As humpday surprises go, new music from Pixies will take some beating!
The hard-rocking legends today confirmed details of Head Carrier, their second album to be released since their long-awaited 2004 reunion. Fans of the Boston behemoths were already looking forward to their forthcoming Irish appearances – July 13 sees them step under canvas at Live At The Marquee, Cork, with a sold-out appointment at Iveagh Gardens, Dublin the following day – but this news will likely have them tickled all colours under the sun.
Produced by Tom Dalgety, who's previously twiddled knobs for the likes of Killing Joke and Royal Blood, and recorded in London earlier this year, the 12-track collection bears all the hallmarks of the classic Pixies sound; surf-rock vibes mixed with aggression, psychedelia and a little swagger thrown in for good measure. If you fancy proof, the first single from the record – the frantic blast 'Um Chagga Lagga' – is streaming at the end of this article.
One difference in this record is the amount of time spent in pre-production; in contrast to the band's get-in/get-out style – that, in their heyday, saw a return of an album a year despite a hectic touring schedule – this one was significantly more relaxed, with a positively indulgent six weeks spent preparing before the red light was on.
"This was a wonderful luxury, for us to have the time to be able to really work these new songs out," says drummer David Lovering. "By the time we started recording, we all knew the songs backwards and forwards, so it took half as long for us to make this album as it did to make Indie Cindy. And it was great working with Tom... he started with us in pre-production and played a big part in keeping us focused on making the best music we could.”
The record also marks the formal confirmation of bassist Paz Lenchantin to the band's starting line-up – touring bassist since January 2014, she's now very firmly filling the considerable boots of Kim Deal on a permanent basis.
"I was very nervous in the beginning when I went to that first rehearsal," says Lenchantin. "There were these shoes I felt I had to fill and I tried to do the best I could for the fans, to make the live performances sound true to the originals. I spent three years learning to understand what being a Pixie meant, and now, my heart, spirit, and love for their music is embedded in me and I feel like I have become a Pixie. We had been more about the history of the Pixies, but now, we are about going forward."
"Paz is a joy to be around," Lovering adds. "She's very funny, and we're having more fun than we've ever had as a band, we all have a blast together, on and off stage."
The album arrives on September 30 – but you can check out the lead single below – the full track list is below that.

Track List for Head Carrier
Head Carrier
Classic Masher
Baal’s Back
Might As Well Be Gone
Oona
Talent
Tenement Song
Bel Esprit
All I Think About Now
Um Chagga Lagga
Plaster Of Paris
All The Saints