Originally posted by Brad
Here comes your man, Debaser, Where is my Mind, Hey, Gigantic.
the new one Bam Thowck sounds a bit like a breeders song though but Whatever the case, there's no mistaking the track as a Pixies song: Joey Santiago's signature guttural guitarwork alternately wails and groans like a tortured wild thing while David Lovering's drumkit guides Deal's jagged, unpredictable hooks with graceful effortless. In fact, the only major difference in the actual sound of the band today is a more confident air of technical proficiency. Where "Bam Thwok" falters is in the songwriting itself: Inspired by a story Kim Deal found on the street in a child's abandoned art book, the song's chorus sends a vague message of universal togetherness-- "Love, bang, crash, wakka wakka, bam thwok"-- that unfortunately grates by the end of the song's brief 2½-minute runtime.
While by no means a truly weak effort, the interminable repetition of the somewhat lacking chorus and its unrelenting Fozzie Bear invocation do fall a bit short of the band's previous standards. Additionally-- though this is slightly less significant-- the intense, determined charge that propelled the group's best work is somewhat diminished. And somehow, even with the songwriting falling short of the bar, it is good to hear the Pixies still challenging themselves melodically-- the track's widely discussed organ breakdown is an experimental quirk most groups wouldn't dare attempt after 13 years apart-- and otherwise maintaining high standards for distinctive and ambitious musicianship. [