Your POLL's got a little machine: ILM Artist Poll #71 • Pixies (Voting Thread)

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http://i.imgur.com/3u7XePn.png

No need for nominations, just pick your favourite Pixies tracks from any of the albums or singles or whatever. Choose your top twenty-two (why not?) tracks and they'll score as follows:
1:40, 2:36, 3:33, 4:30, 5:28, 6:26, 7:25, 8:24, 9:23, 10:22, 11:21, 12:20, 13:19, 14:18, 15:17, 16:16, 17:15, 18:14, 19:13, 20:12, 21:11, 22:10.
Please send your ballot to: johnnyilxfever (AT) gmail.com (except obviously without the spaces and using the @ symbol) by October 24th (that's a week from Friday).
In the meantime, use this thread for bigging up tracks you want people to vote for.

If you're so inclined, here are some optional side polls...

A. Your ranked five favorite non-Pixies tracks by Pixies members (Frank Black, Breeders, Amps, etc.)

B. Your ranking of Pixies albums.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 16 October 2014 02:10 (ten years ago)

http://oi39.tinypic.com/34fdw74.jpg

pplains, Thursday, 16 October 2014 02:21 (ten years ago)

A couple things...I'm not merging things together. If both Wave of Mutilation and Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) make the results, then so be it. If the instrumental version of Letter to Memphis and the album version of Letter to Memphis both make it, cool! Remember your b-sides, people!

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 16 October 2014 02:39 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIkU-G2wqLo

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Pixies

;)

cwkiii, Thursday, 16 October 2014 02:44 (ten years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Pixies

Moka, Thursday, 16 October 2014 06:39 (ten years ago)

did you get mine?

Moka, Thursday, 16 October 2014 07:19 (ten years ago)

I don't think I've heard anything after Doolittle. Am I missing anything good or should a just put 22 songs off those first three records in an order?

nate woolls, Thursday, 16 October 2014 08:07 (ten years ago)

Trompe Le Monde should certainly be considered. Must be cos of oversaturation of first three that I listen to this more than those if I feel like a blast of Pixies these days.I haven't listened to Bossanova in years but I imagine it will have it's defenders.

Hinklepicker, Thursday, 16 October 2014 08:26 (ten years ago)

early non-album stuff is also great - b-sides and the Purple Tape.

(Would the '87 acoustic Frank Black demos count as solo?)

woof, Thursday, 16 October 2014 09:06 (ten years ago)

& I like Bossanova fine but I'd try other versions of its tracks - the John Peel Is She Weird, The Purple Tape Down to the Well.

woof, Thursday, 16 October 2014 09:13 (ten years ago)

anyone read the 'Hello/ Goodbye' feature with Kim Shattuck in Mojo this month? she was basically fired for stage diving!

piscesx, Thursday, 16 October 2014 11:02 (ten years ago)

i never liked Dead but this made me *love* it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0bxPbWicgc

piscesx, Thursday, 16 October 2014 11:05 (ten years ago)

hands down best song to ever come out of Frank Black:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zb_iZC6nI

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 16 October 2014 13:46 (ten years ago)

I'm putting on Teenager of the Year. Headache is great, but there's also Speedy Marie!

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Thursday, 16 October 2014 23:16 (ten years ago)

Going to be voting for a lot of Trompe Le Monde tracks. Weird that my favorite album is the one where Kim got pushed to the side, but then she killed him post-Pixies.

Structure of U-Mass is one of my favorites. First verse lasts a minute, chorus lasts almost a minute, second verse is like ten seconds, then chorus to the end for another minute.

Not that any of the songs are bad, but I might have cut the album a bit just to emphasize the Wire-ness of the pacing.

dlp9001, Friday, 17 October 2014 13:45 (ten years ago)

Really starting to hit me how trimming a list to 22 is going to hurt a lot.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 17:23 (ten years ago)

Sent!

how's life, Friday, 17 October 2014 17:55 (ten years ago)

I dreamt about listening to the Pixies with some friends last night and I wouldn't shut up about how great they are. It's a stupid thing to share but they sounded so good in my dreams, very excited about this poll.

Moka, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:32 (ten years ago)

:D

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:35 (ten years ago)

i currently have a list of 24 and cutting the final two is just killing me.

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 17 October 2014 18:37 (ten years ago)

xxxpost:
Trompe Le Monde is such an odd album in their catalogue, almost no Kim Deal, Francis Black and the band sounding all tight and professional. It's both a good thing and a bad thing, they sound more like a 'mainstream' band for better lack of a word.

Love some of it, though... the deliberate schlock of U-mass and the opening punches of the first three songs is a great intro to the album.

Moka, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:43 (ten years ago)

Planet of Sound is a great facemelter in the vein of Rock Music from Bossanova.

This ain't no fuckin' around!

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:45 (ten years ago)

Yeah the first three songs: Trompe le Monde, Planet of Sound and Alec Eiffel are the ones I love. Planet of Sound and U-Mass are the highlights of that album for me but it does feel like a different band from the previous albums.

Moka, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:48 (ten years ago)

The biggest difficulty for me was conceptualizing of Palace of the Brine and Letter to Memphis as two separate songs. I always hear that as a mini-suite. Parts 1 & 2. It does them a disservice to be considered separately. I ranked them close together, but they will no doubt be far apart in the rankings.

how's life, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:50 (ten years ago)

"conceptualizing" the wrong word there, I realized as a clicked submit.

how's life, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:51 (ten years ago)

Placed Hey as my number 1 but listening to Debaser right now I think I made a huge mistake.

Moka, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:52 (ten years ago)

Planet Of Sound (single mix) > Planet Of Sound (album mix)

piscesx, Friday, 17 October 2014 19:01 (ten years ago)

Hey vs Broken face are the two i'm considering cutting currently.

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 17 October 2014 19:03 (ten years ago)

The biggest difficulty for me was conceptualizing of Palace of the Brine and Letter to Memphis as two separate songs. I always hear that as a mini-suite. Parts 1 & 2.

Yeah, I had Trompe on cassette for quite a long time before I bought it on cd, so I was surprised to find out they were two individual songs (even though I knew they were based on the tracklisting).

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 19:22 (ten years ago)

Broken Face is likely to be in my top 3, Hey probably won't even make the 22 .

nate woolls, Friday, 17 October 2014 19:35 (ten years ago)

I shouldn't try to predict placings I know, but will God be 7?

Dr X O'Skeleton, Friday, 17 October 2014 20:01 (ten years ago)

Based on the balloting so far, The Devil is 5, Man is 6 and God is 7.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 20:08 (ten years ago)

"Hey"'s landslide win in the Doolittle poll was shocking to me. It's a fine song but fairly middling in the context of the Pixies' catalog on the whole, IMO. Had no idea it was held in such high esteem by so many.

What Lies Behind The Beehive? (Old Lunch), Friday, 17 October 2014 20:12 (ten years ago)

Based on the balloting so far, The Devil is 5, Man is 6 and God is 7.

fuk I messed up my own joke

Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 October 2014 20:15 (ten years ago)

There's something so sexy and wrong and desperate at the way Frank sings 'We're Chained' in Hey that makes it one of my favorite songs by them. Cactus is my number 2 pick for the same reasons, I love the bent sex world and lusty yearning they share.

Moka, Friday, 17 October 2014 20:39 (ten years ago)

I had me a vision...

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 17 October 2014 20:43 (ten years ago)

so, which tracks are people voting for off Indie Cindy?

prince moth mothy moth moth (cajunsunday), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:36 (ten years ago)

Expect a very Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde-heavy ballot from yours truly.

Welcome To (Turrican), Saturday, 18 October 2014 03:33 (ten years ago)

My ballot's in!

Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 18 October 2014 12:57 (ten years ago)

Just sent my ballot. Of all the ILM polls I've participated in (not that many, actually), this was the hardest to do. So many great songs! I've been on a Trompe Le Monde binge the past few days thanks to this poll. I used to consider it somewhat of a lesser Pixies record, but now I like it more than Bossanova. It's just as classic as the other Pixies records.

Marty8501 (Marty Innerlogic), Saturday, 18 October 2014 13:46 (ten years ago)

I just want to stick up for Brick Is Red, which I think is fantastic, but will probably get overlooked.

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Saturday, 18 October 2014 18:14 (ten years ago)

Brick is Red is terrific!

its a kirt not a skilt (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 18 October 2014 18:21 (ten years ago)

8 ballots in already. MOAR PLZ

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 18 October 2014 18:35 (ten years ago)

I did vote for Brick is Red... it's on the lower part of my ballot, but it's definitely one of the best songs on Surfer Rosa. That and Oh my Golly! save the last part of the album from being a mess, the highlights seem to be stacked on the first half.

Moka, Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:33 (ten years ago)

Not that the second half is necessarily bad but it just doesn't compare to the first half.

Moka, Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:36 (ten years ago)

The opening two tracks are probably the best

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:38 (ten years ago)

This is gonna be fun when I can get around to blasting the lps again. Was always a big, big fan of Trompe le Monde - some of their most beautiful tunes are on there.

Something about the typeface on Surfer Rosa always made me think that song was called Buick is Red.

kraudive, Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:58 (ten years ago)

I think its similar to a lot of the 4ad stuff. I got some earlier Lush song names wrong as well, I think. I always thought their first record was called Sear when I was a kid. Maybe it was just me.

kraudive, Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:59 (ten years ago)

"What's your guys' philosophy of the world?" is what the interviewer asked the band in that clip up there, just so everyone's clear.

I have never voted in a poll before but may try to do this one tonight.

alpine static, Saturday, 18 October 2014 20:53 (ten years ago)

I used to have this idea that Velouria and Wave of Mutilation and River Euphrates were basically the same song. I'm not convinced by this any more.

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Saturday, 18 October 2014 21:22 (ten years ago)

BTW I had a tough decision between "rate songs by my 'objective' opinion of how amazing they are" vs. "rate songs by how deeply embedded into my sense of self they were between 1988 and 1993" and I went with the later, partly because I didn't have time to do a scientific re-listening to all the songs in the catalog. So my ballot is CoP/SR/Doolittle heavy, because those were the records I cared about most at the time. Hoping this poll will illuminate the later records for me.

Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 18 October 2014 22:16 (ten years ago)

River Euphrates = probably my #1

Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 18 October 2014 22:52 (ten years ago)

Oh man, this is going to be hard. Voted all Pixies off the iPod a long time ago so haven't heard a note in years, but listening to that clip of "Dead" above made me realize how many of their songs are hardwired into my amygdala. Will listen scientifically & vote from the guts.

hardcore dilettante, Sunday, 19 October 2014 03:14 (ten years ago)

I used to have this idea that Velouria and Wave of Mutilation and River Euphrates were basically the same song. I'm not convinced by this any more.

― Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), sábado 18 de octubre de 2014 22:22 (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

They share the same backbone but the style is very different depending on the album. You can listen to the three in a row and note their evolution. surfer rosa is loose and unruly like a child, doolitle is more confident and lush and bossanova is more forlorn and fatalistic. It may sound like I'm on drugs but they capture the esence of each record and the stages of the band perfectly the "childhood" (river euphrates), the teen years (wave of mutilation) and adulthood (Velouria).

Moka, Sunday, 19 October 2014 08:08 (ten years ago)

In an effort to be completely thorough before making my ballot, I'm listening to Indie Cindy again for the first time since it showed up earlier this year. These songs aren't as objectively horrible/bland as I remember them all being, but Charles Thompson is an old lazy man now who picks melodically low-hanging fruit rather than approaching songwriting from bizarre angles like he did in his youth.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 20 October 2014 18:11 (ten years ago)

Everything is still too long, though. Shortest thing is 3:11, which would be among the longer tracks on any previous Pixies album.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 20 October 2014 18:16 (ten years ago)

The problem I have with Indie Cindy is that it sounds like they're trying too hard to live up to their past output. They're not the type of band that should over-think things. Nobody was asking for a new album so they might as well just had fun with it.

Moka, Monday, 20 October 2014 18:21 (ten years ago)

I've given Bossanova a few listens and there's nothing there that'll make my ballot. Trompe le Monde is better but it's looking likely that my ballot will be all CoP/SR/D.

nate woolls, Monday, 20 October 2014 18:35 (ten years ago)

i was at a wedding over the weekend and managed to get my table debating he best pixies tracks.

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 20 October 2014 18:37 (ten years ago)

Excellent work!

Johnny Fever, Monday, 20 October 2014 18:38 (ten years ago)

I've given Bossanova a few listens and there's nothing there that'll make my ballot.

― nate woolls, Monday, October 20, 2014 7:35 PM (1 hour ago)

Velouria!!

ffs. really.

kraudive, Monday, 20 October 2014 20:26 (ten years ago)

Yeah Velouria is alright but there's 22 better songs on the other albums.

nate woolls, Monday, 20 October 2014 20:59 (ten years ago)

pixies + muffs might have worked out better if kim shattuck replaced frank black instead.

Philip Nunez, Monday, 20 October 2014 22:58 (ten years ago)

Bossanova is just not a very good album.

Darin, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 03:26 (ten years ago)

I disagree. I love it and never understood why people were disapointed by it. Maybe they expected something less polished but there isn't really a bad song on it and the first 8 are as solid as any of their best work.
To me it sounds a lot like what The Breeders would do later except better.

LeRooLeRoo, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 04:13 (ten years ago)

I hadn't heard Distance = Rate x Time in decades. That is a doozy! Holy cow

kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 04:35 (ten years ago)

Voted. A Doolittle heavy but Bossanova and Trompe le Monde friendly ballot. One from Surfer Rosa. None from Come on Pilgrim.

ledge, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 08:32 (ten years ago)

I love Bossanova so much. It was my first Pixies and I bought it at the same time I got The Bends. You can hear where early Radiohead lifted from it.

Q: Kelley Deal 6000 for the side poll--I assume, nay?

its a kirt not a skilt (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 11:08 (ten years ago)

bossnova is fine in isolation but listening to COP thru TLM back to back it was remarkable just how much worse than everything else it is.

Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 12:44 (ten years ago)

Trompe le Monde - 9
Doolittle - 8
Surfer Rosa - 5

I've only listened to Come On, Pilgrim and Bossanova once each.

how's life, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 12:55 (ten years ago)

Giving Bossanova & Trompe le Monde one more listen this afternoon then putting my ballot together tonight. Expecting a lot of Surfer Rosa, a little of Doolittle and one or two from Come On Pilgrim.

nate woolls, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 12:59 (ten years ago)

Misheard lyrics that I only just got around to looking up:

Fall on your face in those bad shoes
Lion-O lockjaw
TAME!

how's life, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 13:01 (ten years ago)

COP 4
SR 6
D 8
B 1
TLM 3

pixies b-sides range from bad to mediocre without exception, i don't understand the tremendous appeal they apparently have

Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 13:24 (ten years ago)

I like 'Into the White' and the two Neil Young covers a lot but they'd barely make my top 30 Pixies songs.

Gavin, Leeds, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 14:01 (ten years ago)

<3 "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons"

J. Sam, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 14:14 (ten years ago)

I'm working my way though this based on how much I like these tunes right now, rather than what I liked >20 years ago. So, Debaser, which I loved, probably won't make the cut because I feel like I've heard it faaaaaaaaaar too many times.

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 15:10 (ten years ago)

At least we can all agree Doolitle is the tits, right?

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:27 (ten years ago)

I danced around it for a long time, but I finally made peace with the fact their most popular album (Doolittle) is also their best (Doolittle).

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:28 (ten years ago)

I think the most popular sales-wise is actually Surfer Rosa but I don't have the actual numbers. Just a wild guess.

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:32 (ten years ago)

Doolittle was a platinum album in the US (1m in sales), and only one of the others—Surfer Rosa—is even gold (500k in sales).

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:35 (ten years ago)

Did a quick research and no, you're right, Doolitle is the most popular one. Here's the sales figures according to SoundScan in 2004:

Come On Pilgrim: 144,598
Surfer Rosa: 458,491
Doolittle: 583,564
Bossanova: 215,217
Trompe Le Monde: 306,697
Complete B-Sides: 42,703
Live at the BBC: 49,308
Death To The Pixies: 146,012
Purple Tape: 30,212

Wikipedia actually gives Doolitle over 1,000,000 sales and Surfer over 500,000. Did Doolitle sold almost double that figure in this past decade?

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:36 (ten years ago)

I think SoundScan might have its numbers wrong, though.

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:37 (ten years ago)

Doolittle hit a million in November 1995. Surfer Rosa didn't go gold until April 2005.

http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:40 (ten years ago)

That link lists that Doolitle hit Gold in 1995, not Platinum. It doesn't certificate it as Platinum yet.

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:42 (ten years ago)

Oh, you're right! I didn't even read all the way across. :D

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:43 (ten years ago)

Anyhow... your point stands, Doolitle is way more popular than Surfer Rosa. Had no idea.

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:45 (ten years ago)

Bossanova was a momentum killer for them. Strong record, but it didn't take them to the next level commercially.

kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:47 (ten years ago)

Surfer Rosa picked up a lot of cache over time, but it wasn't a landmark record in any way in 1988. Doolittle had MTV video rotation, lots of college radio support and press fawning out the wazoo.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:48 (ten years ago)

cache=cachet

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:49 (ten years ago)

I was expecting that the popularity of Where is My Mind through licensing in films, tv and ads would translate in higher sales. I was wrong.

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:51 (ten years ago)

I mean most people only know them because of that song, usually the best-known single is also on the best-selling album, nay?

Moka, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:52 (ten years ago)

lol I'm not trying to say it was a bad guess. Surfer Rosa is the Pixies album in the 21st century both in terms of respect and influence. It just wasn't seen as that at the time. (And I happen to still prefer Doolittle regardless.)

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 17:55 (ten years ago)

Surfer Rosa is the Pixies album in the 21st century in terms of boobs.

how's life, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:04 (ten years ago)

..I'm not merging things together

I hope the Vamos votes aren't split too much, that song deserves a top 10 place.

nate woolls, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:24 (ten years ago)

Oh damn, I may have to merge things on a case-by-case basis. I didn't think of there being two album versions of Vamos when I rattled off that declaration.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:28 (ten years ago)

Was is she weird a single from Bossanova? I can't remember.It seems like the closest in terms of style to what came before.

Hinklepicker, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:29 (ten years ago)

never realized just how awesome that track is until i was listening to tracks for the poll! that and Levitate Me have been in my head for a week now.

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:41 (ten years ago)

Front to back (even though, and probably because, there's only 8 tracks), Come On Pilgrim is the most solid Pixies release. All killer, zero filler.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:45 (ten years ago)

Ride the Tiger down the River Euphrates.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 18:47 (ten years ago)

Brick Is Red is missing from that Wikipedia list upthread, in case anyone's using it to compile their ballot.

nate woolls, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 20:13 (ten years ago)

An overlooked Frank Black track, "Bullet". My favorite solo track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQgV9q6fl1I

juggulo for the complete klvtz (bendy), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 20:34 (ten years ago)

I really like Lovely Day, but I can't help feeling the fact he's singing to an alien detracts from it a bit

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 20:55 (ten years ago)

hahaha. i only really started to enjoy TLM when i learned to let that shit go. lovely day was my last cut.

Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 21:01 (ten years ago)

Hmmmm. I've just finished ranking them and I have both I Bleed and Dead just outside my top 22 when I assumed they were nailed-on to be in there. Need to think some more...

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 21:59 (ten years ago)

At least we can all agree Doolitle is the tits, right?

― Moka, Tuesday, October 21, 2014 5:27 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I danced around it for a long time, but I finally made peace with the fact their most popular album (Doolittle) is also their best (Doolittle).

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, October 21, 2014 5:28 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's the one I listen to the least. In fact, I'm fairly confident none of its tracks are going to make my ballot!

Welcome To (Turrican), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 22:06 (ten years ago)

Weirdo.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 21 October 2014 22:06 (ten years ago)

I mean, I do think Doolittle is a stronger album than Bossanova, but there's individual tracks on Bossanova that mean more to me than any track from Doolittle.

Welcome To (Turrican), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 22:08 (ten years ago)

and Trompe Le Monde is my favourite Pixies record, so...

Welcome To (Turrican), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 22:09 (ten years ago)

I wish it were an inclusive poll. I'd love to see how many of us Breeders >>> Pixies these days.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 October 2014 22:17 (ten years ago)

19 ballots in, who wants to be lucky #20?

Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 03:30 (ten years ago)

me!

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 04:08 (ten years ago)

I have tried to research Pixies songs but got sidetracked by The Breeders and now i can't go back.

Hinklepicker, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 07:26 (ten years ago)

voted

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 09:17 (ten years ago)

Going to vote. Persuaded by Turtleneck Work Solutions to return to ILX for just this purpose.

Citizen Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 10:24 (ten years ago)

I like the b-sides. Dancing the Manta Ray! Into the White! The Debbie Gibson one ...

Citizen Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 10:24 (ten years ago)

Is there anything good anywhere online on Pixies lyrics? I'd like someone cleverer than me to think about them for me. (Quarter-remembered Melody Maker articles from 1989 aren't going to help.)

Citizen Smith (Jamie T Smith), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 10:27 (ten years ago)

well there's song meanings dot com, or some such. doesn't always get it right as it's mostly speculation, but worth a try maybe.

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 13:52 (ten years ago)

"doesn't always get it right" is an understatement, tbh - often the lyrics themselves are wrong, never mind the interpretations

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 16:22 (ten years ago)

My ballot split looks like this:
COP: 0
SR: 0
D: 2
B: 11
TLM: 6:
B-sides: 3
I might avoid reading the results of this poll, cause reading other people's rong opinions about the pixies makes me irrationally angry.

mizzell, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 16:38 (ten years ago)

Lol at ^this

its a kirt not a skilt (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 17:34 (ten years ago)

mine went thusly (sorry if it's enraging):

COP: 2
SR: 4
Dl: 7
Bn: 4
TlM: 5

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 17:58 (ten years ago)

i will also mention that i had three song off of Teenager of the Year on my not-Pixies list. i seriously fucking love that album.

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:01 (ten years ago)

I haven't started tabulating ballots yet, so I don't know which albums have an edge on others, but just from people's breakdowns in this thread it looks like Indie Cindy might as well have never happened (as it should, naturally).

Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:03 (ten years ago)

Heh, my breakdown is the same as Thermo's except I had three each from Pilgrim and Surfer.

Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:08 (ten years ago)

i have one of those gadgets from men in black and whenever i see a reference to 21st c. pixies material i zap myself.

the film, not the frank black song

Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:09 (ten years ago)

No indicindy ne.
The song I've loved most during the reformation years gigs is Velouria. It always sounds so magnificent.

Also late voters should check Subbacultcha again. mf awesome. There's something about that song. It's on the Purple tapes as a lesser version i seem to remember?

kraudive, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:17 (ten years ago)

COP: 2
SR: 5
D:10
B: 4
TLM: 0 (controversial!)
IC: 0
B-sides: 1

prince moth mothy moth moth (cajunsunday), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:19 (ten years ago)

I could have easily put 5 songs from Teenager of the Year on my non Pixies list.

mizzell, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:22 (ten years ago)

Is there anything good anywhere online on Pixies lyrics? I'd like someone cleverer than me to think about them for me. (Quarter-remembered Melody Maker articles from 1989 aren't going to help.)

― Citizen Smith (Jamie T Smith)

http://songmeanings.com/artist/view/songs/891/

User interpretations. Mind you the Pixies were dadaists or something, so half of the time their lyrics don't mean a damn thing.

Moka, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:34 (ten years ago)

it's not rocket science dudes, every song is about sex and death and then all of a sudden every song is about aliens

Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:37 (ten years ago)

Yes, that seems about right.

Moka, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 18:38 (ten years ago)

CoP = 3, SR = 8, D = 5, B = 4, TLM = 2

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:01 (ten years ago)

sent - hope you got it

lots of TLM

kraudive, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:11 (ten years ago)

tried as much as i could to include a b-side but it fell too forced, so none for me.

Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:24 (ten years ago)

I think I only had one CoP song in mine (two if you count Vamos but I was thinking about Surfer Rosa's version).

Moka, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:28 (ten years ago)

yeah, same as that, Into The White is kinda great but it's never gonna fit into the top 22 imm.

xp

kraudive, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:29 (ten years ago)

Something about Lovely Day I can't quite put my finger on it, but to me it's one of their better lesser celebrated songs.

Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:31 (ten years ago)

Also, I always imagined Bossanova (side 1) and TLM (side 2) has a space conspiracy double album, with two very distinct and competing style, and it multiplied my love for both records over time.

Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:33 (ten years ago)

I once heard their B-Sides album compilation and I didn't like it. As far as B-sides go it's a great compilation but compared to the other Pixies work it doesn't measure up to the actual songs on the albums.

The highlights for me in there where the alternate versions of the album records. The fuzzier version of River Euphrates, the opiate, surf version of Wave of Mutilation and The Thing (which is a revamp of the second half of The Happening).

The 'original' b-sides which are worth anything, imho, are Manta Ray and Into the White.

Moka, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 23:37 (ten years ago)

Currently soliciting ideas for punny titles for the results thread.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 23 October 2014 05:20 (ten years ago)

He bought me a soda and he tried to POLLest me in the parking lot

Darin, Thursday, 23 October 2014 05:32 (ten years ago)

This is a POLL about a superhero named Tony

nate woolls, Thursday, 23 October 2014 05:54 (ten years ago)

Hey Paul, Hey Paul, Hey Paul, let's have a POLL

nate woolls, Thursday, 23 October 2014 06:23 (ten years ago)

^lock thread

hardcore dilettante, Thursday, 23 October 2014 06:34 (ten years ago)

He was into field hockey POLLers

Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 23 October 2014 07:20 (ten years ago)

The creature in the sky got sucked in a POLL

ledge, Thursday, 23 October 2014 07:41 (ten years ago)

Losing my POLL to a whore with disease

nate woolls, Thursday, 23 October 2014 08:24 (ten years ago)

Something about Lovely Day I can't quite put my finger on it, but to me it's one of their better lesser celebrated songs.

― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 7:31 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's got the same "trying to make our long distance relationship work by sending stuff in the mail" vibe as Letter to Memphis and Cactus. Any others like this?

kelly sleater's pro kinney (how's life), Thursday, 23 October 2014 08:55 (ten years ago)

This is a POLL about a superhero named Tony

It's called Tony's poll!

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:35 (ten years ago)

It's educationPOLL

kornrulez6969, Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:35 (ten years ago)

poll my songs into the ocean

how's life, Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:38 (ten years ago)

Hold my head / we'll tramPOLLine

bizarro gazzara, Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:50 (ten years ago)

poll running on this panamanian schooner

how's life, Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:52 (ten years ago)

Break my body, POLL my bones

kornrulez6969, Thursday, 23 October 2014 12:58 (ten years ago)

I like Lou Reed, she said, slipping her poll in my ear

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Thursday, 23 October 2014 13:03 (ten years ago)

Oh my POLLy

tbf though nate's suggestion is the clear winner

bizarro gazzara, Thursday, 23 October 2014 13:05 (ten years ago)

Remember, tomorrow's the last day to vote! 24 ballots at present, so it will be a successful poll regardless, but if you're out there and on the fence about voting, just do it.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 23 October 2014 14:19 (ten years ago)

I should be able to finish my ballot today.

LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 23 October 2014 14:23 (ten years ago)

Trying to organize mine now. I've got my top 5-6 in place, so the rest is kind of arbitrary, just need to work it out.

bippity bup at the hotel california (Phil D.), Thursday, 23 October 2014 14:32 (ten years ago)

crack crack crackity POLL

I guess I should vote to make sure that Gigantic finishes #1. Though how it could not, I have no idea.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 23 October 2014 15:36 (ten years ago)

Something against POLLS

Van Horn Street, Thursday, 23 October 2014 17:49 (ten years ago)

ballot sent. man the past few years of the reunion tour made me forgot how the Pixies rocked my teenage years, them reuniting in 2004 was everything to me.

Van Horn Street, Thursday, 23 October 2014 18:01 (ten years ago)

My ballot's on its way but I realize how much of a soft spot for the songs that mention that album's title.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 October 2014 18:05 (ten years ago)

Hey Paul, Hey Paul, Hey Paul, let's have a POLL

― nate woolls

Moka, Thursday, 23 October 2014 18:29 (ten years ago)

One thing that I left off my ballot is the cover of David Lynch's "In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)" which they covered live back in the day in an extremely heavy way, maybe as heavy as they got, and for much, much longer than the short snippet that appeared as a B-side.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 October 2014 19:46 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qkoGA_ewic

Welcome To (Turrican), Thursday, 23 October 2014 19:55 (ten years ago)

Poll sent.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 October 2014 20:07 (ten years ago)

er Ballot

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 October 2014 20:09 (ten years ago)

Just voted after taking 10 minutes and sorting through my favorites.

voodoo chili, Thursday, 23 October 2014 21:27 (ten years ago)

vote doesn't count unless you clearly over-thought things.

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 23 October 2014 21:35 (ten years ago)

This is a song about a war criminal named Kony. It's called Kony's theme!!!!!

everybody loves lana del raymond (s.clover), Friday, 24 October 2014 01:06 (ten years ago)

One thing that I left off my ballot is the cover of David Lynch's "In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)"

Never fear, it's on mine

Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 24 October 2014 01:11 (ten years ago)

Alright, just voted.

kornrulez6969, Friday, 24 October 2014 02:12 (ten years ago)

voted! Listening was fun (and EDUCATIONAL!) & I don't know if it's something bred in the times or what, but for me the falloff between Doolittle and the two after that is drastic. It's like... there's quality there but I can't crawl through the production to hear it.

hardcore dilettante, Friday, 24 October 2014 03:53 (ten years ago)

lol this pivot table is vexing me something hard. I'm making it identically to the one I used for the Elton John poll last year, but I'm still not seeing the "# of votes" column. GAHHH

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 04:04 (ten years ago)

Sent!

Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 24 October 2014 04:16 (ten years ago)

We're at 33 ballots now, btw. Thanks everybody! Still accepting until midnight my time (EDT) Friday night.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 04:25 (ten years ago)

I can send you a link to the spreadsheet I used for my Radiohead poll if you like, it works really well.

nate woolls, Friday, 24 October 2014 05:41 (ten years ago)

Great, plz send to the email in the OP.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 05:43 (ten years ago)

I didn't get to finish my ballot but my #1 was going to be Letter from Memphis fwiw.

bippity bup at the hotel california (Phil D.), Friday, 24 October 2014 12:31 (ten years ago)

you still have over 12 hours Phil D. get cracking.

how's life, Friday, 24 October 2014 12:33 (ten years ago)

I didn't get to finish my ballot but my #1 was going to be Letter from Memphis fwiw.

― bippity bup at the hotel california (Phil D.), Friday, October 24, 2014 8:31 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this is my #1

mizzell, Friday, 24 October 2014 14:07 (ten years ago)

OK, ballot sent!

bippity bup at the hotel california (Phil D.), Friday, 24 October 2014 14:24 (ten years ago)

I really like Lovely Day, but I can't help feeling the fact he's singing to an alien detracts from it a bit

― Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, October 21, 2014 4:55 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Just noticed this. I was under the impression that he's singing to his girl back on earth. She will be his "Martian Honey" when she gets there after he sends the money.

how's life, Friday, 24 October 2014 14:32 (ten years ago)

Letter from Memphis narrowly missed my final cut, but I've had it stuck in my head all day. I might not have even listened to Trompe Le Monde for 20 years until this poll.

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 24 October 2014 15:01 (ten years ago)

just put together a quick ballot and sent. I already regret some of the songs I cut.

silverfish, Friday, 24 October 2014 17:29 (ten years ago)

I've overplayed all the pixies albums but for some reason Trompe Le Monde is the one I never really tire of. It's also the one that works best as an album, on all the other ones I tend to skip around a lot, even if I pretty much like all the songs.

silverfish, Friday, 24 October 2014 17:32 (ten years ago)

Yeah, it's very well-sequenced. Feels almost like a concept album or soundtrack.

how's life, Friday, 24 October 2014 17:46 (ten years ago)

TLM was my favorite for many years and it still has the highest peaks and
I love how some of the songs fit together especially Palace of the Brine, Letter to Memphis, Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons. But as a whole I think Bossanova is more consistent.

mizzell, Friday, 24 October 2014 17:58 (ten years ago)

What I like about the last two is that Santiago is all over them basically.

Master of Treacle, Friday, 24 October 2014 18:42 (ten years ago)

I fully expect Alec Eiffel in the top 5 by the way.

Van Horn Street, Friday, 24 October 2014 19:51 (ten years ago)

twas my #5!

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 24 October 2014 19:52 (ten years ago)

Distance = Rate is the big stunner for me. I had forgotten about that one.

kornrulez6969, Friday, 24 October 2014 19:58 (ten years ago)

I HAD ME A VISION!

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 19:59 (ten years ago)

After Letter to Memphis, that's always been my favorite track on TLM.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 19:59 (ten years ago)

Distance = Rate was one that I kept on my ballot to the expense of some better known tracks. I barely even remembered how it went before listening to TLM again yesterday, but it rocks

voodoo chili, Friday, 24 October 2014 20:01 (ten years ago)

I cut distance = rate, but now I wish I didn't

how's life, Friday, 24 October 2014 20:03 (ten years ago)

Just banged a crazy ballot together. Made me realize that in the last few years I basically only listen to Bossanova and Trompe le Monde, had to actually look up some of the Surfer Rosa/Doolittle songs. Love all of them when they're on, but I went with the ones that pop into my head the most often or which really make me stop and look up from what I'm doing and go "damn."

Doctor Casino, Friday, 24 October 2014 21:32 (ten years ago)

This polls made me realize that I strongly prefer body horror Pixies to sci-fi Pixies.

Darin, Friday, 24 October 2014 22:10 (ten years ago)

How much time is there still? Is there time? What is time anyway?

definite classic, predicting a solid 8/10 from the p-fork boys (Le Bateau Ivre), Friday, 24 October 2014 22:16 (ten years ago)

You're alright, LBI, the sun hasn't set yet on the other side of the Atlantic

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 24 October 2014 22:18 (ten years ago)

Thank god

definite classic, predicting a solid 8/10 from the p-fork boys (Le Bateau Ivre), Friday, 24 October 2014 22:24 (ten years ago)

Actually, it might well have done, but I think you've still got a few hours left to vote

Turtleneck Work Solutions (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 24 October 2014 22:26 (ten years ago)

12 midnight edt is +4 in gmt.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 24 October 2014 22:35 (ten years ago)

If the devil is +4 gmt, then god is +5 gmt. No way I'm going to make it, read abt this too late, still working. But watching this closely.

definite classic, predicting a solid 8/10 from the p-fork boys (Le Bateau Ivre), Friday, 24 October 2014 22:52 (ten years ago)

Sent.

its a kirt not a skilt (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 24 October 2014 23:16 (ten years ago)

i feel bad that lots of you guys are obviously putting much more work into this than i did

Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 24 October 2014 23:25 (ten years ago)

can i still vote? it will take me an hour or so - i've already made a 30 song shortlist.

Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Saturday, 25 October 2014 00:05 (ten years ago)

Yeah, right around 4 hours left.

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 25 October 2014 00:06 (ten years ago)

cheers Johnny.

Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Saturday, 25 October 2014 00:10 (ten years ago)

sent x

Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Saturday, 25 October 2014 01:49 (ten years ago)

Bossa=6
Pilgrim= 6
Trompe=3
Surfer=4
Doo=3

Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Saturday, 25 October 2014 02:05 (ten years ago)

I went Doolittle heavy...

Doolittle: 9
Surfer Rosa: 5
Bossanova: 3
Trompe Le Monde: 3
COI: 2

Van Horn Street, Saturday, 25 October 2014 02:37 (ten years ago)

LAST CALL - 51 minutes left.

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 25 October 2014 03:08 (ten years ago)

when you plan on rolling out the results?

AKA Thermo Thinwall (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 25 October 2014 03:21 (ten years ago)

COI: 2

COME ON ILGRIM

Acting Crazy (Instrumental) (jed_), Saturday, 25 October 2014 03:23 (ten years ago)

C = 1
S = 7
D = 5
B = 5
T = 1
+ 3 B-sides

its a kirt not a skilt (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 25 October 2014 03:25 (ten years ago)

<i>when you plan on rolling out the results?</i>

Will start things on Monday.

And with that...voting is closed!

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 25 October 2014 03:59 (ten years ago)

41 ballots, btw. Good haul!

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 25 October 2014 04:00 (ten years ago)

Make that 42, but that's it. No more.

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 25 October 2014 05:10 (ten years ago)

There's only two acceptable winners in this poll: Hey or Debaser. Don't let me down ILM.

Thanks for doing this JF.

Moka, Saturday, 25 October 2014 10:01 (ten years ago)

42 is a great haul!

raccoon shipoopi (how's life), Saturday, 25 October 2014 10:53 (ten years ago)

soooooo psyched for this

Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 25 October 2014 12:42 (ten years ago)

Hey Paul, Hey Paul, Hey Paul, let's have a POLL: ILM Artist Poll #69 • Pixies (results!)

Johnny Fever, Monday, 27 October 2014 15:05 (ten years ago)


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