09 // Pixies // Indie Cindy
I’m not sure if this is technically eligible for 'The List',
given that it was initially released as three EPs, one of which came out in
2013. Anyway, too late now… I already adored EP 1 this time last year, and - taken together with EPs 2 &
3 - it’s still the four tracks from EP 1 that I like the most on Indy Cindy, but there are plenty of other
super songs here too. ‘Snakes’ is a
squirly little beast in true Pixies
tradition, while ‘Another Toe in the Ocean’ is surprisingly tender. ‘Blue Eyed Hexe’ is full of a suitable amount
of bile, and the title track (which was on EP
1 originally) just gets me every time, with its mean-spirited spoken verse
juxtaposed to a truly beautiful chorus – a track that is as good as anything
they’ve done before. Admittedly, Indie Cindy is not perfect: lead-single
‘Bagboy’ (which came out before even EP
1) might be a wonderful little electro-droner, but it feels horribly out of
place here, and the hugely disappointing album-closer ‘Jamie Bravo’ feels like
a half-hearted addition. Overall, this
album doesn’t reach the heights of Surfer
Rosa or Doolittle, but, frankly,
how many albums do? This is flawed but
has at least 8 outstanding tracks on it.
A record that notably adds to their wonderful legacy.