I remember the first time I ever remember hearing the work of
The Pixies – it was 1992, when they opened for U2 on their “Zoo TV”
tour in Chicago. My guest and I had no idea what to expect from
this group, and when Black Francis and crew hit the stage, they
literally blew me away – the first time I ever recalled an opening
act not wanting to make me yell, “Get the hell off the stage!”
Within days, I had purchased
Trompe Le Monde – and not long after that, the band called
it a day.
Now, thanks to the alternative all-star cover album,
Where Is My Mind?: A Tribute To The Pixies, I’ve been able
to experience some of that virgin excitement all over again.
Fifteen of the genre’s best bands (or at least bands you’ll be
hearing about soon) gather to pay homage to the songs you might not
know, but should.
Now, one has to keep in mind that a cover album does not
guarantee that things will be played note for note, or will sound
exactly like the version you so fondly remember. In my case, the
two covers from
Trompe Le Monde disappoint a little bit, but they are
admirable for the most part. Braid’s take on “Trompe Le Monde” is
almost head-on (though I honestly don’t understand what the
spoken-word at the end has to do with anything), while The Get-Up
Kids speed “Alec Eiffel” up a little more than I would have liked.
(While we’re on the album I’m most familiar with, I’m honestly
surprised no one chose to cover “Planet Of Sound”.)
For the die-hard Pixies fan,
Where Is My Mind? is sure to intrigue you at every turn.
Tracks like Weezer’s take on “Velouria” and Nada Surf’s cover of
“Where Is My Mind?” all were quite pleasing, even if someone (like
myself) wasn’t familiar with the band’s entire catalog.
Whether it was Reel Big Fish checking in with “Gigantic,”
Samiam’s version of “Here Comes Your Man,” Weston’s take on “La,
La, Love You” or Superdrag hammering things home with “Wave Of
Mutilation,”
Where Is My Mind? does exactly what an album of this sort is
supposed to do. It pays tribute to the band by opening your mind to
their music, while it piques your curiosity about other acts. (Not
everyone knows about Local H, Samiam, Eve 6 or Far, but something
tells me that all 15 of these groups are going to be attracting a
lot of attention to themselves thanks to their efforts.)
Granted, the style of music that The Pixies played in their time
wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea; I’m sure if I had looked around at
the audience that night, I would have seen a lot of gaping mouths.
(After all, who would have expected such a band to open for U2?)
But The Pixies were the type of band who could quickly grow on the
listener; the same is true with
Where Is My Mind? Give this one a chance, and be surprised
to discover you’re a fan of one of alternative music’s best-kept
secrets.
