by Dana Poland (@danazsz)
In January of 1993, frontman Black Francis announced on BBC Radio 5 that the Pixies had broken up. This was news to fans and band members alike, though calling it a complete surprise isn’t entirely accurate. The band first began to unravel during the late 1988 recording sessions for Doolittle, when Black Francis and bassist Kim Deal started to act out. Deal was almost fired from the band after refusing to perform at one show, and Black Francis threw his guitar at her during another. At this point, they had essentially stopped speaking, other than to record and perform. Following the release of Trompe le Monde in 1991, the band went on hiatus, and two years later, Black Francis’ BBC interview had aired. The Pixies were over.
At this point, Kim had been playing with her side project The Breeders for about four years. It was her sister (and bandmate) Kelley Deal who broke the news to her: “I was in the studio literally recording ‘Cannonball’ when Kelley came down the hallway and said, ‘Pixies broke up’.” Kim told NME. “I said, ‘OK, get out of my way.’” Poetically, the song was about the crash and burn of the Pixies. It opens with Kim wailing “awooo-oooh…awooo-ooh” until the music starts, deliberately mocking her opening howls on the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” – of course, without Black Francis shouting “stop!”. “Cannonball” became NME’s Single of the Year and, even thirty years later, has one of the most recognizable bass lines in indie rock history.
What’s more iconic is the album it’s from. This year, Last Splash celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new reissue that includes remastered versions of its original fifteen tracks and two previously unreleased archival songs. Opening with the classic “New Year,” the pulsing noise rock chorus that erupts from the slow burning feedback in the subdued intro immediately prefaces the album’s identity as an energetic and unrelenting alt-rock classic. Even the lyrics are commanding and self-defining: “I am the sun/ I am the New Year/ I am the rain/ I am the way home.”
“Do You Love Me Now?” was originally released on the Breeders’ Safari EP but positions itself well within Last Splash with a slower chug and a brand new question mark in the title. They seem a little less interested in commercial success here, but it’s certainly aged gracefully. Kim’s vocals sit coolly on top of the melody’s deliberately tense nature, directly opposing its heavy tone and desperate lyrics. Tracks like “Saints” and “S.O.S.” are similarly raw and dense, though with more clear hints of rage within Kim’s voice. Others, like “Roi” and “Hag,” find their gritty texture from waves of reverb-drenched, loud-quiet dynamics.
“Divine Hammer,” with its simple, repetitive lyrics (“One divine hammer…”) and bubbly four-chord progression, is the most cut and dried ‘90s pop song on the album. Archival song “Divine Mascis” is an unreleased version of the track, featuring vocals from Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis. In this rendition, the lead guitars appear to have traded their fuzz pedals for overdrive, and the solo is fluidly embedded within the mid-layer of the track. “Go Man Go,” the reissue’s other new track, was co-written by Kim Deal and Black Francis back in 1993. Their creative synergy is undeniable, and although it sounds like it could be from Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, its reminiscence of Deal’s alt-rock heyday makes it a perfect new addition to Last Splash.