The Pixies’ ‘Head Carrier’ reminiscent of America’s Alternative Rock Scene

Boston quartet The Pixies have been hailed as influencers across the musical spectrum since their mid-’80s release “Come On Pilgrim.” They are inspirations for the likes of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, U2’s Bono, and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. In a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, Cobain spoke of the Pixies’ influence on “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the lead single from 1991’s “Nevermind.” “I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies,” he said.

After taking a 10-year break, The Pixies reunited in 2003. Their post-hiatus debut, “Indy Cindy,” was amalgamated from a series of previously released EPs and received mixed reviews when it was released in 2014.

Their newest offering, “Head Carrier,” is significantly more cohesive. Aside from a strange screamo-esque departure (“Baal’s Back”), the album grooves along nicely, only pausing for a short, well-placed breather on “All I Think About Now,” where recent bass recruit Paz Lenchantin (formerly of The Entrance Band and Queens of the Stone Age) takes the reins on vocals. The album is assured; here is the sound of a band who now know themselves well after decades of honing their energy. They aren’t afraid to reminisce about the past, either—both “Head Carrier” and “All I Think About Now” gracefully allude to the departure of bassist Kim Deal, the latter track having been written as a thank-you to the founding member.

“Head Carrier” is a strong title track, with frontman Francis proclaiming, “You can’t be too chill,” and David Lovering showcasing his signature driving style on drums. Joey Santiago delivers his distorted lead guitar with fervor. Lenchantin also makes a secure debut as bassist, following on from longtime band-member Deal and recent departure Kim Shattuck. It’s a promising start to an album that is trying its hardest to rise above 2014’s “Indy Cindy.” This song and the subsequent track, “Classic Masher,” say one thing: The Pixies are back.

The only disappointment on the tracklist is “Baal’s Back,” a brief yet out-of-place attempt to hark back to a previous era. The track opens with a screeched, “I bet you thought that I was dead and gone,” and in just one minute and 53 seconds, it’s over, eliminating any hope that the listener might warm to the hasty genre switch. Francis wholeheartedly proves that his caterwauling abilities remain, but the context is less than ideal: Surrounded by the rest of the album, the track simply doesn’t make sense, and it falls short of exhibiting the Pixies’ genre-hopping diversity. “Baal’s Back” is frantic and forced and appears lost in this otherwise congruent album.

“Tenement Song,” on the other hand, is a particular highlight. In contrast to “Baal’s Back,” its nostalgia is well-executed. Lenchantin triumphs vocally, especially on the anthemic chorus, and the narrative is “Hotel California”-like in its rich lyrical content. “His drumsticks were his treasure trove / found in the ashes of the coconut grove,” Francis sings, before a tried-and-tested pre-chorus chord progression kicks in. That “Tenement Song” is able to subtly pull inspiration from The Pixies’ back catalogue, refining rather than rehashing their current material, is a true testament to the current lineup.

Throughout “Head Carrier,” it is easy to hear just how much the bands coming out of the Pacific Northwest, Nirvana in particular, were inspired by the band’s early material. The Pixies, although not notable in terms of album sales, were trailblazers in their field; we might be less shocked by their sound in 2016, but they remain as accomplished as ever. “Head Carrier” serves only to call attention to the successes of the Pixies—past and present.