The Pixies have been making music since the eighties and the iconic band has gained huge status with only a handful of albums being released throughout its career. The band’s last album, Trompe le Monde was released over 20 years ago and fans and critics alike were feeling apprehensive about the announcement of new album, Indie Cindy as it could go either way. The new album is set for release this week and we had a listen. Here are our thoughts.
First up on the album is What Goes Boom and we are not disappointed in fact we are feeling relieved to hear a mixture of soaring guitars and soft vocals, everything we love about the Pixies. Albeit What Goes Boom is not reinventing the wheel but it’s a pleasant start to the album. The next track on the album, Greens Blues feels like a departure from the harder sound of What Goes Boom. Greens Blues has a lighter vibe, sounding quite popy but also feeling a bit dated. Even some catchy guitar riffs don’t seem to help make the track something special.
Indy Cindy is up next with a darker sound, which we much prefer. We like this track and the way the vocals are spat out during each verse and how that meets then the mellow chorus’. The tongue and cheek lyrics are fun to listen to and before long the track drops its bridge, which is filled with big guitar riffs. Bagboy picks up where we left off with a similar vibe to the title track. Pixies show that they haven’t forgotten how to compose a great chorus with Bagboy’s being especially entertaining. We like how contemporary this track sounds on this album.
Blue Eyed Hexe feels like an intruder on this album with its metal sound and shouty vocals. This isn’t the Pixies you expect following the first few tracks on the album. Neither is Ring The Bell with its sixties inspired melody. Even though Ring The Bell feels a little cheesy it’s also quite catchy and ends up winning you over with its melodic guitar riffs and popy chorus.
Next up is Another Toe In The Ocean, which has that distinct alternative rock sound the band practically invented. Andro Queen is a good track on the album as it showcases a different side to the band’s music and especially shows that the Pixies have added new and modern sounds to their material. Snakes is another mainstream track on the album, which would do well as a single whilst last track on the album Jamie Bravo brings back nostalgia to our hearts with its old-school Pixies trademark sound.
We like that the Pixies have added a few modern tweaks and sounds to their new album, Indie Cindy giving it a modern feel. This album isn’t revolutionary in any way but it’s not disappointing either. We enjoyed parts of Indie Cindy more than others and will probably be listening to the album a few more times. Whether this is the album fans were waiting for all these years is not too hard to guess but that’s for you to judge.
