Pixies are still roaring through what has turned into a permanent reunion, searching for the sparks of a new and innovative sound. They have found it here. It is trickier for established acts to present a redefining noise, likely because the time between their best and recent work grows by the second. Frank Black and the gang had some successes with Beneath the Eyrie and moments of Doggrell, but they feel frequent on new album The Night the Zombies Came. They have clawed out of The Dandy Warhols’ category. Hitmakers of recognisable stature trying, with genuine and focused effort, to fill the hole where their creative spirit once was. The Night the Zombies Came feels like the best Pixies album since their reunion, but this does not mean much given their track record. At least this has their best song in over a decade, Chicken. Can they challenge their initial run? That is the question.
Yes, they can. Their return to the studio was filled with worry for fans who tried to cut through their recent singles. While the context and comfort of album tracks do little to compliment You’re So Impatient and Oyster Beds, they feel that little bit stronger because of the weighty material within The Night the Zombies Came. Black and the band feel set to offer slower, acoustic ballads which verge on country-like intimacies. Time spent on the prairie and the wandering, country joys of opener Primrose hint at this. This may be the breaking point for those sitting in the dark, disappointed by the string of reunion albums from Pixies. Finally – a change in direction, a pursuit of opportune, exciting sounds which pays off with gratifying instrumental scope from Joey Santiago and lyrical clarity from Black. It is spotty work, but ultimately a force of sincerity.
Brief songs are the bread and butter of any Pixies setlist and The Night the Zombies Came is packed with those. Some end with a suddenness which deflates the warmth they build, like Primrose, but this feels like the point. Seasonal changes and the suddenness of the weather create a tremendous sense of preparing for the unexpected. Cut-offs and immediate ends to their instrumental inspirations feel part of the Pixies parcel and are a welcome part of their latest work here. There are some frankly brilliant spots of work on The Night the Zombies Came, particularly its title track, Jane. Those eponymous horror characters are perfunctory. Just a chance for Pixies to link themselves to the thrills of Halloween and a gothic-adjacent tone. Their best moments are surprisingly light and acoustic-driven – narratively independent of the song preceding or following, but tremendously well-worked.
Gut punches like Chicken feel as broad and effective as they were on their own. The Night the Zombies Came simply articulates the pleading and begging tones heard throughout it that much better. The constant implication of ghouls is not their literal presence but the emotional and cultural impact this branch of horror has had, the moments they prevail over are simply the background noise. Lacklustre singles from Pixies have created a bad buzz around the album. Frankly, The Night the Zombies Came is their best in decades. Far greater than the best effort of their reunion so far – and challenging the mantle of their classic albums too.
What stops it is the simpler structure of some of the songs featured throughout, the likes of Hypnotised feel rocking and innovative in comparison to the calmer, heartfelt openers. And yet the prevailing instrumental tone is so consistent, such a joy to listen to. Lush and considered work from a band who were clawing at a sound just out of reach. This is where they can kick on from, and it will feel like a great relief for those somewhat disappointed with their contemporary materials. Pixies is back in action, swinging along well with The Night the Zombies Came. Johnny Good Man has Black sound off with a confident, stylish assessment of Pixies. They belong on the stage. Where else is there to go? It is a matter of keeping themselves in good form for those appearances, and this latest set of songs is a massive turn of fortune. Pixies push into brilliant territory for the first time in years.
Confident indie rock from legends of the genre. It may not feel like much to hear Pixies rocking through another set of future classics but it has been so long since dedicated fans got a generous helping of quality work from the band. This is their turning point. The Night the Zombies Came is an outstanding moment for Pixies. Black is in fine lyrical form and Santiago has a blisteringly excellent quality to his instrumental sections. Newcomer Emma Richardson impresses too with an ever-evolving spot in the instrumental background. Alongside drummer David Lovering, the pair are integral, keeping a steady tempo and impressive beats alive as Black finds his footing as a sharp vocalist once more.
But the great joys of The Night the Zombies Came come from relief as well as excitement. We may be ready for another round of hits from Pixies but much of this comes off the back of sluggish work. Preceding this is frustrating albums and muddled work. They have ironed out the trouble and gunned for a direction which will feel familiar to fans of the band but also stretch them to their limit. Intricate displays of their new direction can be heard in the likes of I Hear You Mary or album closer The Vegas Suite and these are occasions worth celebrating. What a shock to the system The Night the Zombies Came is, and what a welcome experience it is. Pixies are back – and it sounds, finally, like they never left.
