[.ca] Come On Pilgrim

From Amazon.co.uk:
When they first hit the underground scene with this debut album, the Pixies were like an exotic drink that hid its sweetness behind a ferocious bite. The album's production is like a crude explosion: every strum and clang comes down with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. English and Spanish lyrics collide as singer Black Francis (later Frank Black) shouts in a hoarse monotone and Mrs. John Murphy (later Kim Deal of the Breeders) backs him up with throaty wails. Yet somehow the clash of these bruising titans makes for tracks that print indelibly upon your consciousness--once let in. Kurt Cobain is their most famous student. He grafted the Pixies' time-honoured craft of the big bang theory onto Nirvana's biggest hits. (You start with a quiet verse and then explode for catharsis in the chorus--evidenced best here with "I've Been Fired".) The Pixies themselves have served quietly, attaining post-punk godfather status not by tooting their own horns but through the praise of a steady stream of genuflecting admirers whose word of mouth continues to increase the band's deserved critical standing. --Rob O'Connor

Amazon.com essential recording:
When they first hit the underground scene with this debut album, the Pixies were like an exotic drink that hid its sweetness behind a ferocious bite. The album's production is like a crude explosion: every strum and clang comes down with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. English and Spanish lyrics collide as singer Black Francis (later Frank Black) shouts in a hoarse monotone and Mrs. John Murphy (later Kim Deal of the Breeders) backs him up with throaty wails. Yet somehow the clash of these bruising titans makes for tracks that print indelibly upon your consciousness--once let in. Kurt Cobain is their most famous student. He grafted the Pixies' time-honored craft of the big bang theory onto Nirvana's biggest hits. (You start with a quiet verse and then explode for catharsis in the chorus--evidenced best here with "I've Been Fired.") The Pixies themselves have served quietly, attaining post-punk godfather status not by tooting their own horns, but through the praise of a steady stream of genuflecting admirers whose word of mouth continues to increase the band's deserved critical standing. --Rob O'Connor

Just Great Period.:
I'll keep it short and sweet. You like the Pixies? You buy this album. The End.

The best demo turned into an actual cd ever:
Damn, granted this cd is only a lil over 20 mins long, with only 8 songs, this is one of my favorite Pixies cds. Every song is brilliant, this is one of the last Pixies cds that I had purchased and I almost felt like I had been missing out on something this great. I read somewhere that this was the demo they had sent to the record company and they like it so much they turned it into thier first release. Frank Black is one of my favorite musicians, his songs are twisted, demented, and for the most part ingenius. I urge you to try this out then go from there. If you have taste you'll dig this.

So this is where it all began....:
This actually is the last Pixies album I bought (due to the fact that it's so freakin hard to find) but I finally got it and it was a perfect start for the ultimate alt rock group. I have to admit I have thier greatest hits, Death to the Pixies, so I had already heard most of these songs, but it was still amazing with a few very pleasant surprises. This has the original version of the classic 'Vamos'and I like them both just as much. It is so different from the Surfer Rosa version. I like to say that the version on this album was made while on weed, and the version on Surfer Rosa was made while on crack. I think that's pretty much a good explanation. The other great surprise was I've Been Tired, a great song that became one of my favorites. It's so funky and cool and it's one of the first songs I'll show people when introducing them to the Pixies (of course most of them have heard Where Is My Mind in Fight Club). I know the CD is very short, but I can't help but feel like I've just listened to a whole normal sized album after hearing it. I guess it's that good and it is a great introduction to the Pixies. It is a little short, but it will keep the listener aching for more Pixies and this CD is a definite 5 star mini album. The best mini album you can buy, and all in all is true.

Remastered?:
This is a great CD. The Pixies were a watershed band and this EP lays the blueprint for everything they were to do later. But a word of warning for those expecting improved sound on this reissue: to my ears, this 2003 re-release sounds exactly the same as the previous version. Either the previous master was used, or it might as well have been. Buy whatever version is cheapest, but don't purchase this again if you already own it.

A terrific little intro to what would follow:
Not a wasted moment on this little beauty. This disk never fails to put a smile on my face. By the time you hear the intoxicating vocals on the closer, Levitate Me, you'll want to shed a little tear that it's ending all too soon.

• Caribou
• Vamos
• Isla de Encanta
• Ed Is Dead
• Holiday Song
• Nimrod's Son
• I've Been Tired
• Levitate Me