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Jul 23, 2014 Web Exclusive By Cody Ray Shafer

Pixies are an incredible band, when you really think about it. They emerged at a time in rock and roll when glam was the norm, punk was homogenized, and everything else was gloomy and self-absorbed. Then, here comes this band of not exactly glamorous misfits, wearing old jeans and drinking beer, and performing the hell out of weird songs referencing obscure Biblical characters and describing facial mutilation. So much has been said about the influence Pixies had on music in the ‘90s, and not much of it is exaggerated. It didn’t hurt their legacy that they disbanded after only four full-length albums, leaving fans with nothing left to do but pick up their guitars and scream their own recreations of Pixies iconic sound.

It’s been 23 years since the release of their last studio album, 1991’s Trompe le Monde, and they’ve finally put out some new material, despite having reunited officially a decade back. Only now bassist and sometimes singer Kim Deal has left, requiring Black Francis, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering to try and fill the void left without her lofty ethereal voice chiming in haunting harmony with Francis’ guttural screeches. They made do with another Kim here, but it still doesn’t feel ethical.

At least Pixies didn’t try to fake their way into recreating every aspect of their former glory. But the music here is so unfortunately forgettable. At the very least, it sounds like a logical follow-up to Trompe le Monde, and is unmistakably authentic. The problem is Trompe le Monde was already kind of a dull record and Pixies were likely on a trajectory of burnout if they hadn’t called it quits when they did.

That being said, Indy Cindy—really a compilation of the band’s three EPs recorded in 2012 and released in 2013—is better than nothing at all. “Magdalena” could pass for a track cut from Bossanova, and songs such as “Andro Queen” and “What Goes Boom” show some ambition, but nothing that pushes the band forward, and nothing remotely close to reliving the excellence of Surfer Rosa or Doolittle.

But at least it’s something. (www.pixiesmusic.com)

Author rating: 5/10