since Frank's been writing amazing songs and albums since the break-up and it's gone somewhat unrecognized.
Pixies faced the "impossible" task of releasing new music without Kim Deal. Years from now we'll see if the critical perception changes. Maybe critics will love eps 2-?.
If nothing else, hopefully there's an end to seeing nostalgia and tour in future articles. At least the Nirvana references seem to have faded...!
Thompson should have never called Deal back for the reunion. If I had been in his shoes, I'd have hired on Paz in 2004 (that was the rumor at the time). If the reunion tour got some traction without Deal, I would have starting recording new material within a year.
Waiting for Deal for nine years was a mistake. They wore out their welcome in that time.
ah, so fissle has been frank this whole time.  |
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Stevio10
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1122 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2013 : 00:42:01
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With the points made about no one really caring or making a big deal about the release of new Pixies material I think Fissile is essentially right where their welcome has been worn out, although that is not necessarily a bad thing.
In 2013 the 'world' (except from the planet of sound of ardent Pixies fans) doesn't really care about new Pixies music, it's no longer breaking news.
I remember the day I found out about Bam Thwok, I used to use a TV service in the UK here called Teletext (think a primitive version of the internet with awful pixelated graphics) and there was a music review page on Channel 4 called "Planet Sound" which was well respected.
They had a page with new single review "Pixies - Bam Thwok" and the reviewer gave it 5 out of 5, I was delirious. A new Pixies song. I was sure that this would be the first of many and the excitement in the media and music journos who mattered was immense.
When the artwork for Minotaur was posted on this forum a while ago, that was the clearest indication of a new Pixies album, the artwork was great, the title name superb...yet when it was found to be a deluxe box set at a huge price it kind of shattered hopes of a new album.
It's 10 years since the rumours of the reunion were confirmed and in that time the buzz, hype and hope of new material has pretty much all but died down.
It's pretty much a generational shift in the time that has passed since the reformation to the new material, fans in their 20's when they reformed (like myself) were astonished they reformed, it was an as unlikely a reformation as I could imagine.
10 years on and fans who are in their 20's now will have been brought up in the environment of it being normal for the Pixies being around.
I know old school Pixies fans who don't consider the current lineup to be Pixies minus Kim Deal rendering any new material void. I know fans who have decided not to even listen to the new material because of this.
The world in 2013 is a strange place where everything, including music reviews, can be posted instantaneously online, people have a platform to project their views/art/critiques and interact with everyone through social media.
It is interesting where Metacritic will have a score of critic reviews and a score of user reviews and the difference between the two sometimes has users being harsher than the critics. It makes the argument that reviewers possibly skim over the surface more than expected, I feel there has been a shift in what is expected in a review (on the whole) from objectivity to fan reviews - and big opinions are what can get hits on a blog.
Anyone can be a critic, an independent blog can be considered a review and to my knowledge there are little prerequisites of qualifications, but what matters the most is being heard first, the first voice is perceived to be the most important voice and he or she who shouts loudest first on breaking news/movie/music releases consistently is king.
FBF said himself in an interview, that Kodaline (the Irish band recording at the same studio as the Pixies) let the cat out of the bag and it was widely known (if not totally believed) that the Pixies were recording, but that no one really cared, it was old news already.
I like the comparison between the new Pixies material and that of the movie Dredd made a couple of years ago, where the world isn't in the same space or ready for it, the demand isn't there due to one reason or another (the public wants what the public gets) yet those who make the effort and persevere are rewarded with a pat on the back and a sly wink.
If anything, that is how the Pixies should be and always have been, an indie band for 'elitists' and that for me is most heartening thing.
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2013 : 02:02:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Stevio10In 2013 the 'world' (except from the planet of sound of ardent Pixies fans) doesn't really care about new Pixies music, it's no longer breaking news.
Were they ever breaking news...?
I was a kid in the 90's and I only heard the Pixies name once through a friend. I never heard any media talking about the Pixies back in the day. And I was in Europe where they were supposed th be bigger than in the states.
They get a lot more media attention today. Bagboy got a lot of attention (top youtube video for a few days, which is big). |
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Stevio10
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1122 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2013 : 02:31:08
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quote:
Originally posted by picpic
quote:
Originally posted by Stevio10In 2013 the 'world' (except from the planet of sound of ardent Pixies fans) doesn't really care about new Pixies music, it's no longer breaking news.
Were they ever breaking news...?
I was a kid in the 90's and I only heard the Pixies name once through a friend. I never heard any media talking about the Pixies back in the day. And I was in Europe where they were supposed th be bigger than in the states.
They get a lot more media attention today. Bagboy got a lot of attention (top youtube video for a few days, which is big).
Sorry I meant that during the early days of the reunion it was breaking news, atleast in terms of the shows, audiences, and adulation from their peers poured on them. Headlining Coachella, Radiohead refusing to go on after them saying it would be like going on after the Beatles etc etc...
Agreed that in their first run out they certainly were not breaking news in terms of mainstream music journalism. |
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Kim Shattuck Interview NME.
