lisaatucla's Full Review: Trompe Le Monde by The Pixies
The Pixies defy categorization although bands like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins had credited them as a strong influence. The Pixies also have been regarded as one of the founders of grunge, although they have never been so depressingly trite as Pearl Jam. The Pixies have their wings dipped in a strange mix of punk and pop, but are superior to bubble gum punk such as Green Day and Blink 182, tinged with a bit of gothic beauty.
What I love about the Pixies is they don’t sing about mundane things. They are the band for all those people who are into sci-fi, science, and just the strangeness and weirdness of things. With song titles such as Palace of the Brine, Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons, and Distance Equals Rate Times Time, you know this is no ordinary band.
Tromple le Monde was first hailed as the Pixies return to punk after their mellow, yet exquisite stints with Bassanova and Doolittle. However, the album is a hybrid between their punkish approach and haunting melodies. Trompe Le Monde has everything from dreamy rhythms to thrashing guitar reverbs and pounding drums. Distorted rock guitars are punkish yet melodic while Black Francis’ screeching vocals are complimented by Kim Deal’s whispery sneer. Unfortunately, Black cuts down on his Spanish lyrics used in past albums.
The highlights of the CD are:
The opening track, Trompe Le Monde, is an ideal introduction to the Pixies’ style. A short song with distorted, racy guitar licks and Francis and Deal singing in polar unison, “Why do cupids and angels continually haunt her dreams like memories in another life?”
Alec Eiffel, a tune about the Eiffel tower creator who was first ridiculed about his phallic monolith. “They thought he was a smart aleck… They didn’t know he was panoramic,” croons Francis, then shouts, “People can be, oh, so dense.” Even with these simple lyrics, the track is full of haunting harmonies between the male and female lead voices, while an electric guitar belts out a riot of distortion.
Motorway to Roswell is about the New Mexico, Roswell incident about a crashed alien ship. However, in keeping with the Pixies style, the track is a sad tale sung from the perspective of the aliens who were simply vacationing around the galaxy. “On a holiday, so many miles, looking for a place to stay near some friendly star…he ended in army crates and photographs and files.” The track is almost like a ballad, heartfelt and introspective that I can’t help feeling bad for those poor aliens, crashing and burning in the desolate, lonely desert of New Mexico.
In the hard driving Planet of Sound, Francis’ vocals are warbled, sounding as if he’s singing underwater. He sings about looking for the planet of sound, but alas never finding it.
“One fine day in my odd past
i picked me up a transmission
i turned the fission ignition
went looking for the broadcaster”
Letter to Memphis is a two and a half minute ballad. No over-the-top syrupy Guns and Roses posing, it’s a punk-esque love song. “Why do you come so far? Trying to get to you.”
The final song slows the tempo down. The Navajo Know not only sounds melancholy, but it’s also sad in the respect that when the CD ends, that’s it – we’ve just listened to the Pixies’ final album.
“some people say that
the navajo know
a way of walking
quite high above the ground
fearless of looking down”
Trompe Le Monde (Fool the World), the final album for the Pixies is indeed a trophy of a band leaving at the top of their game, height of their genius. The Pixies resist categorization, are innovators of rock and punk, and I have not heard an equal to their the creativity since.
Tracks:
Trompe Le Monde
Planet of Sound
Alec Eiffel
The Sad Punk
Head On
U-Mass
Palace of the Brine
Letter to Memphis
Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons
Space (I Believe In)
Subbacultacha
Distance Equals Rate Times Time
Lovely Day
Motorway to Roswell
The Navajo Know
Part of GasJocket214 4 or 5 star Album W/O.
Other contributers include:
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.