In a recent review for The Guardian, Phil Mongredien handed the Pixies’ latest album The Night the Zombies Came a rather ungenerous 2-star rating, lamenting it as “an echo of an echo” of the band’s past triumphs. You can read it here. Now, Phil, dear critic, I get it. You want the Pixies of yesteryear, but this album isn’t some desperate bid for “past glories” – it’s an evolution, the sound of seasoned musicians honing their craft. In fact, I wonder if you’ve truly listened to all their work, or just the early Doolittle classics? Allow me to help you out.
The Night the Zombies Came marks Pixies’ fifth post-reunion album, and while it doesn’t come with Surfer Rosa-level frenzy, it certainly captures the spirit of mature rock. Perhaps it’s time to accept that musicians, just like the rest of us, evolve. According to Cult Following, this album is a turning point for the Pixies, embracing acoustic textures alongside Santiago’s signature fuzzy guitar to give us fresh sounds that blend introspection with just the right amount of Pixie weirdness.
And let’s talk about Emma Richardson’s addition on bass. Soundsphere Magazine notes that her harmonies and driving bass bring a renewed energy that meshes well with Black Francis’s vocals. If anything, The Night the Zombies Came builds on, rather than recycles, the Pixies’ sound. Yes, there’s nostalgia in there, but it’s been distilled with a touch of finesse that shows how the Pixies have come to terms with age – and they do it with humour and style, especially on tracks like “Chicken”.
Even Glide Magazine had kind words, observing that “the cinematic scope” of this album creates a lush landscape for the band’s quirky lyrics and sonic experiments to play out. I’d say that the Pixies’ new material has aged like a fine wine, maybe more Bordeaux than Bud Light, but hey, some critics might just need a bit of practice with the refined stuff.
So, here’s a suggestion, Phil: give the whole discography a spin, from Come On Pilgrim to Doggerel. You’ll find that The Night the Zombies Came isn’t a stale throwback – it’s a testament to the Pixies’ staying power. And who knows? You might find a little enjoyment in the so-called “echoes” after all.