Tuesday 18 August 2015

Caribou - The Pixies

Rusty's waltz wednesday presents: Caribou, by The Pixies


Alright, it's been a while, but I've been listening to the pixies a lot recently, so here goes:

The Pixies:

Have you heard of the pixies? Once my friend LB and I went to their concert in Montreal in 2005. It was at the Uniprix tennis courts, you know, in Jarry park.

Anyway, they had a dual billing with Weezer, and came on first. They blew me away, and was probably the best assigned-seating concert I've been to. I had listened to them somewhat at that point but mostly through osmosis - that I remember the concert so well today I think is to their credit.

Kim the bassist has such a cool voice and is a badass proto-90s-style bass guitar player. Their guitarist Joey plays slow, textural, and sometimes dissonant riffs, yet didn't feel the need to call himself "the edge": fascinating. Their drummer David is solid - this isn't jazz so he's not pulling 3 minute drum solos, but you know what I mean. Black Francis is the pseudonym the singer/rhythm guitarist charles goes by. I love his songwriting. Sometimes he screams, but you can't tell if he's joking or serious. His lyrics are insane, and once he told jian gomeshi to frig off in not so many words before the latter's recent fall from grace.

Seriously, he does an alien voice to mock gomeshi's overwrought question.


When you listen to this track, think how different this sounds from music released in 1987. That was the time of hair metal. These guys must have been pretty stylistically unique when they released the album Come On Pilgrim.

I'm sharing a live version, it's them in their prime

This is a hard-driving pixies rock song in 6/8 timing. charles' rhythm guitar plays these triplets that keep the time, you'll hear it in the intro. Joey's opening guitar riffs are really typical of their style, as is Kim's single-note base playing - listen to how she plays entire chords one one note, 1 beat for each of the 6 beats per measure. This rocks. Then charles starts screaming "REPENT!", it's a great time. Hope you enjoy!

Listen on, especially the last track "Hey" which is a great song that's not in waltz form by this band.

The song:


Until next time, signing off, saying bye, check you later,
rusty.