It’s been 23 long years since indie rock legends the Pixies released their excellent swansong album Tromp le Monde. In the process they consolidated their place in the history books as one of alternative music’s finest and most trailblazing bands. Although the original line-up reunited about a decade ago through a series of sporadic live shows played around the globe, the prospect of new material never seemed particularly likely or even necessary considering the lengthy time period since their remarkable heyday. Comeback albums are difficult to pull off at the best of times, often leaving long time fans disappointed or underwhelmed as a much loved band struggles to recapture the magic. When it was announced that their influential bassist/backing vocalist Kim Deal had left the band to focus on her career with the Breeders in mid-2013, further doubts were cast about the prospect of a new album not just seeing the light of day, but being a success and proud addition to their endearing musical legacy.
So is Indie Cindy the triumphant return Pixies fans have been waiting for? Well, not exactly, but nor is it a spectacular failure either. Instead the band’s long awaited fifth full length album leaves a rather flat initial impression that thankfully perks up to reveal a solid comeback album, despite struggling to recapture the glory of their peak years.
The Pixies of 2014 is a more refined, mature and grizzled entity, retaining some of the distinct songwriting characteristics and darkly humorous lyrical bent of the bands definitive early years, while sounding like a much tamer, modern beast. After all, the passage of time has naturally aged the frenetic energy and electric chemistry they shared all those years ago. Still, the reliable drumming of David Lovering and the inventive, reverb-laden guitar work of Joey Santiago is strong throughout the album, albeit in smoother, restrained form. Frank Black’s (aka Black Francis) distinctive voice is still the lynchpin to the Pixies sound and he delivers a tidy performance; the weathered elements of his matured vocals will no doubt be familiar to listeners that have kept in touch with his solo work. He doesn’t sound as reckless or edgy as in the past but he still knows his way around a decent vocal hook and his lyricism retains its trademark dark wit.
Long-time collaborator Gil Norton handled the production duties for Indie Cindy, having previously twiddled the knobs on the band’s classic trio of releases: Doolittle, Bossanova and Tromp le Monde. Naïve listeners hoping for a return to the stripped back rawness of the Steve Albini produced Surfer Rosa will be disappointed, as Indie Cindy takes the more polished, fuller sound of later releases, whilst easily standing as the slickest sounding album of their career. Yet for all its modernised trimmings, the sound is well balanced, punchy and robust. Musically, the witty lyricism, soft/loud dynamics and poppy inflections still bookends their trademark formula, albeit fused onto a more sedate and moody backdrop.
One of the biggest sticking points during Indie Cindy is the lack of consistency in the songwriting department, particularly toward the backend; however, the top heavy first half supplies plenty of quality nuggets, even if nothing really strikes out as capable of matching the lofty heights of their classic material. Opener ‘What Goes Boom” gets things rolling in style, sounding like an edgier, grown-up version of their former selves. The band’s trademark dynamics come to the fore, coupling heavy, brooding rock swagger with killer vocal hooks. Santiago’s squirrelly guitar manipulations adds a classy touch to the moody pop-rock of ‘Greens and Blues’, while the title track completes a powerful early album trifecta. Frank Black is in particularly fine form as his gritty semi spoken word delivery during the verses is offset by a gorgeously melodic chorus section.
The upbeat ‘Bagboy’ has a vintage Pixies vibe and irresistible, if somewhat repetitive chorus (basically consisting of the word Bagboy repeated over and over). Meanwhile the sublime ‘Silver Snail’ is undoubtedly the album’s memorable centrepiece; a downbeat but somehow buoyant slice of melancholic pop-rock with a dark lyrical twist. The second half of the album struggles to seal the deal with a number of ho-hum moments and forgettable tunes, although in fairness there’s nothing downright terrible or out-of-place on the album.
Indie Cindy is neither a roaring success nor a significant dropping of the ball from a band with a near untouchable body of work. It certainly lacks the raw vitality and inspired songwriting of their previous albums, yet its understated impact has gained momentum with each spin. The album as a whole is a cohesive journey of solid modern Pixies tunes, with only a couple of songs failing to impress. The handful of genuine, noteworthy highlights would fit snugly amongst the classics in a live setting, where I can attest the band still thrives. In the end, the earworm hookiness of the album creeps in deceptively, forcing my hand in re-thinking what would have been a fairly mediocre final score of the album. Indie Cindy stands as a modest comeback album that is worthy of deeper dissection once the initial underwhelming feelings subside.
7.5/10
Reviewer: Luke Saunders