Title: Indie Cindy
Producer: Gil Norton
Recorded at: Rockfield Studios, Wales
Label: Pixiemusic
Release Date(s): April 23, 2014 (Japan), April 28 (UK/Europe/International), April 29 (US)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
By: Sam Flynn, Contributing Editor
Forewarning: if you see tears on your screen, it’s not because I’m crying…I’ve just got some magic Pixie-dust in my eyes.
The Pixies, like a phoenix that is continuosly and gloriously reborn from its own ashes, unleash its latest fiery return to alt-rock-pop dominance they unknowingly claimed in the late 80s and early 90s with Indie Cindy, their first full-length studio album since 1991’s Trompe le Monde.
Even the loss of Kim Deal’s plain ridiculous bass skills and a torturously long hiatus couldn’t slow these mischievous elves as they toiled away in their surrealist sonic workshop making toys for us music nerds. You just can’t kill the Pixies, and why would anyone want to? They are seemingly immortal in the current lineup of founding members Black Francis (vocals/guitars) and Joey Santiago (guitars) along with David Lovering (drums/backing vocals). With Simon “Ding” Archer (PJ Harvey/The Fall) tracking bass in the studio and Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) slappin’ the bass on tour, the Pixies are proving once again they are a modern reincarnation of the legendary hydra. How many mythological creatures can I fit in before you realize the return of the Pixies is a big fucking deal?
After almost a decade of no Pixies, fans old and new have embraced all of the band’s new music, which started with the single “Bagboy,” the first song released since their reformation in 2004. Releasing the aptly-titled eight track EP1 in September 2013, followed by another eight tracks for EP2 in January 2014 and three new tunes on the just released EP3 in March 2014, Indie Cindy contains a glorious compilation of all of their latest music in one place!
L-R: Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering
Indie Cindy, boasts classic surreal genre-melding sound and art-pop synthesis. Journeying through, it is quite the trip to Wonderland, and what your Alice might find in Indie Cindy may be quite different from my Alice found. But overall, Lewis Carroll’s words are apropos either way, and I can almost hear Black “Cheshire Cat” Francis saying:
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “otherwise you wouldn’t have come here.”
Indeed! Come along…
Indie Cindy has a resonance throughout that the Pixies have finally embraced their destiny and heritage as a product and progenitor of great alt-rock music (Nirvana, Radiohead etc.). The opening track “What Goes Boom” sets the overall high-energy tone for the album. Francis breaks up the traditional good feelings with his introspections on “Greens and Blues” and “Andro Queen.” Peppering the album throughout with surrealist language hopscotch (with a side of actual scotch), Francis deftly maneuvers in his artful lyrics and varied deliveries.
Songs like the title track and the album closer “Jamie Bravo” bring in the chills and good vibes that makes this album more of a celebration and befitting for the Pixies return to full-length studio albums.
The overall sound is an embrace of their own style and when it works, it works galore (“Indie Cindy,” “Andro Queen”) and in certain places it can be practically impenetrable (“Silver Snail”). The start-stop sounds are celebrated, as are the harsh choruses followed by softer lyrics.
Throughout the 12 tracks, there are ups and downs, some entertaining and some not. Almost purposefully it seems like life itself – the imperfections are what make everything so clear. It’s that “loud-quiet-loud” signature Pixies sound; executed with utter brilliance. In the end, Indie Cindy isn’t the final destination, yet just another journey upon which the Pixies have delighted us on.
After listening to this album once, I’m ready to start at the beginning and ride Indie Cindy again and again.
RATING: 4 out of 5 SKULLS!
And a big “hell yes” for the return of the immortal Pixies!
In stores everywhere in late April!
Pixies are making Indie Cindy available in a selection of formats:
* as a standard 12-track single-CD digipak with booklet
* as a two-disc, deluxe gatefold album, pressed on 180-gram vinyl – ORDER ON AMAZON HERE!
* as a standard 12-track digital download via iTunes, Amazon, and other online retail sellers
* as an expanded digital download exclusively through iTunes that includes a bonus live-in-concert 13-track set recorded during the band’s recently-completed North American tour. ORDER ON iTUNES HERE!
* available at pixiesmusic.com, a special deluxe, limited edition (5,000) two-disc set (available as a CD and as a deluxe gatefold album pressed on 180-gram vinyl) that includes the 13-track live disc. This deluxe package also includes a 40-page, hard-back book that features the new artwork produced exclusively for Indie Cindy. The CD limited edition is packaged in a special gold-foil hard slipcase.
But wait, there’s more!!! On April 19, a week before the official release date and exclusively for Record Store Day, Pixies will make Indie Cindy available as a special RSD limited edition, two-disc, deluxe gatefold, 180-gram vinyl set, only from independent record stores participating in RSD around the world. When these are gone, they’re gone!
PIXIES Online:
Tracklist for Indie Cindy:
1. What Goes Boom
2. Greens and Blues
3. Indie Cindy
4. Bagboy
5. Magdalena
6. Silver Snail
7. Blue Eyed Hexe
8. Ring The Bell
9. Another Toe In The Ocean
10. Andro Queen
11. Snakes
12. Jamie Bravo
