Pixies - Doolittle

This album is FRICKIN' AWESOME!

This is almost certainly Hard Harry412 favorite Pixies album (although sometimes I do think, in weaker moments, that 'Surfer Rosa' or, yes 'Trompe Le Monde' are better)

'Doolittle' totally has a grab-bag of everything an Alternative Rocker could be looking for.

You have the proto-grunge rockers of 'Debaser' (about a film teacher showing weird experimental films and then giving away the endings as well) and 'Gouge Away' (a strange re-telling of the story of Samson and Delilah)  It is too bad there are not more rockers on this one!

Then there is the totally dynamic 'Tame' which Frank Black (pbuh) has even been cool enough to perform live with Dinosaur Jr.!!!  It does not get any better then the following video!!!

Then there is the surfer rock of 'Wave of Mutilation'!  The album version is totally up-tempo and rocks, man!  It is probably my favorite song on here and I think in many ways encapsulates the Pixies themselves.  It is just this fun romp musically, but with some real bizarre lyrics that make you think and wonder (Hard Harry412 has heard different theories about what the song is about and is not sure himself)

Then there are the two pop songs on there: 'Here Comes Your Man' which some have called 'the ultimate pop song' and I agree with that assessment, I am surprised it never became like some mammoth cross-over hit on the top 40 charts.  Also in the pop category is the now classic 'Monkey Gone to Heaven'.  This song sounds rad.  It still sounds cool and up-to-date like almost 25 years later!!!!

One of the great things about Frank Black is he is always writings songs about like actual subjects!  Like how 'Debaser' and 'Gouge Away' are about stuff.  Hard Harry412 has always found that the best Alt-Rock songs always have some sort of back-story or subject matter that just add depth to the song.  Too many pop songs out there are just about the same basic boy/ girl issues.  HAIL FRANK BLACK!!!!

Pixies - Surfer Rosa

This album sounds awesome!  It is like the Pixies were trying to be Dinosaur Jr. or Sonic Youth or something.

Steve Albini is the one to thank the most for the heavy sound of it.  The drums are so awesome sounding.  (I also like Albinis production on 'In Utero' and that one Bush album)

Folks forget just how heavy and aggressive the Pixies could be.  'Bone Machine' is almost Heavy Metal.  If they had made songs only in that vein I could imagine the Pixies opening for like Metallica or something instead of U2!!

This album really did set the template for almost the next decade of good music.  The acoustic drum sound became the gold standard for many Alternative Rock bands that would reach ascendance.  Thank goodness that this replaced the awful electronic drum sound from the '80s that I literally can't stand (although Van Halens 5150 sounds all-right.)