Rocktrospectiva: The Accomplished "Head Carrier" Turns 10

 

Released on 30 September 2016, "Head Carrier" was the sixth studio album by the US alternative rock band the Pixies. Produced by Tom Dalgety, and recorded at RAK Studios in London, the album is the first to feature new band member Paz Lenchantin on bass guitar, who joined the band in 2014 to tour in support of its previous album, Indie Cindy. The album spawned the singles "Um Chagga Lagga", "Tenement Song", "Classic Masher", & "Bel Sprit" The album's title references a cephalophore, a saint carrying his own head, more specifically St. Denis of Paris.

 

Production began in late 2015 with producer Tom Dalgety, who replaced Gil Norton (the producer behind the band's four previous albums). This era featured Lenchantin’s full-time collaboration, as she stepped into the role vacated by Kim Deal, who had officially left the band in 2013. 

 

In fact, the new bassist is credited with the track "All I Think About Now," a song written as a tribute to Kim Deal. For many, the new album carried an air of redemption; the material was more polished and conceptual, overcoming Deal's departure and embracing new directions with the arrival of Lenchantin, they delivered a record that stood as their best effort to recapture their former glory—a modernized take on their classic sound (or a "recycling" of it, as some put it). Starting with the heavy "Um Chagga Lagga," which harkened back to the band's late-80s era—a vibe even more evident in "Bel Espirit" and—for this writer—the set's standout track, "Classic Masher," which captured the band's signature classic style. Nor were the eccentric tracks courtesy of Black Francis left out; "Baal's Back," for instance, was raw and quintessentially the band, filled with screams and frenetic sounds. "Tenement Song" was another fine example, as was "All I Think About Now"—a track that, despite its saccharine tone, served, as previously mentioned, as a farewell letter to the great Kim Deal. 

 

At the time of its released, the album was undoubtedly considered one of their most accomplished albums, featuring fresh ideas and a new sound courtesy of their new bassist. It recaptured at least some of the band's lost magic and dynamic, clearly demonstrating—even five years ago—the dedicated effort put in by every member. 

 

Head Carrier Track List: 

 

1. Head Carrier

2. Classic Masher

3. Baal's Back

4. Might As Well Be Gone

5. Oona

6. Talent

7. Tenement Song

8. Bel Spirit

9. All I Think About Now

10. Um Chagga Lagga

11. Plaster Of Paris

12. All The Saints