Pixies

Head Carrier (Pixiemusic/ Play It Again Sam)

This is a way better Pixies offering than 2014 comeback Indie Cindy, a mediocre album that did the band’s cult considerable damage. The title track finds frontman Black Francis midnightmare, with a decapitated saint traipsing through his subconscious, head under his arm, over-savage chugging guitars. Classic Masher kicks off with a classic Spector ’’girl group’’ beat before crashing into a darkly funny tale of envy centred around a more stylish gent in a haberdashery store. With its amiable jangle, clean led runs and crisp drums, Plaster Of Paris could be Black Francis fronting The Bats. On more calmly melodic fare such as Tenement Song and Might As Well Be Gone, new member Paz Lenchantin cleaves closely to the simple vocal harmonies/unflashy root-note thump of original bassist Kim Deal, but she’s equally able to buckle her bass bins on lead single Um Chagga Lagga and old-school throat-shredder Baal’s Back, where Francis sounds bilious and bug-eyed. – Grant Smithies