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Pixies – “The Night the Zombies Came” Review

Pixies - "The Night the Zombies Came" Review

Pixies have always been terrifying, all the while writing beautiful melodies to their horror fantasies. But that’s not the only thing that sets Frank Black’s songs apart. Unlike a Norwegian black metal band, Black writes as if he’s part of the gruesome stories he tells and not quite sure if he is on the side of the evil or of the good.

“The Night the Zombies Came” is the latest from one of alternative rock‘s most important bands and a return to the blend of beautiful and gruesome tales set to music.

Pixies - "The Night the Zombies Came" Review

Pixies Remain Restless and Tied to the Unusual

Frank Black is a very complex character, a rockstar who rarely gives and interviews and requests to be judged on the merits of his work alone. Let’s do that for a second.

Black and Pixies are responsible for the soft-loud dynamics of grunge and alternative rock. The group recorded at least two classic albums. That ought to be enough for most people, right?

When Pixies split up, Black worked like a man due to imminently meet his maker and fearful of questions about his work rate. It’s no wonder his backing band was called The Catholics. Since 1993, without Pixies, he’s recorded 15 studio albums. That ought to be enough to make anyone want to take a rest, right?

Nah, Black is a realist. But he’s also a workaholic. Since reuniting with Joey Santiago and David Lovering (and for a brief time, Kim Deal, now replaced by Emma Richardson), the band has released five studio projects. Yes, they give the people what they want and play the hits when they’re on tour. But if the Lord does ask, they’re not being lazy.

Pixies - "The Night the Zombies Came" Review

“The Night the Zombies Came” Review

The album opener, “Primrose,” should sound familiar. It’s one of the sounds Pixies do best. The song is led by Black’s pretty melodies over acoustic guitars doubled by Santiago’s minimalist surf-rock fills.

And, while this is a mid-tempo number, as many songs Pixies released recently, it’s also a song that shows the band is no longer exhausted or unfamiliar with playing together.

Nah, for the most part, the 2024 album is a joy. The lead single, “You’re So Impatient,” is the closest the band has been willing to return to their supercharged power-chord-based sound of old. It’s refreshing to hear Black sing words like “Who’s gonna live, who’s gonna die?” over a poppy hook.

Pixies, really, are the great followers of gore-bewitched singers like Roky Erikson. It’s on their mind even when they sound like they’re playing 50s pop numbers. “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)” is a sinister lullaby.

And “Chicken,” the other single, is a reminder of just why Pixies were the best minimalist alt-rock band there was and why imitators of them are nearly always bound to fail, with the exception of Nirvana. It’s one of the stronger songs the band has recorded since returning. Emma Richardson’s backing vocals blend excellently with Black’s singing.

If Black doesn’t sound like a man who enjoys being back in the public eye, it’s because he never has. Pixies achieved success in spite of their reluctance and the bizarre nature of their song topics.

This doesn’t mean Frank Black and the band don’t want you to whistle along or tap your foot. The retro-rock of “Hypnotised” is a pleasant. “Motorroller” sounds like a 2000s indie-rock band trying to be Pixies. And “Oyster Beds” is filled with nervous energy and catchy melodies.

But, as the title suggests, “The Night the Zombies Came” is a horror album, or, at least, a companion to a horror flick marathon. This is not unfamiliar territory for Pixies, but perhaps not the label they’ve had most often slapped on them.

Viewing this as a collection of sinister vignettes may make you appreciate the album more and give you a greater insight into the psyche of Frank Black and his cohorts. And if it’s loud-soft-loud alternative-rock songs you’re after, Pixies are also still making those.

There are plenty of things you wouldn’t be surprised by being whispered about Frank Black. However, calling him and Pixies “lazy” is not gossip that could ever stick.

About author

Eduard Banulescu is a writer, blogger, and musician. As a content writer, Eduard has contributed to numerous websites and publications, including FootballCoin, Play2Earn, BeIN Crypto, Business2Community, NapoliSerieA, Extra Time Talk, Nitrogen Sports, Bavarian FootballWorks, etc. He has written a book about Nirvana, hosts a music podcasts, and writes weekly content about some of the best, new and old, alternative musicians. Eduard also runs and acts as editor-in-chief of the alternative rock music website www.alt77.com. Mr. Banulescu is also a musician, having played and recorded in various bands and as a solo artist.
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