Bossanova

by Pixies

Overview

When Bossanova arrived in 1990, it reflected the exhaustion the Pixies felt after Doolittle's enormous success: For the first time, the band seems to be running out of ideas. Tellingly, Kim Deal contributes no songs, having formed the Breeders to give her work an outlet; that summer, their debut Pod won a warmer response than Bossanova received. Arguably the Pixies' weakest album -- though Francis has said it's his favorite -- most of it finds the band in fine form. Gil Norton's spacious, reverb-heavy production makes the Pixies sound like a Martian bar band, which fits the cover of the Surftones' "Cecilia Ann" and the glorious, shimmering closer "Havalina" perfectly. On the theremin-driven "Velouria," science fiction imagery displaces Francis' penchant for fetishistic lyrics; next to the token kinky song "Down to the Well"'s tired sound, it's a refreshing change. The similarly cryptic "All Over the World" and alien abduction tale "The Happening" add to the sci-fi feel. Quirky pop songs like "Allison," a tribute to jazz cool-cat Mose Allison, and "Dig for Fire," Francis' self-professed Talking Heads homage, heighten Bossanova's playful, slightly off-kilter vibe, but rockers like "Hang Wire" and "Blown Away," fall flat. However, "Rock Music" is one of the group's most fiery outbursts, and "Is She Weird"'s chugging grind and sexy, funny lyrics make it a classic Pixies song. The band was so consistently amazing on their previous albums that when they released a slightly weaker one, critics and fans alike judged them too harshly. But on Bossanova's strongest moments, the Pixies explored their softer side and found different uses for their extreme dynamics. Like a straight-A student who suddenly receives a B+, Bossanova might have been a disappointment initially, but its (small) failings emphasize the strengths of the rest of the Pixies' work. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	09/23/2008
Label:	4Ad
UPC:	0652637001013

Tracks

1. Cecilia Ann
2. Rock Music
3. Velouria
4. Allison
5. Is She Weird
6. Ana
7. All Over the World
8. Dig For Fire
9. Down To the Well
10. The Happening
11. Blown Away
12. Hang Wire
13. Stormy Weather
14. Havalina

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pixies   Primary Artist
Black Francis   Guitar,Vocals
Joey Santiago   Guitar
David Lovering   Drums,Vocals
Kim Deal   Bass,Vocals
Robert Brunner   Theremin

Technical Credits

The Surftones   Composer
Steve Haigler   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Black Francis   Composer
Frank Black   Composer
Scott Blockland   Assistant Engineer
Al Clay   Engineer
Gil Norton   Producer
Howie Weinberg   Mastering
Chris Bigg   Design,Design Assistant
Moses Schneider   Assistant Engineer
Jack Benson   Assistant Engineer
Simon Larbalestier   Photography
Anne Garrigues   Clothing/Wardrobe
Kevin Westenberg   Portraits,Photography
Vaughan Oliver   Design,Art Direction
Andrew Ballard   Assistant Engineer
Alistair Clay   Engineer
Rob LoVerde   Mastering
Gregg Barrett   Assistant Engineer