Writing quiet loud, two minute punk rock songs about weird stuff is now the USP of many a band, but when you invented that shit back in the day – or at least retooled it for the late 20th century – then you perhaps might have a say on when it should get retired.
With Surfer Rosa and Doolittle Pixies, I mean THE Pixies unquestionably wrote some of the most transformative rock music, ever, but the now Deal-less rebooted version has been a thing for much longer that the original, and the returns whilst not exactly diminishing have felt much less like getting a cattle-prod straight to the brain.
Doggerel continues that course, due in part according to guitarist Joey Santiago there being a conscious decision to step away from the now pretty forumulaic way of presenting their music. It’s not a bad record – the titular closer and There’s a Moon On are great fun – but although Frank Black’s ringmaster/mad scientist vocals can still fascinate, there’s never a hint of something which would add to their monstrously great cannon.
I mean the Pixies man, but this time you can walk on by.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 