That was fun to watch! If you're looking for higly influential and acclaimed albums along the same lines as Surfer Rosa... Dinosaur Jr - "You're Living All Over Me" or "Bug" Sonic Youth - "Daydream Nation" or "Sister" Husker Du - "Zen Arcade" or "New Day Rising" Jesus and Mary Chain - "Psychocandy" Violent Femmes - "Violent Femmes" Pavement - "Slanted and Enchanted" Camper Van Beethoven - "Telephone Free Landslide Victory" Breeders - "Pod" Gun Club - "Fire of Love" Pere Ubu - "The Modern Dance" Mudhoney - "Superfuzz Big Muff" or "Mudhoney" Nirvana - "In Utero" Flipper - "Generic" Wipers - "Is This Real" or "Over The Edge"
Great list of albums! I would particularly enjoy seeing his reaction to that first Violent Femmes album. It's a classic that still resonates today. I love their second one, "Hallowed Ground," just as much! That one is all over the place, lyrically and stylistically!
Thanks for checking out an album that's a bit outside your comfort zone. To be honest, I was surprised at how big their fanbase was after hearing this album. Surfer Rosa is hard to get acclimated to, but you pointed out a lot of the things that are appealing about the band. I think there's a lot of contradiction that makes them fascinating. They childish attitude, mixed with very dark lyrics. As well as a raucous and free style that can even appear sloppy, But it's set to songs that have a complex structure that's very intentional and calculate. And the Bass/drums are very solid and standard, while the guitar and vocals are experimenting with some strange things over it. (not that I'd expect you to listen to another album of theirs, but if you did, I'd recommend Doolittle) The Pixes following album Doolittle, is a big shift in production. In my opinion, it's much cleaner, more dynamic, and the songs sound less similar to each other. And the quiet/loud aspects that Bowie was talking about start to stand out a lot more. The band gives you a mixed bag of beautiful, fun, disturbing, philosophical, and purely aggressive tracks. And the harmonies always remain a treat on their albums.
They are bigger now than when they were putting these albums out, Surfer Rosa was a College Radio album. Critics loved them a lot more than the public. They didn't sell much at the time. Even though they inspired Grunge, they were buried by grunge bands a year later.
Greetings! I found you because of the Pixies. One could say that The Pixies influenced the grunge/alternative sound. Not alone, but definitely contributed greatly to it. I smiled @ your comment, while listening to Where is my mind, about Dory/Finding Nemo, neither of which I’ve seen, all the way through. But, it does appear in Fightclub & Trainspotting. One of my favorite Pixies albums. Glad to see you discover it. Cheers 🖤🌹🖤🧛🏻♀️
Most of the pixies David Bowie and the critics talked about was referring to pixies doolittle album regarding the quiet and loud structure of their sound, and pop rock sound. Kurt cobain(nirvana) was heavily influenced by Surfa Rosa :)
Thank you so much for not interrupting the tracks. Surfer Rosa is a symphony - not just a collection of songs. I came across this masterpiece in 1988 at a friend's place in Berlin, and I was immediately blown away. The music of the later 80s became increasingly dull, apart from a few exceptions like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys or Sonic Youth. But it was the Pixies who really brought the 80s to a close and ushered in a new musical age.
Someone needs to tell him to do Angel Dust Album by Faith No More that album influenced Nu-metal genre and many bands like slipknot and Korn and Deftones that are still massively popular today. As amazing as FNM is and Diverse Mike Patton is with his 6 octaves singing range the band is underrated and deserves to be on the rock hall of fame, the pixies deserve to be in the rock hall of fame. :)
Anyone else remember when Apple thought "Gigantic" was a good song to use as a commercial to advertise iPhones? A song about a teacher getting a bit to close with her student...
Yes, Kim is talking about a black man named Paul and his massive entertainment centre. You got it in one, sir. Pixies had no single success until Doolittle came out the year after Surfer Rosa. Here Comes Your Man from Doolittle and Velouria from 1990's Bossanova had chart success in the UK. But Gigantic was the go-to track from Rosa, although it's probably been supplanted by Where is My Mind? as the most 'special' Rosa song.
Yeah, Pixies are an acquired taste for certain, but one of the most influential bands of the 80s and early 90s. They are still producing great music. "Cactus" and "Brick Is Red" are my favorite tracks from this, though I enjoy the experimentality of all of them. _Doolittle_ is a tighter album. Nice pairing with the insightful Bowie commentary. Should you decide to do a Bowie album, I'd suggest _Aladdin_ _Sane_ and/or _Diamond_ _Dogs_ - thanks for the trip back and analysis.
Bone Machine--Just saw an old RUclips interview. When asked what the song was about, Kim Deal, the bassist, stood up, thrust her hips and said, "Woman's pelvis. Fucking. Bone Machine." Then she spoke to "Gigantic" :-)
My Fave from late 80s early 90s seen them 3 times.. @Sasha Aymes. Amy got some gt8s aswell. Surfer came with Come on Pilgrim back in 88.. KROQ and 91X played Bone Machine and i was hooked. Then Gigantic. They would get at least 2 songs from each album on their playlist.. Peace
I was waiting for the first smile to break with the first track. It came pretty quick. This album is an acquired taste. Would listen to Dolittle or Bossanova for a first Pixies listen.
Kim has a lot of control involved w the Pixies. I think that is why she could be perceived as demanding or submissive depending on new listeners. She shaped my life and views, so if you are listening keep it so.
I love those too! I think there's something great for all 4/5 pixies (5 if your count come on pilgrim but maybe just roll into the extended Surfer Rosa) the two first breeder albums, and those. I'd rank Teenager at #3/8. Trompe le Monde is kinda like their in through the out door as far as quality: still good, but not at same level. Following those: Cult of Ray hardly at the same level.
Frank Black’s first two solo albums are outstanding!!! I can’t really say they are better than the Pixies albums - they are all great. It’s weird for me to think about comparing if one is better than the other. But we all have our favorites and I respect that 🤟🏼
Compare the sound of David's drumming to the production of mainstream drums in 1988. Most drums sounded like they were across the street from the studio. But here, David actually sounds like he's in the same room as us.
@@Johnnyfive55 …..for me it just has all the most insanely great tracks…. Monkey Gone To Heaven, Hey, Mr. Grieves, No 13 Baby, Gouge Away….. really the whole album is just fire. I love their other stuff too, I have a big soft spot for Bossanova, but Doolittle has always seemed to be like, the masterpiece. To me anyways.
The Pixies were a *huge* influence on the songwriting and vocal approach of Kurt Cobain. It's not hyperbole to say that without the Pixies, Nirvana would have either sounded very, very different, or might not have existed as a band at all.
Kurt acknowledged the influence of Charles' way with dynamics on Teen Spirit, and was a fan in general, as were Krist and Dave. But to say that Nirvana may not have even existed without the Pixies is too much of a stretch, given that Nirvana formed within a year of the birth of the Pixies. Nirvana was shaped in some measure by how fucking brilliantly elemental Pixies sounded, especially their ability to be raucous and warm in varying measures. But Nirvana were made great by Kurt's songs for Nevermind, Dave's drumming and Butch Vig's production. Especially the latter. We know who they are because of that. Butch Vig is to Nirvana as Gil Norton was to the Pixies. And of course, Kurt also loved what Albini 'recorded' for Pixies and The Breeders.
@@NxDoyle Kurt, himself, basically said that about the Pixies. It was his idea, not mine. Here are his own comments on the Pixies' influence on Nirvana: "I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band-or at least a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.” I never said that Nirvana were not a great band in their own right. They were great, and the production did play a role in their greatness. I loved both the Pixies and Nirvana. I grew up with their music when it was originally released. Nirvana obviously sold many more albums. Without the influence of the Pixies though.... well, Kurt's own words, above, really speak for themselves.
@@ayemod2k Nirvana formed in 1987, not 1986. The Pixies were already releasing albums before Nirvana recorded and released anything. The Pixies had already released their first eight-song EP, "Come On Pilgrim," in 1987, with their first full album, "Surfer Rosa," following in 1988. Nirvana's first album, "Bleach," was released in 1989. Kurt Cobain freely admitted, many times, that Nirvana was *greatly influenced* by the sound of the Pixies. I was a fan of both bands at the time. Kurt was *constantly talking* about how the Pixies were a huge influence on Nirvana.
Surfer Rosa has some of the best hits though. But some songs I think are outright bad like River Euphrates. Doolittle only has solid and great songs throughout.
I have to respectfully disagree with the comments here that Doolittle is a better album than Surfer Rosa. Doolittle had a much higher budget for recording, and has a more polished sound that works commercially better, yes. I love both albums, but Surfer Rosa can be valued for its more raw sound, that has a depth and authenticity to it that is unique and certainly appreciated by many important artists who name this album as a huge influence on their development. I listen to this and am still struck to this day by the sound they introduced as early as 1988!! This sounds like '90s to me, and one could argue that this album, along with Meat Puppets II by the Meat Puppets (which are both way ahead of their time) set the stage for much of the grunge and alternative rock that took the early to mid-90's by storm.
This album sounds like the band is in the room with you.
best production value for the 90's
can't get better today.
it is the work
ruclips.net/video/s7ac1TXIAog/видео.html
@@rachelmoore4284 You can’t lose when it’s Steve Albini producing those analog tones !
This should have way more views. Props for doing the entire album. Much respect.
That was fun to watch! If you're looking for higly influential and acclaimed albums along the same lines as Surfer Rosa...
Dinosaur Jr - "You're Living All Over Me" or "Bug"
Sonic Youth - "Daydream Nation" or "Sister"
Husker Du - "Zen Arcade" or "New Day Rising"
Jesus and Mary Chain - "Psychocandy"
Violent Femmes - "Violent Femmes"
Pavement - "Slanted and Enchanted"
Camper Van Beethoven - "Telephone Free Landslide Victory"
Breeders - "Pod"
Gun Club - "Fire of Love"
Pere Ubu - "The Modern Dance"
Mudhoney - "Superfuzz Big Muff" or "Mudhoney"
Nirvana - "In Utero"
Flipper - "Generic"
Wipers - "Is This Real" or "Over The Edge"
Great list of albums! I would particularly enjoy seeing his reaction to that first Violent Femmes album. It's a classic that still resonates today. I love their second one, "Hallowed Ground," just as much! That one is all over the place, lyrically and stylistically!
Dude you picked up about gigantic way faster than I did. lmao!!!
You have the coolest demeanor I've ever seen. I bet you can have an engaging conversation with anyone.
Thanks for checking out an album that's a bit outside your comfort zone.
To be honest, I was surprised at how big their fanbase was after hearing this album.
Surfer Rosa is hard to get acclimated to, but you pointed out a lot of the things that are appealing about the band.
I think there's a lot of contradiction that makes them fascinating.
They childish attitude, mixed with very dark lyrics. As well as a raucous and free style that can even appear sloppy, But it's set to songs that have a complex structure that's very intentional and calculate. And the Bass/drums are very solid and standard, while the guitar and vocals are experimenting with some strange things over it.
(not that I'd expect you to listen to another album of theirs, but if you did, I'd recommend Doolittle)
The Pixes following album Doolittle, is a big shift in production.
In my opinion, it's much cleaner, more dynamic, and the songs sound less similar to each other.
And the quiet/loud aspects that Bowie was talking about start to stand out a lot more.
The band gives you a mixed bag of beautiful, fun, disturbing, philosophical, and purely aggressive tracks.
And the harmonies always remain a treat on their albums.
This is my favorite album by them. Definitely prefer it over Doolittle but pretty much like all their albums. I prefer the raw sound.
I love you just because you're listening to Surfer Rosa, this LP changed my life.
Top three of best albums ever made.
props to you for listening to the whole album. It's the bridge between punk and grunge and one of the most important records that no one knows about!
one of the albums i listened more in my life
I have listened to this many hundred times
If you look at all modern alternative music, all of them give props to the pixies. Modern alternative music started With The Pixies. Thx for sharing
whoever is recommending these records is doing an excellent job
Could you react to their other albums too (Doolittle, Come on Pilgrim, Trompe le Monde and Bossanova)
How the heck did I not see this reaction earlier.
13:25 YES!
17:38 Fight Club end scene
42:17 Bowie said what I was gonna type. I miss Bowie!
46:20 LOL. Thank you.
They are bigger now than when they were putting these albums out, Surfer Rosa was a College Radio album. Critics loved them a lot more than the public. They didn't sell much at the time. Even though they inspired Grunge, they were buried by grunge bands a year later.
Greetings! I found you because of the Pixies. One could say that The Pixies influenced the grunge/alternative sound. Not alone, but definitely contributed greatly to it. I smiled @ your comment, while listening to Where is my mind, about Dory/Finding Nemo, neither of which I’ve seen, all the way through. But, it does appear in Fightclub & Trainspotting. One of my favorite Pixies albums. Glad to see you discover it.
Cheers
🖤🌹🖤🧛🏻♀️
I enjoyed your experience of the album
But for real, Brick is Red is one of the best songs ever written. That's a fucking jam.
Fight Club introduced many people to the Pixies. Perfect song placement in such a great movie.
Failure, HUM, Quicksand, Archers of Loaf, Seam, Built to Spill, Helmet are other good bands to check out
Who else's love is rice and beans and horses' lard?
Most of the pixies David Bowie and the critics talked about was referring to pixies doolittle album regarding the quiet and loud structure of their sound, and pop rock sound. Kurt cobain(nirvana) was heavily influenced by Surfa Rosa :)
Thank you so much for not interrupting the tracks. Surfer Rosa is a symphony - not just a collection of songs.
I came across this masterpiece in 1988 at a friend's place in Berlin, and I was immediately blown away.
The music of the later 80s became increasingly dull, apart from a few exceptions like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys or Sonic Youth. But it was the Pixies who really brought the 80s to a close and ushered in a new musical age.
Listening to Gigantic and thinking STB will low-key dig Kim Gordan from Sonic Youth.
Kim v Kim
Someone needs to tell him to do Angel Dust Album by Faith No More that album influenced Nu-metal genre and many bands like slipknot and Korn and Deftones that are still massively popular today. As amazing as FNM is and Diverse Mike Patton is with his 6 octaves singing range the band is underrated and deserves to be on the rock hall of fame, the pixies deserve to be in the rock hall of fame. :)
Anyone else remember when Apple thought "Gigantic" was a good song to use as a commercial to advertise iPhones?
A song about a teacher getting a bit to close with her student...
Yes, Kim is talking about a black man named Paul and his massive entertainment centre. You got it in one, sir.
Pixies had no single success until Doolittle came out the year after Surfer Rosa. Here Comes Your Man from Doolittle and Velouria from 1990's Bossanova had chart success in the UK. But Gigantic was the go-to track from Rosa, although it's probably been supplanted by Where is My Mind? as the most 'special' Rosa song.
This has already been mentioned, but holy shit he figured out Gigantic way faster than I did.
Might not sound like it but radiohead are massive pixies and rem fans
Actually, their first two albums Pablo Honey and the Bends are very heavily influenced by the Pixies if you listen back to them.
@@shammycat3538 actually mate I think you are right you could argue that the sound a bit like 80s REM too
I used to talk to animals when I was singing with the pixies. hope you find your fish.
Yeah, Pixies are an acquired taste for certain, but one of the most influential bands of the 80s and early 90s. They are still producing great music. "Cactus" and "Brick Is Red" are my favorite tracks from this, though I enjoy the experimentality of all of them. _Doolittle_ is a tighter album. Nice pairing with the insightful Bowie commentary. Should you decide to do a Bowie album, I'd suggest _Aladdin_ _Sane_ and/or _Diamond_ _Dogs_ - thanks for the trip back and analysis.
the pixies definately deserve a further look down the line.
Bone Machine--Just saw an old RUclips interview. When asked what the song was about, Kim Deal, the bassist, stood up, thrust her hips and said, "Woman's pelvis. Fucking. Bone Machine."
Then she spoke to "Gigantic" :-)
This album influenced Most of the grunge scene and Nirvana lol
You look like 50 cents giving his opinion about whitey music dude! It's cool:) Cheers from France (Now I'll have to listen to 50 cents....)
My Fave from late 80s early 90s seen them 3 times.. @Sasha Aymes. Amy got some gt8s aswell. Surfer came with Come on Pilgrim back in 88..
KROQ and 91X played Bone Machine and i was hooked. Then Gigantic. They would get at least 2 songs from each album on their playlist.. Peace
This LP was a major influence on Kurt Cobain.
effervesence is artsy...
I was waiting for the first smile to break with the first track. It came pretty quick. This album is an acquired taste. Would listen to Dolittle or Bossanova for a first Pixies listen.
Kim has a lot of control involved w the Pixies. I think that is why she could be perceived as demanding or submissive depending on new listeners.
She shaped my life and views, so if you are listening keep it so.
I may be alone in this but I kinda prefer Frank Black's first 2 solo albums. I'd recommend those too.
I love those too! I think there's something great for all 4/5 pixies (5 if your count come on pilgrim but maybe just roll into the extended Surfer Rosa) the two first breeder albums, and those. I'd rank Teenager at #3/8. Trompe le Monde is kinda like their in through the out door as far as quality: still good, but not at same level. Following those: Cult of Ray hardly at the same level.
Frank Black’s first two solo albums are outstanding!!! I can’t really say they are better than the Pixies albums - they are all great. It’s weird for me to think about comparing if one is better than the other. But we all have our favorites and I respect that 🤟🏼
Compare the sound of David's drumming to the production of mainstream drums in 1988. Most drums sounded like they were across the street from the studio. But here, David actually sounds like he's in the same room as us.
Thank Steve Albini, the best drum recording engineer of the 80s/90s. Surfer Rosa, Rid of Me, In Utero. 3 of my favorite sounding albums
Pavement.. now?
If you would like to experience a great live show with excellent sound quality then search RUclips for Pixies Live 1989.
i just think about miieguhaua the wolf
you're talking about Ted Nuggent about Zepplin
Oh man. All their albums are great.
But Doolittle reigns supreme.
The pretentious always go for the likes of surfer rosa but most fans listened and loved Doolittle first
@@Johnnyfive55 …..for me it just has all the most insanely great tracks…. Monkey Gone To Heaven, Hey, Mr. Grieves, No 13 Baby, Gouge Away….. really the whole album is just fire.
I love their other stuff too, I have a big soft spot for Bossanova, but Doolittle has always seemed to be like, the masterpiece. To me anyways.
It's Pixies, not "The Pixies". I think? LOL
Why does no one ever mention trompe le monde? Its a masterpiece IMO
♡♡
The Pixies were a *huge* influence on the songwriting and vocal approach of Kurt Cobain. It's not hyperbole to say that without the Pixies, Nirvana would have either sounded very, very different, or might not have existed as a band at all.
Kurt acknowledged the influence of Charles' way with dynamics on Teen Spirit, and was a fan in general, as were Krist and Dave. But to say that Nirvana may not have even existed without the Pixies is too much of a stretch, given that Nirvana formed within a year of the birth of the Pixies.
Nirvana was shaped in some measure by how fucking brilliantly elemental Pixies sounded, especially their ability to be raucous and warm in varying measures. But Nirvana were made great by Kurt's songs for Nevermind, Dave's drumming and Butch Vig's production. Especially the latter. We know who they are because of that. Butch Vig is to Nirvana as Gil Norton was to the Pixies. And of course, Kurt also loved what Albini 'recorded' for Pixies and The Breeders.
@@NxDoyle Kurt, himself, basically said that about the Pixies. It was his idea, not mine. Here are his own comments on the Pixies' influence on Nirvana: "I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band-or at least a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”
I never said that Nirvana were not a great band in their own right. They were great, and the production did play a role in their greatness. I loved both the Pixies and Nirvana. I grew up with their music when it was originally released. Nirvana obviously sold many more albums. Without the influence of the Pixies though.... well, Kurt's own words, above, really speak for themselves.
@@christianman73 do u realized nirvana and pixies formed both in 1986
@@ayemod2k Nirvana formed in 1987, not 1986. The Pixies were already releasing albums before Nirvana recorded and released anything. The Pixies had already released their first eight-song EP, "Come On Pilgrim," in 1987, with their first full album, "Surfer Rosa," following in 1988. Nirvana's first album, "Bleach," was released in 1989. Kurt Cobain freely admitted, many times, that Nirvana was *greatly influenced* by the sound of the Pixies. I was a fan of both bands at the time. Kurt was *constantly talking* about how the Pixies were a huge influence on Nirvana.
Hopefully you'll react to Doolittle which is a much much better album than Surfer Rosa
Surfer Rosa has some of the best hits though. But some songs I think are outright bad like River Euphrates. Doolittle only has solid and great songs throughout.
@박범준 Ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, rideRide, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, rideRide, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, rideRide, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride
@@lenni-hazels silver kinda sucked though
@@kylelapelis5004 Let's just agree to disagree.
@@lenni-hazels RIDE A TIIIRE. It’s great
Doolittle
why can't you stand the christgau reviewer?
I have to respectfully disagree with the comments here that Doolittle is a better album than Surfer Rosa. Doolittle had a much higher budget for recording, and has a more polished sound that works commercially better, yes. I love both albums, but Surfer Rosa can be valued for its more raw sound, that has a depth and authenticity to it that is unique and certainly appreciated by many important artists who name this album as a huge influence on their development. I listen to this and am still struck to this day by the sound they introduced as early as 1988!! This sounds like '90s to me, and one could argue that this album, along with Meat Puppets II by the Meat Puppets (which are both way ahead of their time) set the stage for much of the grunge and alternative rock that took the early to mid-90's by storm.
Musically I like Surfer Rosa more, and I think it sounds better. Doolittle is easier to listen to. As you say they're both great.