Death To The Pixies
Not a chance my friends, y’see Mr Francis is the engineer of batshit insane lyrics, he is the evil genius leading the charge on all things obscure and a bit kooky about life. The Pixies have a habit of infiltrating our domain, moving the furniture around, creating stranger than strange images in our heads and then leaving quietly out of the back door.
Typically, there is something a little unhinged about this record, but in a good way. I like a bit of Pixies, I must say, and when I met them recently at an instore, well, I’m writing this review sitting smugly atop cloud nine.
‘Beneath the Eyrie’ offers an aerial view of what is happening in the world, and we kinda feel protected in our eyrie way above it all.
‘In The Arms Of Mrs Mark Of Cain’ is the Gothic entry into the eccentric reality our friends revel in, exactly what I expected really. It is hallmarked, rubber stamped and wax sealed Pixies. The retro Misfits-esque video for ‘Graveyard Hill’ shows the humour amongst the solemn and doomsday influenced lyrics. They have a Dadaistic approach like most artists but not in the ferocious and frenzied way, they are far more inventive and poetic and enigmatic.
The playful chime of ‘Catfish Kate’ is like a nursery rhyme, or children’s story with its blinding chorus and effortless melodies gliding over the rocks and into the deep blue sea.
There is sweetness, a little catchy and poppy in ‘Ready For Love’, taking things slightly off tangent if you will, but that is the magic of The Pixies.
‘Silver Bullet’ gives you the on the money slower verse and punchier guitars in the chorus, not being musically trained, I really get excited by the structure and arrangements of songs.
Who else can sing about a killer wave and get away with it? ‘ Los Surfer Muertos’ lets us get spooked and then offers comfort in the unnerving.
An example of the crazy lyrics is in ‘St. Nazaire’ with ‘she lost her head, but I like her smile’ as always with Pixies, the clue is in the cryptic. Or maybe some things are better left alone.
The idea of repeating lyrics in a song may seem dull, but here I think it strengthens the message and adds to the rhythmic beauty and allure of the presentation. A highly compelling and effective way of painting a picture and the age-old skill of storytelling.
To finish we lie down on the beach envisioning the ‘Death Horizon’ a chance to drink and reminisce and unwind from life’s complexities, sombre yet refined, a deathly elegance.
Where is my mind, I wonder? Possibly away with the pixies, fairies, elves and other fantastical creatures, meanwhile can I get an unfuckwithable here?
The Pixies – Beneath The Eyrie out now via BMG/ Infectious Records