Thursday, November 7, 1991
Pixies
Surreal
evident
Plisiewicz
by Paul
The Collegian
Pixies albums sound like the
soundtrack to the bombing of
Berlin ovcrlayed with a narrative
by Salvador Dali. Trompe Le
Monde is no exception.
The scaring guitars, pounding
rhythms, nearly obscene melodies
and surreal lyrics that have
become the band's trademark
come to fruition on their latest
effort.
The opener, the title track,
throws the listener into the
middle of a bizarre world where
we are immediately asked, "Why
dc cupids and angels / continually
haunt her dreams / like memories
of another life?" I don't know.
Frontman Black Francis
doesn't answer questions, he
merely asks them and leaves the
wondering to us. Watch yourself
here though; Francis himself says
he is not to be taken seriously.
He enjoys teasing his audience
with tiny morsels of thought and
then running away to play a
different game.
Some songs on the album do
seem to carry a more serious
tone, however. In "Planet Of
Sound," Francis recounts his own
trials as a struggling new artist
fighting to make a name for
himself.
He takes the notion one step
further in "Alec Eiffel," where
blame is placed in the hands of
the world.
"He thought big and they
called it a phallic / they didn't
know he was panoramic /
release new
lyric trademark
in Trompe Le
sometimes people can be Oh so
dense," he sings.
Kim Deal's driving bass and
the swirling guitars scream with
anger and determination, and the
band sounds tighter than ever.
Francis' maniacal hollering
that became monotonous on
previous albums is all but
eliminated on this record. Only
"The Sad Punk" features his
deafening wails and even then
they seem overpowered by the
force of the band.
Trompe Le Monde provides
the Pixies' best vocal
performance since 1988's Surfer
Rosa. Kim Deal doesn't see much
action on lead vocals, but Francis
mixes up his delivery enough to
provide variety.
The album peaks with two of
the Pixies' best tracks ever.
In half the running time as the
original, they crunch through the
Jesus and Mary Chains' "Head
On," proving once again that
they can do more in two minutes
than the army can do in an entire
day.
It sounds like an original,
even though the lyrics arc
completely sensible. They burn
through the verses as if they're
afraid someone will notice them
doing a cover, and leave you
thinking "Hey, wasn't that...?"
"U
-Mass" is probably the
raunchiest, most gut-wrenching
song Francis has written to date.
With the punchiest guitar riff on
this side of the Clash-line and
lyrics like a steel-toed boot in the
face of higher education, the song
is bound to wear out a few rewind
VCS
NOON
THE LOGAN WINTERGARDEN SERIES
The Collegian
album
still
Monde
buttons. It's pure Pixie power
with bite.
The rest of the album
demonstrates the band's finesse
and also its ability to baffle
listeners through absurd lyrics.
"Bird Dream of the Olympus
Mons" comes as close to a ballad
as Francis can get; it also sounds
more like Jesus and Mary Chain
than the aforementioned cover.
Ironically, "Bird Dream's" lyrics
arc manageable. I think the more
bizarre the title, the less bizarre
the song.
Two low-points on the album
arc "Palace of the Brine" and
"Space (I Believe In)." "Palace" is
the catchiest tune and also the
most lifeless on the record. It's
neutral.
Whereas, "Space" is so absurd
it becomes irritating: "Jefrey with
one f, 'Jeffery / Now I'm going to
sing the perry mason theme."
After hearing this track you
want to go back and listen to "U-
Mass" again.
One thing I haven't seen from
the album is the first single.
There arc no "Dig For Fire's" or
"Here Comes Your Man's" on
Trompe Le Monde, but a few odd
b-sides could be released.
With their strange ideas and
often-tunes thrashing
instrumentation, the Pixies aren't
for everybody. But, then again,
that new Carpenter's box set is
sixty bucks.
BRING
STATE-
ENJOY
IN AN INFORMAL SETTING.
God Fodder
grabs
by Brad Kane
The Collegian
Doesn't it seem like a lot of
music today "grows on you'?" It
never seems like anything grabs
you by certain unmentionable
areas the first time you listen to
it and pulls you into that state of
musical ecstasy, does it'? (Maybe
it's just me, I don't know).
Well, here's some news. If
you want to remember what it's
like to be wrapped in an attention
getting headlock by music again
(ok, maybe not that badly), then
it's time to check out the debut
album from Ned's Atomic
Dustbin, God Fodder.
Featuring a simple, powerful,
straightforward chord structure
and lyrics reminiscent of punk
music, Ned's Atomic Dustbin has
crafted a gem of an album
through simplicity. In the
process, the group has tapped
into the same vein that worked
for punk rock in the late 70's.
True, this style tends to make
many of the songs on God Fodder
sound the same, but if the
formula works, don't question it.
Hey, at least the band utilizes
two basses instead of a more
traditional two guitars.
Now there's a bit of diversity
for all you naysayers of musical
complacency. Even in music that
seems similar, there arc slightly
different nuances to be found.
But if you can't get over the
fact that most of the tracks on
God Fodder arc so much alike,
the lyrics here are surprisingly
well written for a debut album.
EASTMAN OPERA THEATRE The Consul
WEDNESDAY, NC)VEMI3E:I - 2 13
YOUR LUNCII TO THE PENN
BEIIREND WINTERGARDEN AND
WORLD-CLASS CHAMBER MUSIC
PENNSTATE
PM Erie
you
Dealing more often than not
with finding integrity and
personal worth through love, and
loss of the same, tracks such as
"Less Than Useful," "Selfish"
and "Happy" stand Out.
"Less Than Useful" is the
inost impressive, dealing with
being dumped but trying to find
ways to smile through the anger
and sadness. Yes, it may sound
slightly juvenile or even time
worn, but let's remember that
we're dealing with a cliche prone,
young hand here.
There are, of course, in good
punk thrash fashion, some songs
that don't seem to make a lot of
sense on the surface. Tracks such
as "Kill Your Television" and
"Grey Cell Green" qualify for that
honor on God Fodder.
The latter is an especially
powerful track, at least
musically. Released as the second
single ("Happy" was the first),
the lyrics may not be easy to
discern, hut the overpowering
attack of the music is good
enough to merit positive
mention.
Like all good, classic punk
albums, on God Fodder there's
more than enough fury to go
around. This makes for quite a
listening experience, but the style
could wear thin in the future.
Here's to hoping that this
doesn't happen to Ned's. With a
little diversity (remember how
The Clash brought reggae, into
their music without sacrificing
emotion?) in future albums,
Ned's Atomic Dustbin could
revive punk -- 90's style.
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