Go, go little record go
It is named by
Some guy named Joe (Trompe Le Monde)
And redneckers they get us pissed
And stupid stuff it makes us shout
Oh dance with me, oh don’t be shy
Oh kiss me cunt and kiss me cock
Oh kiss the world, oh kiss the sky
Oh kiss my ass, oh let it rock (U-Mass)
Roll over Bobby Dylan and tell Leonard Lennon the news, that’s what real music wordies look like. I’m playing Pixies Trompe Le Monde tonight, an LP I first bought 19 years ago and I can honestly say I have never enjoyed it as much as I am enjoying it right here and now. That’s a nice thing to be able to write.
Being an insufferable tool I decided, totally unheard, that the Pixies were crap mostly based on the fact that they were hugely popular when I was at university and the two guys I knew who were most into them were, slightly differently faceted, insufferable tools. So I only got into them way after the fact, then found out that I’d missed out on just one of the greatest bands of my lifetime as a result. Way to go Joe.
Trompe Le Monde was the last Pixies LP I picked up, in 1998 and I remember really liking two tracks and thinking it was missing the tunes of its’ predecessors. As a result I’ve probably only played it about 10 times ever, if that. I also bought it at a very low time in my life and so it was probably tainted for me by association.
Blasting it out tonight I am just aghast at how LOUD it all is, how much MORE, how much PLUS the whole album is. I remember the Pixies teasing the music press that Trompe Le Monde was going to be their heavy metal album, it ain’t but they borrowed our casual attitude to all needles in the red unsubtlety. Mostly. The big hitters are right there on queue, the spasming Venusian surf-rock of ‘Planet of Sound’, the sheer soak-your-underpants-in-whiskey-and-dance-in-the-fire beastliness of ‘U-Mass’ and the rockin’ Jesus & Mary Chain cover ‘Head On’. Separately and cumilatively these bad boys are reason enough to own this vinyl but that really isn’t the whole story.
Take ‘Lovely Day’, probably nobody’s favourite Pixies song, I love it because it is so taut and tense and yet so poppy it sounds like a gang of recently-escaped scalpel-wielding madmen trying to cover ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ for no good reason whatsoever. Similarly, I am much taken with the gorgeous ‘Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons’ which is less about the titular Martian volcano and much more about a drug low; ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ for the industrial solvent using generation.
The fact that ‘… Mons’ disintegrates into the angular, unfriendly mission statement of ‘Space (I Believe in)’ is a masterful little bit of sequencing. It’s a great track too, Kim Deal’s most tangible presence on the LP*, both in terms of backing vox and some great bass playing. Anyway what mortal could resist the chorus of ‘Jefrey with one f’? why would you want to?
My fave track on Trompe Le Monde is the wickedly sarcastic, wilfully audience-baiting ‘Subbacultcha’, the only track on the LP where Frank Black sings it in his patented sex offender whine – always a highlight. It just skewers the whole alt-rock crowd beautifully, ‘I was wearing eyeliner / She was wearing eyeliner’, which didn’t stop them loving it of course**. It’s funny, mean-spirited and unique – the Pixies in a nutshell. Way to go Joe!
Okay, so there’s a lot of lesser bits sprinkled across the plastic, but we’re all about the good stuff here at 1537. Trompe Le Monde was a great stopping place for the Pixies^, all their melodic strengths and awkward fury being displayed for us to gawk at one more time. Rarely bettered, never tamed, what a band. Take it away with those music words, one more time:
This ain’t the planet of sound
This ain’t the planet of sound
This ain’t the planet of sound
This ain’t the planet of sound
This ain’t no rock and roll town
This ain’t no fuckin’ around
780 Down.
*she seemed a bit sidelined by this point in the Pixies, or maybe she was saving her powers for the Breeders?
**have some more:
I was hoping to have her in the sack
I was looking handsome
She was looking like an erotic vulture
I was all dressed in black
She was all dressed up in black
^I haven’t explored their newer/post-break up stuff, too afraid that they’d just prove to be another bunch of mere mortals, I don’t want that reality – I want Gods and heroes to worship.
“Way to go Joe”. I have done that numerous times but substitute CB for Joe. Pixies sound better all the time.
I am so glad this album got to you like it should, even if it was 19 years later! I have an unreserved love for the Pixies. It blinds to their faults, but I’m OK with that.
Also, the return of the spaceman Lego! And a well-chosen album for his inclusion!
It sort of snuck up on me. Little Chris liked this one, I could tell.
Given how little (relatively) there is from this band, it’s fantastic to me that in 2017 one of their LPs can become a new friend. I love it.
I haven’t heard it yet – but I have no intention of resisting the Jefrey with one F chorus!
How could anyone?
I bought a job lot a while back but didn’t really get beyond “Loud, More, Plus”. Inspired to break them out again. Cheers.
I love them when they’re being all manic and menacing.
I haven’t listened to this one in a while, but it’s in my Pixies top 2 despite its flaws. A relentlessly shambolic riot at times. Pure awesomeness.
You’re not missing much when it comes to new Pixies. Very much by numbers stuff… not dreadful, but a bit dull (in my opinion).
Also, wee Lego Chris is getting an early outing, eh?
Top 2? praise indeed – which is your fave?
Predictably, it’s probably Doolittle, though cause this spurred some Pixies listening, it may also be Surfer Rosa. There’s actually not much between those two. So, this drops to top 3.
I’m not so keen on Bossanova but I really rate Come On Pilgrim too.
Yeah, I don’t bother with Bossanova at all. Bossawhat?? Exactly.
I forgot about Come On Pilgrim. I’m actually not sure I still have that.
This album got some spins at our place thanks to my sis back in the 90s. UMass is an all-time fave. Reminds me of my days at uni.
What a great track! ITS EDICATIONAL!! etc etc
Yay Pixies! Not my favourite of their albums but some good stuff here nonetheless. The last time I saw them live three years ago, they played their cover of Head on and I almost lost my mind.
Almost? What a shame, you could legitimately have asked ‘Where Is My Mind?’
Haha. No. But I definitely lost my mind when they played that one as their final number.
I have never listened to the Pixies but this makes me want to as I seem I have been missing out.
It’s good subversive stuff.
This is my favourite Pixies album. It’s relentless.
That’s a great adjective for them. In fact I may go back and edit my post, so it looks like I thought of describing them that way.