| Whenever a band breaks up, posthumous releases are always greeted with a certain feeling of disdain. And why not? In the case of many such releases showcasing demised groups and artists (2Pac, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, etc.), these releases tend to be overkill, poor in quality, or extremely blatant cash-ins (I love The Smiths to death, but do we really need fifteen thousand greatest hits compilations from the band?). Hey, these musicians may have been fantastic, but how many of these greatest hits albums, rarities collections, and live albums do we need, especially if the material is less-than-stellar? All of this might be attributed to the new self-titled Pixies EP, which collects the nine Purple Tape demos that didn’t make the Come On Pilgrim EP. But as a devout Pixies fan (hey, they are one of my favorite bands ever), I was pleased to see these songs released. So how does it fair? Despite being a huge fan, I’m not going to play on like this EP is without its flaws. And was anybody really expecting it to be perfect? All of these songs (with the exception of “Rock A My Soul”) were re-recorded and appeared on future Pixies albums and/or singles. Most of the time, these re-recordings surpass the original incarnations heard here. “Broken Face,” “I’m Amazed,” and “Break My Body” really don’t distinguish themselves from the versions that would appear on Surfer Rosa except for the fact that they lack Steve Albini’s raw production touch. The real songs of interest here are the songs that sound noticeably different from their more well-known counterparts. The early version of “Subbacultcha” features what would become the song “Distance Equals Rate Times Time,” it and sounds much more complete in this EP. “In Heaven” appears in its only studio form, “Down To The Well” is a rougher take on the Bossanova cut that is free from the glossy touches added to the latter-day version, and “Build High” is a rawer than what eventually became a b-side. The classic “Here Comes Your Man” (a.k.a. the Pixies’ song everybody knows) is showcased in its raw acoustic glory which should be pleasing to those who might have found Doolittle’s version a little too poppy. In no way does this take beat the version found on their classic record Doolittle, but it is still a worthy outtake. All in all though, these versions are probably only of any interest to devout fans of the band. The real reason this EP is so very special is the inclusion of the previously unreleased (save for some ultra-rare promo compilation albums) “Rock A My Soul,” a song that the band probably should have given another chance. Why the group never went anywhere with this song after the Purple Tape demo is a mystery; it’s a very catchy, strong song that exemplifies everything that made the Pixies so special. Again, casual fans or new fans might want to avoid this EP, at least for the moment, but anybody who’s followed and worshiped the group might want to include it in their collection. While it may be a cash-in, it’s a pretty damn good one, and I believe there are many a Pixies fan who wanted to see this released years ago. |
| Artist: Pixies Album: Pixies (EP) Year: 2002 Rating: |
| by Paul Haney |
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