PIXIES Poll: The best track on Trompe le Monde

"Planet of Sound" – 2:06
"Alec Eiffel" – 2:50
"Head On" – 2:13
"Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons" – 2:48

^^^ one of these depending on mood, probably the dive-bombing "Planet of Sound" since "Bird Dream" is basically me waiting for the "into the mountain" part to come around.

This and Bossanova just got reissued on vinyl BTW - glad to finally replace the cassettes that I bought at the thrift store three years ago and played till they broke.

"Letter to Memphis" for me.

The combination of chord changes and BF's vocal on "And all these sirens they make me mad
/ And all this violence it brings me down" is the clencher.

"Distance Equals Rate Times Time" is a close second, though. "I had me a vision!" Kim's bg vocals on the chorus are solid gold.

A good album, but bedeviled by poor sequencing. "Alec Eiffel" and "U-Mass" are my faves after the JAMC cover.

I always forget about "Distance Equals Rate Times Time" because the title makes me think it's "Space (I Believe In)" with the whole "D equals R times T" being in the lyrics and all. DERTT is a great song though! "WE GOT TO GET SOME BEE-URRR! We GOT no AT MOE SPHE-UHR!"

Alfred, I'm not sure how I'd sequence this album differently... but that's after listening to it for 17 years.

Ideas?

Head On. Sadly the best song in here ain't written by Pixies.

Yeah, but they definitely do the definitive version of it, as far as I'm concerned. (See also "Superman" over on the Lifes Rich Pageant poll I just started.)

Still, I've always kind of wished "Head On" had been a stand-alone single and they'd re-recorded "Bailey's Walk" or "Into the White" for Trompe instead.

Alfred, I'm not sure how I'd sequence this album differently... but that's after listening to it for 17 years.

I need to listen to it again, but I'd probably leave the first three tracks alone -- it's disorienting to begin with a Kim Deal-sung track, then gradually built to the keyboard and harmony outro of "Alec Eiffel" -- and fuck with the second side (I still only own this on cassette).

motorway to roswell just barely over planet of sound, alec eiffel, and letter to memphis

Definitely "Bird Dream.." for me. Followed closely by (in no particular order) "Alec Eiffel," "Planet of Sound," "Head On," & "Motorway to Roswell." I never understood the beef people have with this record (other than the distinct lack of Deal imput - surely her vox would have helped the dreamier pop songs like "Bird Dream.." and "Letter to Memphis" reach even greater heights, ala "Hey" or the coda to "The Happening"). To my ears, it is on par with the impeccable standards they'd set for themselves with the previous three (four, if you count Pilgrim) Sometimes I wish the production were a little rougher hewn & that there were more of BF's surf twang guitar, but whatevs.

Found this on YouTube: Does anything say "1991" quite like a performance by The Pixies on The Dennis Miller Show. Just scope the fonts, the ultra-pleated suit & the CD longbox.

Cor - they were rubbish without the Letterman house band...

That audience on the Dennis Miller clip is ...excited. I guess I would've been too, though. The only time I ever saw the Pixies was on that U2 tour they talked about.

And that Letterman thing is just completely weird.

Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons.

Just listened to it again. Favourite Pixies album and... I'm voting... argh, its too hard... The Sad Punk! Fuck it, yeah, The Sad Punk.

Motorway to Roswell! What the hell is wrong with you people?

sorry but another vote for 'motorway to roswell.' (was your post an objection or a wtf more people should vote for it?) this was really hard btw, first pixies album i heard!!!!

it was a wtf! possibly their finest track! one of my all time favourites of all time!

yes!

i know it's missing lots of classic pixies motifs - frank doesn't yelp, joey doesn't rock out - but the sad alien theme and the long coda with the circling guitar, the call/response vocals and above all the gorgeous electric piano melody... [swoons].

and the piano!!! lol so great.

I WAS LOOKING HANDSOME
SHE WAS LOOKING LIKE AN EROTIC VULTURE

^^^^encroaching on mark e. smith territory?!

this poll kind of reinforces for me that this is a solid record that doesn't have any stand out tracks, and could've been a great record if it did. i could vote for any of more than half the songs with a clear conscience. that said, i'm going for Distance Equals Rate Times Time. it's the start of potentially one of the best Pixies songs, only they forgot to finish it.

^^^suggest ban.

dude, i would wear a suggest ban from you like a badge of honour, so thanks.

I love this album. I like every single song on this, whereas there are songs on Surfer Rosa and Doolittle I don't really like, even if the albums as a whole are better.

Head On's a great cover ... but U-Mass.

It's not easy, but I'll put in the first vote for "Lovely Day"

I'll send you money
Send you lots of money
And you can buy a ticket
You'll be my
Mar-
Tian
Hon-
Ney
All
The
DAY!
They got one leavin' today!
They got one leavin' today!
They got one leavin' today!
And it's going away...

Plus, the dumbek!

Oh man. I instinctively voted for 'Bird Dream' but now I've read the thread and been reminded of SO MANY great moments and realise I should really listen to this album agian! My old band used to cover 'u mass', but oh god SUBBACULTCHA...

Best track is the one you hear when you're 14. After that... who listens to this???

and the long coda with the circling guitar, the call-response vocals and above all the gorgeous electric piano melody... (swoons).

otm, it's all about the ending. probably my fave pixies moment ever

this poll kind of reinforces for me that this is a solid record that doesn't have any stand out tracks, and could've been a great record if it did. i could vote for any of more than half the songs with a clear conscience.

it could also be interepreted as there are a bunch of standout tracks and it's too hard to pick. similar to the hex enduction hour poll, i could have just flipped a coin and been happy

whoops, interpreted

After that... who listens to this???

People who aren't hung up on what age they listen to what music, jerkoff.

I know it's the most typically "Pixies" song here but it has to be U-Mass for me.

Thanks to this poll this bit has been stuck in my head all day:

And lots of guys who shook their heads
RHYTHMICALLY TO RESOUND THIS AIN'T THE PLANET OF SOUND!

Love that middle album stretch: Palace of the Brine/Letter to Memphis/Bird Dream. That's my favorite bit. First third of the record feels a bit choppy to me, as though assembled at random. And for the 1st time in the Pixies catalog, I find the shouty stuff more grating than cathartic (Planet of Sound, U-Mass).

This album sounds like they had the most fun recording it of any of their albums, but I bet that isn't really true.

I hated it when it came out. I suppose it's been long enough that it deserves another shot. I mean I absolutely love all their other stuff...

Ooh, I wonder. Did things start falling apart in the studio or on the tour that followed? xp

I can't really pick either, it's such a great record all around.

i think i'm the only one that picked trompe le monde. i love that song, though. it was between that and U-Mass.

I love that song too. Weird that it gets overlooked in discussions on the album, being the opener and all.

i do love this record -- probably as much as any Pixies record really. I went with Subbacultchah, which is awesome in about ten different ways. One of their most funny/disturbing lyrics ... "You know, when you grope for lunar!" interesting that the early versions of it include "Distance" as a chorus. They work better as separate songs ...

oh Alexander, i see you beneath the archway of aerodynamics

My favourite moment on the album. I love the title track and "Space" too. The best parts of the album are sublime but there are a few songs ("Planet of Sound", "U-Mass", "Palace of the Brine", "Subbacultcha") that just don't do much for me.

Cool organ and guitar solos on the Letterman version.

U-Mass and Space are the only weak songs on this record

I really enjoy "JEFREY WITH ONE F! JEFREY!" for some reason.

I agree with Sund4r's low points --though I'd add "Space". And the JAMC cover didn't really seem necessary so soon after the original. TBH, I actually really disliked this record the week it was released. The inaudiblity of Deal and BF's increasingly phlegmy vocals didn't help.

It's been mostly enjoyable right now though, after a very long break. "Letter to Memphis" might have been the most pleasing track this time around.

Planet of the Brine>Letter to Memphis>Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons is one of my favorite track sequences ever.

doesn't that span two vinyl sides? i guess they conceived it as a CD album

I really enjoy "JEFREY WITH ONE F! JEFREY!" for some reason.

― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Sunday, April 28, 2019

otm

Planet of the Brine>Letter to Memphis>Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons is one of my favorite track sequences ever.

― ☮ (peace, man), Monday, April 29, 2019 12:24 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

doesn't that span two vinyl sides? i guess they conceived it as a CD album

― imago, Monday, April 29, 2019 12:57 PM (thirty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Didn't know that. At least Brine and Memphis aren't separated, but Bird Dream provides such a sense of release.

If they'd separated Brine and Memphis it would be some top class trolling of their vinyl-buying audience.

Was there much of a vinyl-buying audience for Pixies albums in 1991?

Percentage-wise maybe more than for Dire Straits albums, but small absolute numbers, I'd guess.

Interesting how on that letterman performance, it's essentially black francis + paul shaffer's band.
I wonder how that conversation went down... "ok, lovering, if you insist on being on stage, i guess you can stand in the back. here are some maracas."

To my understanding, that is how Letterman gigs went down back then. Here's Jellyfish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18nDeuf8ICQ

love the bit on the second subbacultcha chorus where the band stops and frank's still yelling. the timing!

Interesting how long they saved "Subbacultcha" up. I don't think I prefer that 1987 demo with the "D=R*T" chorus embedded in it but it raises unanswerable questions like "would I have liked it more if they'd reworked for it for Surfer Rosa?" LOL

Planet of the Brine>Letter to Memphis>Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons is one of my favorite track sequences ever.

― ☮ (peace, man), Monday, April 29, 2019 6:24 AM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this x 1000000000000000000000000000

And the JAMC cover didn't really seem necessary so soon after the original. TBH, I actually really disliked this record the week it was released. The inaudiblity of Deal and BF's increasingly phlegmy vocals didn't help.

It's been mostly enjoyable right now though, after a very long break. "Letter to Memphis" might have been the most pleasing track this time around.

Oh yeah, I like "Letter" a lot. Nice melody. I sort of like the "Head On" cover in the way I can enjoy the not-strictly-necessary covers on early Beatles and Stones albums. Do agree that BF's voice doesn't seem quite as strong; I can't rate this as highly as Doolittle.

(xposts) I've got to say I'm glad they made 'Distance...' into a separate song, 'Subbacultcha' was never a favourite. This album is so much fun though, always makes me think of the seaside for some reason!

One time literally 10 years ago based on my recollection of where I was living at the time I posted the opening lines of Bird dream as a FB status update and Crut was like Are you OK??? and I had to reassure him I was fine and it was just a Pixies song.

Still AE for me even though I love at least 1/2 of these a lot.

I bought this on vinyl when it came out. LPs were already cordoned off to a small section at Newbury Comics Nashua. But I'd gotten the others that way, and wanted to keep the collection consistent. Liked it much much better than Bossanova, but in retrospect, I'd rank the highs equally.

At this point, Pod is probably my favorite thing out of the the Pixies/Breeders/Muses circle.

Of interest: Back when Paul Schafer played along with the musical guest on Letterman

Was there much of a vinyl-buying audience for Pixies albums in 1991?

― Paul Ponzi, Monday, April 29, 2019 7:25 AM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Percentage-wise maybe more than for Dire Straits albums, but small absolute numbers, I'd guess.

― dorsalstop, Monday, April 29, 2019 7:34 AM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I took a deep dive browsing for vinyl on eBay recently, and I was shocked to discover Columbia House made and distributed records up into the early '90s, including editions of Nevermind etc.

I really enjoy "JEFREY WITH ONE F! JEFREY!" for some reason.

― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 29 April 2019 00:01 (fifteen hours ago) Permalink

This was a bit of a rallying cry among all the other dorks & weirdos in my HS.

A few yrs later I was with UMS's old band who were playing a really odd "benefit" (?) in Fargo, ND, anyway for some reason there was an MC, a local high school kid who wore a tux and was super awkward and was intro-ing the bands, which was extra weird cuz there was like 50 people there maybe but so anyway when he got onstage he introduced himself as "Hi I'm Jefrey, with one F", and later on I was "the Pixies reference made me laugh" and his totally stone faced reply was "what?"

from the Eric Drew Feldman (ex- Beefheart/Magic Band, Pere Ubu, Residents) wiki page:

Feldman met the Pixies' Frank Black in 1991, when Pere Ubu were touring as the Pixies' opening act, and later played keyboards on the Pixies' Trompe le Monde (1991) and toured with them. He can also be seen in the video for "Alec Eiffel". Eric's brother Jef also played on the song "Space (I Believe In)" from the same record and was the inspiration behind its lyrics.[2]

I remember an interview at the time that confessed they were out of songs and needed something to take up the space so wrote a song literally about that.

And the guitar solo starts with the melody from Bob the Builder.

More from the longbox era:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHD7OZMnIUY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OubtF2_suc

was reminded of:

#1: how BF used a flanger on vox for this tour
#2: how much the band didn't like each other by this point

I don't think they ever liked each other!

David Lovering always had the best sounding drums, especially his cranked snare.

I was so excited when the "Planet of Sound" CD single was released.

Kim's playing on the end of "Bird Dream" is really great (I got new headphones haha).

it's just PIXIES, Dennis!!1

i remember that i was disappointed by this album when it came out and didn't buy it. bossanova i got as lp as a birthday present from a friend. together with the blue aeroplanes swagger my first indie records. and i liked bossanova which i found light and sunny quite a bit. bought doolittle and surfer rosa/come on pilgrim on cd shortly afterwards. doolittle has always been my fave. i think i should relisten to trompe le monde, it seems to have aged well.

I think each of the Pixies albums could be their best, with the exception of Bossanova, which ironically was my favorite for the longest time.

The best parts of the album are sublime but there are a few songs ("Planet of Sound", "U-Mass", "Palace of the Brine", "Subbacultcha") that just don't do much for me.

Ha, I love all of those songs!

I remember seeing the 'Gouge' documentary in the late 90s, where someone like Dave Grohl presents the idea that only up to Doolittle was considered their classic period which got a big WTF from me at the time.

I wish a scan of Danni Minogue describing Planet Of Sound as "a crock of shit" in Number One magazine would show up somewhere.

Smash Hits. Enjoy. One page over her own LP is reviewed as slightly better than Electronic's.

"roooooooar"

:) Scans of pretty much every page of pretty much every issue of Smash Hits here. Found myself preferring Neil Tennant's 1984 singles reviews over sleep at 3am last night.

wow those Danni reviews are kinda fun/mostly wtf

Living Colour "sounds a bit like Paul Simon"

Thanks! Could have sworn it was Number One

Did Neil Tennant ever give The Icicle Works a bad review? Ian McNabb charmingly wished death on him on Twitter a few years ago

Besides, Alfred, I've seen others suggest that the album should have been sequenced differently.

Someone on Spectrum Culture apparently gave it a shot, shortening the album to 11 tracks. I don't think it's entirely an improvement, but opening with "Letter to Memphis" and closing with "Motorway to Roswell" is a pretty great idea. Something close to a swap of Sides A and B (save for "Letter to Memphis" and "Motorway to Roswell" which I'd keep at both ends) may be on the right track.

It's temping to cut it down to the 10 or 12 best cuts and make like a 25+ minute album as a throwback to some the super-short rock LP's of the '50s. The fact that most of the songs are so short even goes along with the concept.

(Black Francis: “A lot of the arrangements were pretty short, and Gil suggested we lengthen them...I went out, picked up a Buddy Holly record and played him one of the songs, which was about a minute and fourteen seconds. I said: ‘Gil, there you go. It doesn’t get any more classic than this rock n’ roll right here. Look how short these arrangements are.’ He decided not to fight me on that point...") FWIW, the only three Buddy Holly albums released in Holly's lifetime ran for 25:59, 24:35 and 25:06 respectively.

I absolutely never play the Pixies anymore -- if I ever did; I never warmed to them like I did the Breeders -- but this remains my go-to album.

one of my favorite album endings, actually. "Motorway to Roswell" so devastating that I need a weird coda to let the pressure off.

(and 2022 has been my year of crying to "Motorway")