Indie Cindy

The Pixies and their fans are best off pretending this isn’t a big comeback for one of the most influential alt-rock bands of the late '80s but rather an exciting new group fronted by former Pixie leader Frank Black. Original bassist Kim Deal dropped out of the running, with session bassist Ding now handling her duties. So this technically isn’t the classic Pixies. But as far as Frank Black albums go, this is a strong entry. These songs first appeared in a series of EPs, a gentle way of coaxing listeners back to the fold that also let the group make last-minute tinkerings to their work. The songs themselves feel much more accessible. Black appears to understand where their sound turned the commercial corner. He still snarls and screams with the best of them, and the guitars are turned mean and nasty by longtime Pixies producer Gil Norton. “What Goes Boom” is an immediate battle between Black and lead guitarist Joey Santiago. “Greens and Blues” is more accommodating. “Bagboy” nods toward The Fall, an alternative band even more influential than The Pixies who’ve been shuffling lineups—and confounding expectations—for decades.