Pixies - Come on Pilgrim

When they first hit the underground scene with this debut album, the Pixies were like an exotic drink that hid its sweetness behind a ferocious bite. The album's production is like a crude explosion: every strum and clang comes down with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. English and Spanish lyrics collide as singer Black Francis (later Frank Black) shouts in a hoarse monotone and Mrs. John Murphy (later Kim Deal of the Breeders) backs him up with throaty wails. Yet somehow the clash of these bruising titans makes for tracks that print indelibly upon your consciousness--once let in. Kurt Cobain is their most famous student. He grafted the Pixies' time-honored craft of the big bang theory onto Nirvana's biggest hits. (You start with a quiet verse and then explode for catharsis in the chorus--evidenced best here with "I've Been Fired.") The Pixies themselves have served quietly, attaining post-punk godfather status not by tooting their own horns, but through the praise of a steady stream of genuflecting admirers whose word of mouth continues to increase the band's deserved critical standing. --Rob O'Connor Amazon.com essential recording

Just Part of the Blueprint for Nirvana

There is roudiness in here. Black Francis coos and snarls in a way in which Kurt Cobain would just do. Cobain played along with Francis' way, as shown in his band Nirvana. Such wonderful and raunchy tracks include the Spanish introduction in "Vamos", "Isla de Encanta"(you can hear Mrs. John Murphy singing softly in this one as background vocalist), and "I've Been Tired", the song featured subtly in M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" in which "Mr. Glass" is down in mood at a comic book store. The song is heard over the intercom. June 8, 2007

We are Not Men, We are Pixies!

Ladies and gentlemen, let us introduce the essence of the pre-mainstream `Pixies:' with themes that are rather indecipherable, but of which utilize a personality that will make the hairs on the back of your neck run, duck, and cover--hiding from the creepy-crawly bass, the spidery, frothy, and utterly venomous guitars, and squashy drums, that all make a cloud of noisy, alternative punk-pop aggression. All this is propelled with yelping, screaming, wailing, and chanting. To boot these lyrics are sometimes even shouted in Spanish, like a language-confused banshee. It should go without saying that you may feel awkward and neurotic, all while dancing around the room, charging full speed into the wall having finally uncovered a new kind of kick. This adrenaline rush always comes back when listening to this album, coming in the shape of a Pixie, it has your first and last name, and like with Santa Claus, it's your decision if it'll make you naughty or nice. Simply, it is impossible to not get into the `Pixies.' That is, as long as you are not Fascist, a wife beater, part of the Ku Klux Klan, or a Ronald Regan enthusiast. In other words, `Pixie' haters are just evil people-- as this is a band that is special to many people's hearts, this writer obviously included. So, now you ask me to stop drooling and actually write the bloody review. Ok, no problem. Just where do I begin?

Out from the shadowy corner of the once small underground cult movement of Indie rock came the Pixies, a quartet from Boston, who with financial help from the father of their lead singer, Black Francis (who would later change his name to Frank Black when he went solo,) recorded seventeen songs that became known as `The Purple Tape.' Eight of these are found on "Come On Pilgrim," their 1987 debut EP--many of the other tracks are available on different albums, and are also collected on a self-titled compilation.

Even when looked at by itself, "Come on Pilgrim" is a feat, throttling amongst bursting stop-go-and-explode stampedes of alternative power-pop with a healthy ode to the previous decades' punk rockers. This album is scary in its crooked delivery, and that alarming disarray factor is one of their more impeccable qualities, along with their clever, and wicked antics; as the song `I`ve Been Tired' says, it'll make you "want to be a singer like Lou Reed," but certainly would not make you want to "lose your pe*is to a wh*re with disease," unless of course it is the only way you could turn into a Pixie fan.

The first song, Caribou, and the squally voice of Francis, amiss the splintery, albeit modest string instrumentals of lead guitarist Joey Santiago, bassist Kim Deal, and the steady, clambering beat of drummer David Lovering, as well as the cries to "repent," make the listener know that this is not a usual day in the musical factory. The song tries for a feeling of didactic self-evaluation, yet the lyrics are impenetrable, even bad in the poetic sense. However, its not about that, its about turning the normal musical conventions around, and creating a song that is catchy, even if it is quite fragmented. While other songs have very memorable and playful lyrics, for example, `Nimrod's Song,' contains the winning lyric: "My sister held me close and whispered to my bleeding head, "You are a son of a Mother ****er"

`Come on Pilgrim' lassoes you in with noisy dynamics, drawing you in with its instrument hooks. Yet, even if the sound is unique, admittedly it is also more loud feedback than sophistication. On this Indie album, they obviously were not yet heavily produced, as each song sounds a bit alike, although the `Pixies' try to add individuality to each track, the music still never slows it down, or travels past a certain aggressiveness, choosing to stick to the similar tempo as the next one. "Come on Pilgrim" is an imperfect, but accessible debut from one of rocks most consistent acts of the late 1980's/ early 1990's period.

**** ( Out of 5)
May 31, 2007

This Ain't No Holiday, but It Always Turns Out this Way!

The Pixies, a Rock alternative band who began in the mid '80s inspired many of the 1990s Alt. and Grunge acts..although The Pixies are Way better and possibly more influential than all those Seattle Bands. Yep...this is what Begin it all for The Pixies! "Come On Pilgrim"(1987) is a fury-filled Rock Ep containing 8 Raw tracks.
"Caribou" has been one of my favorite Pixie tracks over the last few years -featuring a crooning vocal side to Black Francis' otherwise manic wildman like howling screams. ...Well he does Scream in the chorus: REPENT! -as much of the lyrics of Pixies early work focuses on The Bible. Also I believe the Pixies were inspired by Pere Ubu (others).
Joey Santiago has to be one the Most under-rated lead guitarist out there - he shows us his Frenzied fast freakout guitar playing throughout, especially on "Vamos" -Black Francis singing: "if we get Bored, we'll move to California." and "Isla de Encanta"- purely smokin'
Then you have track four w/ another TOP Favorite of mine in "Ed is Dead" - also featuring the awesome sweet power of Kim Deal's backing vocals behind Frank Black's. I love guy/girl vocal duos. It just adds more substance or variety -and The Pixies are one of the Best.
"The Holiday Song" (track 5) was used as an opener for many early Pixie performances. "Nimrod's Son" - (indie hit) a yellin' good time..Jack White-(The White Stripes) was paying attention.
Next is some more Havoc-hell raising in "I've Been Tired" and then the closer "Levitate Me": "...Elevator lady..elevator lady - Lady levitate Me!"
Their next 2 (full length) albums were probably their Best with "Surfer Rosa" and "Doolittle"- but "Come On Pilgrim" is definately a rewarding listen from "Caribou" on Through- May 4, 2007

More like five-illion stars.

This is to rock'n'roll what the cantata bwv 82 is to classical music: the one work that dwarves and runs circle around any possible contenders. October 7, 2006

These are your new best friends, the Pixies...

This is less an EP and more an album with absolutely no filler. Every song just plain rocks. And if you don't like a song at first, then in about two minutes another one will be rampaging in your eardrums.

Even though it doesn't exactly show off their softer side (except perhaps on "Caribou"), Come on Pilgrim is probably the best way to introduce someone to the Pixies. Raging thrash guitars, drumming that borders on the manic, obtuse and obscene lyrics shrieked and howled in English and Spanish - this is what the Pixies are all about. And while they had not yet raised this to an artform (they did on Surfer Rosa and Doolittle), it's still clearly the foundation of their sound.

Definitely worth a listen for both Pixies newcomers and die hard fans alike. August 4, 2006

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