SOUND BITES

  When you think about the career trajectory of Pixies, it really is kind of wild; their original run of four albums and an EP from 1987 to 1991 famously inspired the likes of Kurt Cobain and ultimately kickstarted a generational movement in rock history; of course, they flew under the radar until years after they'd packed it up, at which point Pixies were finally recognized for their stellar contributions (especially undisputed classics Surfer Rosa and Doolittle ), eventually prompting a tentative return to performing. Still, it would take over twenty years for an album of new material to appear in the form of the three EPs stapled together as album Indie Cindy in 2014. That record was heavily maligned by fans of departed bassist Kim Deal and critics who were aghast at the mere chance of Pixies sullying their legacy with material that didn't match the gonzo intensity of their prime period. A funny thing happened along the way, though; Pixies once again settled into their pla...

Whereas previous LP Indie Cindy was compiled from three previous EPs, Head Carrier marks Pixies' first full-blown, LP-sized statement since their reformation. It's also overall a friendlier, less noisy collection of songs, with a couple of proper hit contenders if 2016 radio was conducive to bands from the '80s and '90s rather than bands of millennials that sound like they're from the '80s and '90s. To the overly critical, Head Carrier is probably another sullying of the band's Holy Legacy, the go-to whine for those who still can't wrap their heads around the idea of a band's desire to make new music rather than coast on the goodwill of records nearly 30 years old. To me, it's a perfectly serviceable rock record that doesn't even try to stand up to the classics. Like Indie Cindy , it's a record that never stood a chance of being revered like Surfer Rosa or Doolittle , but that doesn't mean it deserves to be dismissed as trip...

7  GOOD Now that it's been a couple years and change since Pixies' comeback bid Indie Cindy , maybe those fickle minded fans who poo-pooed the notion of Pixies without Kim Deal on bass have relaxed. For what it's worth, the first single from the forthcoming Head Carrier LP is perfectly serviceable, with a nimble and crunchy riff and some trademark Black Francis quirkiness. New bassist Paz Lenchantin (veteran of A Perfect Circle and Zwan among others) is suitable here, and her vocals gel well enough with Francis'. It's no Where Is My Mind or Wave of Mutilation , but what is? Take it for the light slice of punk-n-roll it is, and get stoked for the fall. Head Carrier is out September 30 on Pixies Music.

The first Pixies album in 23 years was never going to live up to expectations; everybody knows that, the band most likely included, and the most immediately refreshing thing about Indie Cindy is that it doesn't even really try. It's almost as if they knew full well that anything they put to tape would be scrutinized, analysed and measured up against the impossible standards of their original run of records, particularly Surfer Rosa and Doolittle . Faced with such a daunting task as matching alternative rock's most hallowed discography a quarter century after its inception, who could possibly stand a chance? Certainly not Pixies; they'd already had two failed attempts at recapturing that magic in Bossanova and Trompe le Monde , two records that were good but not great, more tools to spice up the inevitable greatest hit compilations than transcendent staples of rock. Let's not forget that Pixies didn't break up because they got too popular or that critical ac...