Pixies have released their third single of 2024, ‘Oyster Beds’, in a run-up to their ninth album, The Night the Zombies Came.
The alt-rock titans, who anchored themselves into the indie-rock hall of fame with their 1989 album, Doolittle, have effectively intertwined zany lyrics with a sincere punk sound in their new single.
Pixies’ earlier releases this year, ‘You’re So Impatient’ and ‘Chicken’, have already dipped us into frontman and songwriter Black Francis’ endearing, lyrical quirks. Playful images of medieval towns and headless chickens are used to describe frustrations that are as alluring as they are ambiguous.
‘Oyster Beds’, however, throws us head first into his most surreal lyrics. The introductory lines: “I painted heads and lots of reds / and pools of black in oyster beds” invites us on a whistle-stop tour of a macabre, indie wonderland. Only Black Francis could concoct such a world simply from a list of his paintings.
Though they have sonically influenced many alt-rock bands, Pixies remain unafraid to explore their musical sound. Their signature “loud-quiet-loud” transitions are traded off for imposing guitar riffs and the occasional, boyish chant. The track has a traditionally punk feel, reminiscent of The Ramones. Though some fans might miss Pixies’ typical sound, no one can deny the adrenaline-infused catchiness of David Lovering’s drumming.
So far, Pixies have teased us with a few pearls before the release of The Night The Zombies Came on 25 October 2024.
Words by Harriet MacDonald
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