Doolittle by the Pixies

Doolittle is my favourite Pixies record. However, like many others, I feel the production on Surfer Rosa is timeless, while Doolittle sounds very 1989.

I remember at the time wondering why no one else around me was freaking out about how good this album was...

 

I'm taking this post to honor the 'late great' 80's-loving web-site, Slicing Up Eyeballs.

 

This Nations Saving Grace & Hex Execution Hour are 2 fantastic efforts in particular & nothing to sneeze at for sure, same with Queen, or Strangeways. The only album that comes close for me, on a personal level, is Remain In Light.

Doolittle is just the definitive album for me from that decade. It means more to me than most albums in general With that said, I couldn't argue against the albums you mentioned, or even some R.E.M., or Replacements, or The Stone Roses' debut, or stuff by Echo & The Bunnymen, as they all released killer stuff as well.

 

1989 was just a great year for music.

 

Back from the dead cows socket...
slicing up eyeballs // 80s alternative music, college rock, indie

 

WOW!
That's news to ME!
Thanks...!

 

A member here posted a link to something featured about a month ago, I was quite shocked, nice to see it back up and running

 

A fantastic album, I remember pre-ordering this from HMV and picking it up on release day.
My anticipation was high following on from Come on Pilgrim/Surfer Rosa and I was not disappointed. For me Debaser is one of the greatest album openers.

 

Thank you!

I can easily see the comparison with The Velvet Underground and Nico. The reason I mentioned Parade is that both that album and Doolittle have this freewheeling approach where the music shifts on a dime. It's that not knowing what you're going to hear from moment to moment feeling that both share in common.

 

I love all the stuff you mention, and in that same vein I would have to throw Sonic Youth's Sister and Daydream Nation into the mix. Two seminal records that are easily among the best of the '80s.

 

Agree and agree. And people somehow think the 80's were crap for some reason. Overflowing with amazing guitar music and then if you throw in the hip-hop and Prince an amazing decade IMO.

 

I never loved Doolittle in the same way I loved Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa, buy Hey is possibly my favourite Pixies song. And what everyone else said about the last 1'50" of No 13 Baby.

 

1000% agree. Daydream is another monster & Teenage Riot is right up there with Debaser as my favorite opener.

 

Gotta agree here too. The decade had no shortage of top teir material at all.

 

Yes! I love how the slow intro explodes into the kinetic guitar riff.

I saw SY perform DN in its entirety about a decade ago at the Greek Theater in LA. Great show, and one of my favorite bands.

As for the Pixies, I caught the reunited band at Coachella with Kim Deal, and saw the lineup with Kim Shattuck on bass a few years back. Not as good as the glory years I expect but still two very good shows.

 

And of course back in 91 my favorite record store guy flashed this in front of me as soon as I walked in the door...

 

Easily their best, and the best album of 1989. I was 22 and living in Boston that year, so it was kind of big.

I think there is only one weak track ("Silver"), the rest is terrific. I saw them in concert a couple of weeks ago and they played several songs from the album, all of which got the best response from the crowd.

 

Yes, all solid except for Silver. I'm always slightly surprised when fans diss the post Miss John Murphy line-up; the songwriting input of Kim Deal was almost zero over 4 albums - 2 co-writes. Her image and backing vocals were iconic, I guess.

 

Yeah she wasn't much of a songwriter, however, I loved her vocals though, and they helped make the songs much better imo. She's a fine bass player too, with a very understated style that's very catchy. To be fair, Gigantic is one of their best songs. I also happen to really enjoy Silver, even if it is my least favorite song on the album.

Didn't hurt their image to have someone good looking in the band either

 

I, too, was 22!

 

And me!!! I used to check that site every day. Just added to Favorites.

Thank you!

 

This is what takes it a step above good albums.
You get six excellent but straightforward songs to start, then Monkey Gone to Heaven takes it to another level with its layers of instruments which then gets surpassed by La La Love You, No. 13 Baby and Hey.

 

No. 313 Baby

 

Can you imagine someone considering any of those albums "commercial" in 1989?

 

I laughed when he handed it to me, one of the first things I noticed