Band of the Day - 23: Pixies

I believe in retrospective reset points in rock where a band appears that has relatively little impact at the time, but actually makes a meteor sized crater, completely changing the face and landscape of popular rock music forever. The Beatles were the catalyst, Hendrix was one, The Ramones were another but everyone knows this. It's only now people realise Sonic Youth changed everything. It seems we're in a greater position to acknowledge these changes pretty quickly after they happen.
Pixies were another band who changed everything. Frqankly, there is no one out there who have done what Pixies did. You don't believe me? Songs of sex and death, sometimes sang in Spanish, male and female harmonies, screaming, piercing lead guitar, thrashing guitars, science fiction, surf-rock, disturbing imagery and some of the best pop songs ever created. This sort of band doesn't appear very often, if at all.
The sheer lunatic brilliance of the Steve Albini recorded Surfer Rosa - a violent, colourful outburst from imaginations clearly expanded in some narcotic, far-reaching way - is one of my favourite records of all time. It's savage, innovative, unbelievably melodic and excruciatingly superb. I find it difficult to cope with the fact that a person might dislike this record. Sure, it's devoid of production polish, it's confrontational, it's noisy, it's offensive - but it's still packed with lightning fast tunes, gorgeous harmonies and broke the idea of alternative pop songs into the present day.
Then there's Doolittle, Bossanova, Trompe Le Monde, the Come On Pilgrim mini-LP, their B-Sides, their live shows, their side projects (The Breeders, The Amps, Frank Black solo...). The effect they've had on me is clear; anything with the bravery to scour the human underbelly, the disgusting dark thoughts we all conjure up in our lowest (and highest) moments, and their sonic invention in the realms of popular music make this one of a handful essential bands to anyone. Investigate and adore.

Mixtape:
Spotify link: http://open.spotify.com/user/artbaretta/playlist/13mD0uEQx9mwl5NfmcubBv

1) Bone Machine (Surfer Rosa)
2) Broken Face (Surfer Rosa)
3) Gouge Away (Doolittle)
4) Velouria (Bossanova)
5) Letter To Memphis (Trompe Le Monde)
6) I've Been Tired (Come On Pilgrim)
7) Debaser (Doolittle)
8) The Holiday Song (Come On Pilgrim)
9) Something Against You (Surfer Rosa)
10) Tame (Doolittle)