Born To Run #3

Pixies - Bossanova

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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. Happening

11. Blown Away

12. Hang Wire

13. Stormy Weather

14. Havalina

I had a meaty handful of albums I could have done for everyone's favourite weekly music feature, (lol?) featuring several smart and dry witty things to say. Most of these were albums beyond my normal musical pallette, and I would have made reference to the joy to be had in avant-garde musical exploration, and how variety's the spice of life, and all that. But at the end of the day, particularly a Sunday spent doing a long drawn out Philosophy essay, some gloriously simple and instantly pleasing grunge pop with easily discernable tunes is all that you could want.

Bossanova followed on from Pixies' career defining Dolittle, the one which usually tops best of charts and has a few tunes that you'll have heard before. And, I mean, it's pretty good....its got the insta hit tunes.....but Bossanova is a far more consistent album. It's not garish or trying to grab your attention, and it has a natural flow. Bossanova starts off with psych rock freak out Cecilia Ann, (it's a lot more rock than it sounds) a surf rock anthem meets the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Rock Music....this track made me think I had been duped into downloading a metal album from a remote shed in Sweden. I was not expecting this. It's abrasive, but it isn't unpleasant. Which leads onto the anthemic Velouria, shimmering with an unsettling edge. The first half of this album really rattles along joyously, with Kim Deal providing some pulsing basslines. The pace slackens somewhat, however the songs are no less enjoyable or inventive.

This album wouldn't be a bad starting point for many bands starting out today. A listen or two to this album before young lads rush out to make indie topshop nonsense would, I imagine, see a higher standard of tuneage. Be confident, true to yourself, have a laugh, break up down the line, shameless reform, terrible comeback single, disband.

Live the dream.