Pixies – Trompe le Monde Review

Pioneers of the genre turned to chasers of their sound, Pixies’ four-album drop-off is fascinating. Not because the quality dipped, the band maintained a very effective sound in their initial run, but because they were no longer the frontrunners of the alternative rock they popularised. An album a year and with a ruthless style of recording, Pixies sounded set to keep on thriving, and they do just that on Trompe le Monde. Their fourth studio album is a song which feels far stronger as a group project rather than an album dominated by one creative voice. Black Francis does not appear until the gurgling second song, which feels like a nod to the sci-fi of the times, and this is a sign of the problem Pixies must deal with. They are no longer seeking out the counterculture because they became the mainstream variety. It is not until Trompe le Monde that Pixies realise their new status.  

Because only when Pixies realise where they are can they work towards where they should be. Trompe le Monde is a powerhouse of an album overshadowed by a preceding release which pales in comparison. A frenetic, ever-present energy is right there on Trompe le Monde, a massacre of the ears as each song bleeds into one another. From the title track to Planet Sound to Alec Eiffel is an unbroken streak of incredible instrumental work. They had lost the loud and quiet balance by this point, but the alternate, the straight-shooting rock riffs, are realised well here. There is still a roaring, guttural sense to Pixies’ work here, something they lost somewhat on Bossanova. The Sad Punk feels like a knock at those who hear them slip into the alternative rock standard. All they want to do is stand out, but not for the sake of popularity. A unique sound is what they want, and it is what they get with Trompe le Monde.  

Pixies are reunited with a sound worthy of our, and crucially, their time. Trompe le Monde gets close to being the best of their works because of its consistency. There are no massive standouts, though there are songs like Letter to Memphis which reaches a close to perfect point. From Kim Deal in one final outing on bass to the steady, sinister mix of percussion she provides with David Lovering, Trompe le Monde finds a revitalised interest not just in Pixies, but in the depths of their sound. An overlapping, often incredible album which stands as their most consistent. Trompe le Monde enjoys the spoils of everything the band has learned, and are now fighting against. Space (I Believe In) holds those values up incredibly. Francis may drift at times but the lyrical additions he makes are always defiant and provide that ruthlessness.  

There is a soft medley stretching across Trompe le Monde. Pixies finds a connection from song to song. These are not just moments but a whole piece where the intensities of their surroundings are finally creeping into the studio. Francis discards the biblical references and tortured hearts not for a difference in tone but for a personable tone. Lovely Day hears him express, for one of the first times, a specific which feels like a true story, a piece of a puzzle still haunting him. Instrumentally impressive and lyrically refreshed, Trompe le Monde maintains a heart which Pixies has not yet recaptured in their reunion. Their most ambitious album to date, a sound which explores the lessons learned on previous releases, but also provides the starting point of Francis’ interest in the weird, the wild, and the wonderful spots of life.