The ongoing trickle of quirky rock by Pixies reassuringly continues with 2024’s offering, The Night The Zombies Came. The album is the first with bassist and co-vocalist Band of Skulls’ Emma Richardson, who comfortably fits right into the existing structure of the band. There are strange, alluring lyrics, beautiful guitar hooks among nonchalant vocals, and an emotion-evoking atmosphere that will please fans with its familiarity.
The 13 track album introduces a host of unusual characters, their stories told with impressive instrumentation and poetic lyrics. “Ernest Evans” describes “the king of the god damn twist” alongside an energetic Joey Santiago riff, and “Jane (The Night The Zombies Came) leans heavily into the gothic theme of the album with a tale of “the only survivor” in a horror scene. These characters are scattered throughout the tracks and help to create the spooky concept that is clearly intended.
Boundaries are not broken with The Night The Zombies Came, but for fans of the band there are songs that are enjoyable simply for their freshness. “Oyster Beds” stands out as a fast punk track, but the two real highlights are ballads “Chicken” and “The Vegas Suite”. Both benefit from raw vocals and soothing music that work together to create a feeling that makes you want to put them on repeat. Even some of the less exciting tracks feature lyrics and guitar moments that you want to hear again, an example being “Kings of the Prairie” which opens with a playful “If you feel forgotten, if your bacon's rotten”, reminding listeners of the effortless intelligence throughout these songs, even if they’re not as addictive as some of the bands earlier work.
The album has a purposeful eeriness that makes it interesting, it is recognisably Pixies and is a welcome addition to their discography.
