Pixies – Complete B-Sides: 1988-97

4AD

I miss the halcyon days of the single; when an artist would release something to promote an album, be it a stand-alone piece, often with extra tracks from the recording session for the relevant album, or even an EP of material recorded specifically for that record. The independent scene of the eighties and nineties were probably those halcyon days with a two- or three-track seven-inch disc, often costing a couple of quid or a four- or five-track 12″ for three which, compared to the bank-busting £20 for a one-sided seven-inch these days, seems like remarkable value.

Often these items were purchased regardless of whether you already had the album as the artist concerned could often be relied upon to deliver some sweet surprises which, due to the nature of the material, were either not suited to the album or they had simply run out of space. It was often a place to try things out and be they successful or not, the drive to provide something extra for the listener was obvious.

The 4AD label, and Pixies as part of their roster, were exemplars of this sort of thinking, with their single and EP releases unique works of art in their own right. The collection of the b-sides from their original six UK singles was originally released on CD in 2001, but here they have been remastered and augmented by live tracks from the ’97 reissue of “Debaser” and a couple of live tracks from “Alec Eiffel / Head On”. The obsessive Pixies fan will presumably own a lot of this stuff on the original releases, but to have it compiled in one place is a fascinating alternative snapshot of their five-year recording career from 1987’s Come On Pilgrim through to the finale that was Trompe Le Monde.

It is hard to imagine what it was like to hear the magic of the group’s interplay when they first arrived, seemingly fully formed; “River Euphrates” revels in the joy of the voices and the loud-quiet-loud tendency, Joey Sanitago‘s peeling feedback and the ragged backing vocals. Forty years on and it still packs a punch. On the flip were two live cuts, presumably to entice the listener and show them what they were missing. The frantic pace of “Vamos” and the sheer unhinged vocal on a cover of David Lynch‘s “In Heaven”, allied to the sub-metal riffs and the desire to tear the songs into shreds, must have brought live show converts in their droves.

Clearly there was a surfeit of quality material, with “Manta Ray” being a short, sharp dual-vocal treat that was on the back of “Monkey Gone To Heaven”. “Weird At My School” has a marching band feel to its experimental structure, presumably driven by drummer David Lovering, while “Do The Manta Ray” prowls and owes a little debt to The Cramps‘ sleazy sexiness. The UK surf version of “Wave Of Mutilation” feels like an experiment in slowing down one of their more manic numbers and turning it into a muted tremolo-driven love song, while “Into The White” is an opportunity for Kim Deal to sing, her voice flat yet lovely over an acoustic backing leading into “Bailey’s Walk”, another lungbuster from Black Francis.

The succinct nature of the songs means that there are nineteen squeezed onto the first disc of the CD set, so the gradual transformation of the band is easy to follow. “Velouria”‘s b-sides contain a rare Dave Lovering vocal on the fairly straightforward “Make Believe”, Kim sounding great on a fevered subversion of Neil Young‘s “I’ve Been Waiting For You”, with the stream of consciousness piano dirge of “The Thing” rounding them off. This is probably the ultimate example of Pixies’ diversity, whereas the instrumental version of “Velvety”, b-side of “Dig For Fire”, pretty seems unnecessary. It is however buoyed by the lovely duet between Kim and Charles on the other Neil Young cover “Winterlong” and the defiantly awkward trying things on of “Santo”.

Two more covers enhance “Planet Of Sound”, with the classic surf intro and guitar shards interlaced with sweet riffing of “Theme From Narc” going toe to toe with Graham Gouldman‘s “Evil Hearted You”, which is pure craziness. The countrified “Build High” separates them and proves another feather in Charles’s cap. The final track on the first disc or the third side of the LP set is an instrumental version of “Letter To Memphis” and without the vocals, you can’t help but notice a similarity to some of their other Boston brethren like Dinosaur Jr or Buffalo Tom as the sound became more collegiate rock and less of the frantic outburst of Pixies’ early work.

The final disc and the fourth side of vinyl is all live, capturing two tracks from Brixton Academy in 1991 where their tightness and lunacy is at its apogee. The audience is roaring their approval and the group moves from fierce and frantic to sinister and desperate in the blink of an eye. Charles’s shriek is inhuman, whereas the warmth and humour of Kim is almost palpable. Perhaps what this disc shows best is that they were an unstoppable live unit, with the final four tracks recorded in 1989 and captures them turning the songs on their heads.

They are recognisable, but it is as if the songs were living rough for a time, reappearing imbued with danger and manic tendencies. Over in fifteen minutes, these six tracks highlight their live diversity from the lovely duetting of Kim and Charles, the combination of extravagant riff monster Joey and the prettiness of Charles’s acoustic to Kim’s chuckling bass and Lovering’s insistent battering. It is all here.

This is a great and essential collection of material that would otherwise be lost in the mists of time. It hangs together surprisingly well for such a disparate gathering and is like a mirror image of Wave Of Mutilation: The Best Of Pixies. Played back-to-back, these tracks show what Pixies were really made of when the pressure was off and for that alone shouldn’t be missed.

-Mr Olivetti-