The Night the Zombies Came marks the tenth album for The Pixies since their first full length release in 1988. For those unaware, the Pixies are an alternative rock band that emerged in the mid to late 80’s. They’ve achieved renown for their hits “Where Is My Mind” and “Here Comes Your Man,” in which they bring their quirky and distinguishable sound to the rock forefront.
Their new album features thirteen tracks and contains the work of all founding Pixies members sans bassist Kim Deal, who officially left the band in 2013 and has just recently been replaced by Emma Richardson. Deal, known for her iconic vocals backing lead singer Black Francis, contributed much to the Pixies sound that I feared I’d miss in this new album. However, Richardson perfectly filled that space with her own vocals that contribute much to the sound of these new songs. While, overall, the new releases seem audibly polished compared to some previously loved Pixies releases, The Night the Zombies Came still brings what I’ve come to love from their discography.
The album starts off with the soft rock song “Primrose”. I would personally choose another song as my album’s opener, but I find it a solid song in its own right. I consider it to be a good song to play in the background when driving, or when doing homework. The song doesn’t energize by any means, but they pour that missing motion into one of my personal favorites: the follow-up track “You’re So Impatient”.
“Impatient” discusses dissatisfaction in relationships through the visualization of suburban staples such as a shopping mall or a kitschy medieval restaurant. It embodies the Pixies sound that I personally prefer, and of the songs on this album I would recommend it the most to any unfamiliar listeners.
I will avoid saying that this album has no skips, but it certainly shines at certain moments and has a few download-worthy tracks. If you’re in the mood for a slower song, I would recommend “Kings of the Prairie” and “I Hear You Mary” over “Hypnotized” or “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)”. However, if you’re in the mood for an upbeat jam I’d put “Oyster Beds,” “Ernest Evans,” and previously mentioned “You’re So Impatient” in the queue. Honorable mentions include “Johnny Good Man,” “The Vegas Suite,” and “Motoroller.” The other songs not yet mentioned include “Chicken” and “Mercy Me”. While they’re not my favorites, I understand that they include instrumentals that others may enjoy.
The Night the Zombies Came delivers both sleepy rock songs and faster tunes that make it a great all-rounder album. It glistens with self-reflection and knowing, and longtime fans of the band may even be able to pick out religious undertones present in past works such as “Caribou”. While singer-songwriter Black Francis has gone on record in an AP News interview stating that there is no unifying theme for this new album, he has made sure to leave room open to interpretation for fans – and I can verify through my own listening that there certainly is room to let your imagination run wild.
Even though the album carries no unifying theme, Black’s common use of the undead in his lyrics certainly ties the album to its title well, and I enjoyed that aspect very much. Many bands who have been running for as long as the Pixies have can sometimes change their sound for multiple reasons, leaving fans divided over which era is arguably better. I don’t see this in the case of The Night the Zombies Came. This album is not necessarily inspiring, but I do consider it a fun listen.
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