Surfer Rosa

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Before the Breeders and Frank Black, there was this Boston quartet, playing hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with the drums right in your face, and songs edited to eliminate any note that's not absolutely necessary. Singer Black Francis yelping away about destroyed bodies and the river Euphrates, alternately acting cryptic and crazed. Kim Deal, then calling herself "Mrs. John Murphy," contributes the highlight, "Gigantic," a creepy anthem about childhood voyeurism. The playing is snarly and tricky but unfailingly tuneful, and the hooks come out of nowhere, hiding behind the noise, and bite down hard. --Douglas Wolk --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Bone Machine
Break My Body
Something Against You
Broken Face
Gigantic
River Euphrates
Where Is My Mind?
Cactus
Tony's Theme
Oh My Golly
You Fucking Die! I Said... [Hidden Track]
Vamos
I'm Amazed
Brick Is Red

Amazon.com essential recording

Before the Breeders and Frank Black, there was this Boston quartet, playing hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with the drums right in your face, and songs edited to eliminate any note that's not absolutely necessary. Singer Black Francis yelping away about destroyed bodies and the river Euphrates, alternately acting cryptic and crazed. Kim Deal, then calling herself "Mrs. John Murphy," contributes the highlight, "Gigantic," a creepy anthem about childhood voyeurism. The playing is snarly and tricky but unfailingly tuneful, and the hooks come out of nowhere, hiding behind the noise, and bite down hard. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Oh My Golly! It's the Pixies first full Length Debut!.......2007-06-27

Sure, some songs may sound a bit bizarre on 'Surfer Rosa' filled with pidgin Spanish jitterish, and yelling and screaming all over the place!
Even still the stream of consciousness flows on through filled with soaring guitar and at times the guitar play may sound a bit zany, especially on "Vamos" where Joey Santiago (lead guitar) just lets it loose! He really was (and is)a under-rated guitarist.
The band is in full form here complete with David Lovering's precise and cranked up drumming. And of course you got the band's leading lady, Kim Deal.
Yes, she is in stellar form on 'Rosa' providing one of her best known songs with the album's first hit - "Gigantic"-
Kim Deal is a wonderful vocalist (also check out the Breeder's Pod)and after their next album - 1989's 'Doolittle'- she hardly sang at all, eventually costing the Pixies to break up in the early 90s.
I do think Kim Deal is the Heart that makes the Pixies tick, w/o her they sound a bit tired like with their last studio release 'Trompe le Monde'- Just 'Forget the World' and leave Kim Deal out of it, yeah that's smart!
Anyways, my Top two favorite tracks may be a bit different then the average die-hard fan's normal choices. My Top Pixies song is "RIVER EUPHRATES" !! Absolutely amazing to my ears. I was in instant jaw drop mode when I first heard it. I know that may sound silly to many, oh well. It features Black Francis Screaming "Ride the tire down River Euphrates..." as Kim Deal chimes in with background vocals, a bit off and messy, but to me it blends oh so perfectly.
My second favorite song is "Break My Body" after the explosive opener "Bone Machine"-
It seems like to me that most fan favorites are "Gigantic"- and their most known and popular song "Where Is My Mind" which doesn't at all hurt the fact that it was on the end credits to the movie "Fight Club"

- New to the Pixies ? Pick up 'Surfer Rosa' and if you like it (even if you don't) check out 'Doolittle' next and listen to the band that influenced Nirvana's soft to loud dynamics. It is possible without the Pixies, there wouldn't have been a "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as Kurt cited that he ripped off the Pixies while creating that song.
Hard to believe where Alternative Rock would be today without it's main influences. Oh well with 'Surfer Rosa'(& Sonic Youth) and subsequently Nirvana, there is no need to wonder.
- 'Surfer Rosa' for me, really is close to pure unadulterated perfection in all it's raw and glorious maniacal madness. What a 'trip' from start to finish.

The worst band of all time?.......2007-06-08

Surfer Rosa is what it would sound like if Mike Tyson, Helen Keller, Pauly Shore, and a random homeless guy picked up instruments for the first time and decided to record an album. Was there a single actual musician in this band? I have never in my life heard a band that was so utterly, apocalyptically devoid of actual talent.

It doesn't matter how influential this band was or how popular they were (or are) in college frat houses. Stupid music is stupid music, period, and The Pixies' attempts at writing 'music that's so bad that it's actually kind of good' failed miserably. Unless of course you think lyrics like "This song is about a superhero named Tony!" are the stuff of brilliance.

Silliness is not an art form. This band was a crime against rock.

Stripped-down and playful.......2007-05-20

"Surfer Rosa" is an excellent example of artful sloppiness, the musical equivalent to the Tower of Pisa. The vocals wobble out of tune, the guitars spill over beats, and the drums slur drunkenly. Only Deal's rock-solid bass keeps things from imploding.

And that's the charm. The utter lack of pretension and the gleeful performances make "Surfer Rosa" a joy to listen to. While the recording could benefit from remastering and the songs can become repetitive, it's just too much fun to pass up.

aquired taste.......2007-03-20

first heard "where is my mind" in LOST across america along with "ten percenter" (not on this cd), i was like i have to get that cd (surfer rosa), i listened to it once and was like man this sucks and i put into my box of cd's instead of on the rack. I found it a few months ago, covered in dust, and decided to check it again. What the hell was i thinking that night, i guess i was expecting more songs like where is my mind? but none the less this is classic stuff, the drums are in your face, the lyrics are quirky and weird but playful, and kim's voice adds a nice touch, if it doesn't grab you at first which is most likely give it a few more tries

1st Taste.......2006-11-03

This is my first introduction to the Pixies, other than maybe hearing a song or 2 on the radio but not knowing who it was. This is a great album. I'm glad to have finally discovered what is a long overdue addition to my musical favorites.

Average customer rating:

Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Manufacturer: Mobile Fidelity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MM1F6E
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Tracks:

Bone Machine
Break My Body
Something Against You
Broken Face
Gigantic
River Euphrates
Where Is My Mind?
Cactus
Tony's Theme
Oh My Golly!
Vamos
I'm Amazed
Brick Is Red

Average customer rating:

Come On Try It
I'm a humble guy/with healthy desires...
Break my body
i got a broken face...
An Excellent first Pixies album

Surfer Rosa/Come on Pilgrim
Pixies
Manufacturer: 4ad
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005LAGO
Release Date: 1992-01-01

Tracks:

Bone Machine
Break My Body
Something Against You
Broken Face
Gigantic
River Euphrates
Where Is My Mind?
Cactus
Tony's Theme
Oh My Golly!
Vamos
I'm Amazed
Brick Is Red
Caribou
Vamos
Isla De Encanta
Ed Is Dead
The Holiday Song
Nimrod's Son
I've Been Tired
Levitate Me
Bonus Track 1

Album Description

1988 4AD release featuring all of the tracks from their 1987debut mini-album 'Come On Pilgrim' and their 1988 debut fulllength album 'Surfer Rosa' on one CD. Eventually they were both were reissued on Elektra in the U.S. in the early '90s,but separately! 22 tracks in all, including 'Gigantic', 'Bone Machine', 'Where Is My Mind?', 'Cactus', 'Vamos' (bothversions!), 'Isla De Encanta', 'I've Been Tired', 'Tony's Theme' and more. Also contains the original cover art from 'Surfer Rosa' of the topless Italian prostitute.

Album Description

Post-modern Alternative Rock begins here! The Pixies may not have scaled the top of the charts during their existence, but without them, the Alternative scene wouldn't exist as we know it. This CD features their first two releases on one disc: 1987's Come On Pilgrim (their debut mini-album) plus Surfer Rosa, their first full-length album from 1988 These releases excited and influenced a new generation of fans, some of whom would go on to form some the bands responsible for turning the music business upside down in the '90s (most notably, Nirvana). 22 tracks in all, including 'Gigantic',' Bone Machine', 'Where Is My Mind?', 'Cactus', 'Vamos' (both versions), 'Isla De Encanta', 'I've Been Tired', 'Tony's Theme' and more. Also contains the original 'topless Italian prostitute cover art from 'Surfer Rosa'. 4AD.

Album Details

The Pixies' Second Album on CD was Coupled with their First EP on CD to Present a Complete Audio Portrait of the Band's Early Years Together. Both Are Some of the Most Trailblazing and Admired Recordings of the Era and Are Often Referenced by Bands that Emerged on the Scene in their Wake. Produced by Steve Albini (Who also Ended Up at the Knobs for Nirvana's Breakthrough "Nevermind" Album).

Customer Reviews:

Come On Try It.......2005-09-26

I'll never forget the day I first bought and heard 'Sufer Rosa (& Come On Pilgrim)', it was one of those moments in life when the music really does provided a soundtrack to life. It was a Friday afternoon, I was at college, it was a cool autum day with clear blue skies, I'd just broken up with my girlfriend of almost a year that week because she'd cheated on me, and right that moment I was waiting for my computer skills class to open in about half an hour. With a big break in between morning classes and afternoon ones I'd popped into to buy some albums that day kind of to cheer me up. As I sat outside the room on the second floor over looking a court yard I popped 'Surfer Rosa' into my portable cd player and from the opening strains of 'Bone Machine' things in life started to look up. It was my first pixies album and I'd only really picked it up because one it had previously been recommended to me, and two it was cheap. I was lucky that day (the other albums I'd bought were Mogwai's 'Happy Music For Happy People' and Black Flag's 'First Four Years' comp, both great as well might I add).

Everything about the album was right to me. It was catchy without being typical pop. The guitars buzzed but weren't heavy, they were light and spidery but still packed a punch. The whole album was and still is weird and wonderful, manic and crazy, but most importantly it was fun, how can you not feel good listening to this its postively bursting with life and engery. By the end of 'River Euphrates' I was out of my blues and feeling pretty damn good. As much as I love some other albums I don't think any other band or ever album could swing my mood around from so depressed to on to of the world in just seven songs. That was the magic of the Pixies on thise album to me. Sure its an important album in the scheme of indie music and all, big influence on Nirvana ectera, but for me 'Surfer Rosa' will always be a personal album. By the time my class opened I didn't want to take my head phones off an go in. So as soon as I could I put the cd in one of the computers and played it out loud for everyone to hear, which annoyed the girl the who sat next to me who was into hip hop and the teacher who eventually told me to put my headphones back on or turn it off.

So I'll recommend this album to everyone, its brilliant and possibly life altering, if you're at the right spot in your life when you hear it I guess. But I'll also say get the version with this version with the 'Come On Pilgrim' EP add on because I can't imagine listening to this without hearing 'The Holiday Song' or 'I've Been Tired' and ending with 'Levitate Me' and heck all the rest either. It might cost you a little more, but you'll probably find its worth every cent of it.

I'm a humble guy/with healthy desires..........2005-06-02

Surfer Rosa must be one of the greatest alternative rock albums ever recorded. Its abrasiveness takes a bit of getting used to, but once you're over the hurdle, it's an exhilarating album. The Pixies had everything a rock band could possibly want- their music is a thrilling adrenaline-fuelled ride- a perfect blend of melody and noise, characterised by a free-wheeling eclecticism, a much-imitated sound of lurching rythmical dynamics and, to top it all, a crazy front man with inspired lyrics. Steve Albini's production is equally impressive- the snare drums crack and the guitars fizz (they were recorded in a toilet cubicle!)- giving the album an irresistible energy.
Come On Pilgrim lacks the punch of Surfer Rosa, and isn't as well recorded, but its worth having for Caribou, Ed is Dead and I've Been Tired, for its amusing lyrics ("I said I wanna be a singer like Lou Reed/I like Lou Reed/she said, sticking her tongue in my ear..")

It amazes me when people laud albums like White Light/White Heat, Loveless and Daydream Nation, when this album clearly wipes the floor with all of them. It's even got a classic sleeve, with some gratuitous female nudity and a surrealism-inspired guitar head protruding from the wall. What more do you want?

Break my body.......2003-12-30

You know how your dad stopped listening to new music in 1972 or so after he got all those Beatles, Aretha, Neil Young, Marvin Gaye, Stones, and early Zeppelin albums? He knew that Bad Company and Foreigner didn't have anything to add. Lots of intelligent people quit buying records for a while after this band broke up.

The Pixies were a highwater mark that college rock still looks up to -- melodic genius drenched in bone-breaking noise. "Surfer Rosa" rocks like Meet the Pixies. This CD gives you the excellent 8-song EP "Come On Pilgrim," which includes the sublimely beautiful "Caribou" and seven other tooth-loosening hits. "Surfer Rosa" is brilliant from end to end -- I caught my refrigerator repairman singing along to "River Euphrates." "Cactus" and "I'm Amazed" are bedrock. And "Brick is Red" is my secret favorite -- an incomprehensible sing-song.

i got a broken face..........2002-04-05

If you don't know this album, you don't know anything. One the 20st century albuns. If I had to choose 20 albuns, this would be right on the top!!

An Excellent first Pixies album.......1999-07-15

A lot of highly charged, completely unique, and very FUN songs on this album.

Average customer rating: