Track Listing

1. River Euphrates
2. Vamos [Live]
3. In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)
4. Manta Ray
5. Weird at My School
6. Dancing the Manta Ray
7. Wave of Mutilation [UK Surf]
8. Into the White
9. Bailey's Walk
10. Make Believe
11. I've Been Waiting for You
12. Thing
13. Velvety Instrumental Version
14. Winterlong
15. Santo
16. Theme from Narc
17. Build High
18. Evil Hearted You
19. Letter to Memphis [Instrumental]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15839 in Music
• Released on: 2001-03-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
Title says it all...now you can finally unload all those singles. No U.S. release is scheduled. 19 tracks, 'River Euphrates', 'Vamos' (Live), 'In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator)', 'Manta Ray', 'Weird At My School', 'Dancing The Manta Ray', 'Wave Of Mutilation' (UK Surf), 'Into The White', 'Bailey's Walk', 'Make Believe', 'I've Been Waiting For you', 'The Thing', 'Velvety' (Instrumental Version), 'Winterlong', 'Santo', 'Theme From Narc', 'Build High', 'Evil Hearted You' and 'Letter To Memphis'. Also the CD-ROM videos for 'Here Comes Your Man' and 'Allison'. Standard jewel case. 2001 release.

Album Details
This long-heralded compilation gathers together the 19 hard-to-find gems that were scattered across the B-sides from their six original UK singles (Plus one from the US). The CD booklet comes with track-by-track sleeve notes written by Frank Black. There are two videos: 'Here Comes Your Man' & 'Allison'.

Customer Reviews

Interesting for a reworking of "The happening"

I suppose the main reason to get this cd is if, like me, you loved "The happening" on their album "Bossanova". On this cd they have a version of that song entitled "The thing". It starts off with a really cool, odd beat, not unlike the drums in the great Australian band INXS' song "Mediate". In common with "Mediate" as well is the breathy vocals by Francis and poetic lyrics. It's more of a rock song, due to the drums, than "The happening" and it works quite well. Not as pretty as the Bossanova song, but a good alternative version in any case. This version also reminded me of, say, a George Harrison song or one of those 'new' Beatles' songs released in the 90's, I think [such as "Free as a bird"].

This cd has alternative versions of popular Pixies songs as well as songs which don't appear on their regular albums. E.g. "River Euphrates" is a song which is hard to stuff up, and this cd's version, like the one on the cd "Surfer Rosa" is a highlight. Of course, the original version is more powerful and pleasing to the ear...if you like your ears being assaulted! It's not as intense as the Surfer Rosa version though. This version is better than the version of "Monkey gone to Heaven" you get in the "BBC" cd, compared to the "Doolittle" version. In that case, the BBC version pretty much spoils your good memories of the original version of the song. "River Euphrates" here won't tarnish any good memories you have of the Surfer Rosa version.

"Wave of mutilation" is slowed waaaaaay down on this cd, which may not be to everyone's taste, as the original was never that fast in any case.

As with Surfer Rosa, especially, some Spanish language songs, or songs with Spanish lyrics appear on this cd, e.g. "Vamos" and "Evil hearted you".

Apart from the alternate versions of songs, I quite liked the song "I've been waiting for you" in which Kim Deal makes a welcome return to lead vocal duties. It's bassy, like Pixies songs tend to be and at the end, Francis has a vocal sound not unlike the lead singer in Australian band "The Church" [check out classic Church songs like "Unguarded moment" and "Almost with you"]. A nice "easter egg" song for this album-mellow and pretty. Could be a good contender for a decent compilation of Pixies songs [I'm not sure "Wave of mutilation" is a particularly good compilation-so many good songs not included there].

There are a couple of instrumentals on this cd too and as I'm not a big fan of "Letter to Memphis", having an instrumental version of that is not unwelcome.

Some other songs which were somewhat interesting for one reason or another:

"Weird at my school"-has a riff which reminded me of the one in the tv show "Bonanza".

"Into the white"-nice to have Kim Deal on lead vocals again. Has some perhaps unintentional distortion at the end of the song. There may be a ukulele featured in this song!

"Bailey's walk"-Francis sings in this song like you'd expect "Police Academy" actor Bobcat Goldthwait to sing!

"Build high"-a country sounding song, with some lazy songwriting perhaps...the title is repeated constantly in this song. Not the most successful instance of a lyrically sparse Pixies song, I don't think.

Anyway, I think hardcore fans of the band may enjoy the tracks "The thing" and "I've been waiting for you".

The albums I would consider "essential" Pixies would be "Surfer Rosa" and "Doolittle". The best of the rest would be something like "Bossanova" and, depending on which Pixies songs you like, something like this cd, or the "BBC" compilation of Pixies songs.

A Nearly Unknown Gem
I bought this cd from Amazon after I couldn't find it, along with two other Pixies cds, anywhere else. When I first played it it fulfilled all my expectations. This album has many unreleased and odd treasures that every Pixies fan should hear. You have the tracks "Make Believe" and "I've Been Waiting For You", which are sang by David Lovering and Kim Deal, respectflly. They give the Pixies different sounds, but ones that sound right at home with Black Francis's own vocals.

Along with those songs you have "Santo", "Build High", and "Theme From NARC", all classics that could have been the basis of a whole other new cd, but have found their place on this awesome disc-shaped piece of plastic.

Also you have some alternate versions of some of their best works, such as "Vamos", one of my personal favorites; "The Thing", an alternate ending to the song "The Happening" on Bossanova's album; and an instrumental version of the song "Letter to Memphis".

Altogether, I say if you are a Pixies fan, this is a must-have. If you are just getting into them I suggest listening to Doolittle, Surfer Rosa, and Trompe le Monde first. But in the end, pick up this gem that will be candy to your earholes.

Away with the Pixies..
This 2001 collection of Pixies B-Sides is really a must have for Pixies fans. A very solid grouping. In chronological order you can feel how the EPs go from 'Surfer' to 'Trompe' with the first tracks feeling gritty and raw and generally better than the later tracks (and feature more Kim Deal vocals; proving that Deal was just as important to the group as Black).