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Bossanova |  | Artist: Pixies
Label: 4ad
Category: Music
List Price: £8.99
Buy New: £2.49
as of 24/11/2009 18:22 GMT details
You Save: £6.50 (72%)
New (24) Used (11) Collectible (2) from £1.95
Seller: bva1518
Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 3488
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5014436001024
ASIN: B000026YEG
Release Date: December 31, 1993
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Cecilia Ann | | • | Velouria | | • | Is She Weird | | • | All Over The World | | • | Down To The Well | | • | Blown Away | | • | Stormy Weather | | • | Rock Music | | • | Allison | | • | Ana | | • | Dig For Fire | | • | Happening | | • | Hang Wire | | • | Havalina |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Opinion varies as to which seminal slab of the Pixies back-catalogue is the greatest. Those who think the perfect breakfast is a cup of black coffee and cigarette rate the earlier ISurfer Rosa/I and IDoolittle/I; whilst those who think breakfast should consist of cake prefer the laterIBossanova/I and ITrompe Le Monde/I. It's not as if the Pixies suddenly turned into the Bangles, though. Black Francis still yowls like a Second World War fought out entirely between battalions of cougars; and "Down To The Well" isn't anything other than extreme arse-kicking. But with the endlessly magnificent "Velouria" and as-hitty-as-the-Pixies-were-going-to-get hit single "Dig For Fire", the Pixies had learnt to use their heat and power to make crowns and coronets, not just cannon and shell. When Nirvana's Kurt Cobain wrote "Teen Spirit", he claimed he was "just trying to rip off a Pixies' song". These are the ones he was trying to rip off. I--Caitlin Moran/I
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
 Unimaginative Bossanova review title. July 10, 2004
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
As Pixies had hinted on 'Doolittle', their next album saw the band mutate into a slightly different beast. Gone were the Biblical references, frenzied Spanish vocals and (for the most part) sex; instead, Bossanova (the Pixies' fourth - and best - album)takes outer space as a frequent reference point and wraps it up in a dreamlike, sinister Summer's day. The sense of evil on the first three albums has now turned into a more mysterious feeling that - as on 'Ana' and 'Havalina' - occasionally draws clouds across the sun. Or something more ominous, maybe.brAlthough not quite as alien-obsessed as the following album, there's plenty here to suggest that Pixies were from another planet: The opening 'Cecilia Ann' and 'Rock Music', which suggest high-speed space travel and an intergalactic battle respectively; the lyrics to mini-classic 'Allison'; and the sci-fi-like theremin on the spookily romantic 'Velouria', to name a few examples.brThe one fault with 'Bossanova' is that it is the first Pixies album to bear noticably less trace of Kim Deal. Her bass is no longer quite as dominant a force, she sings no lead vocals and not many backing vocals and contributes no new songs. That said, when her backing vocals put in an appearance - 'Velouria', 'Dig for Fire' and 'Havalina' notably - they add a divine dimension to already classic songs. As if to compensate, though, Black Francis' own vocals have mellowed. Not exclusively so - 'Rock Music''s vocal is nearly as terrifying as it was on 'Tame' - but when it's required he sounds both human and oddly angelic.brThe album's crowning glory, however, is 'The Happening'. Telling the story of aliens landing on Earth ("saying 'Hi'") it encapsulates all that is great about 'Bossanova'. The verse is not unlike early Pixies: angry guitars, demented vocal, before erupting into a glorious sun-drenched chorus consisting of just one syllable stretched out in falsetto. Over an endlessly repated chorus, the final verse has Black Francis rounding off the tale in an slmost trance-like state. It's not as well-known as 'Gigantic' or 'Debaser', but it's more than equal to them.brUltimately, your enjoyment of 'Bossanova' is down to to whether or not you are willing to accept that a band might want to stray from their winning formula. For those willing to listen, though, here is the sound of a band emerging into the light - but retaining enough of the dark to keep it interesting.
Even I'll adore ya, my velouria November 15, 2003
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
The pxies fourth album is regarded by many to be their most tame, and to a certain extent this is true. It does have more melodic, quieter tracks, but this does nothing to diminish the overall power of the album. I wouldn't describe bossanova as more tame than their previous efforts, more that it's well....smoother. Black Francis has another outlet for his continuing obsession with aliens in "the happening", and the beautiful vocal talents of both Francis and Kim are shown off in the closing track "Havalina". Other stand out tracks include "hang wire", in which Francis' demented vocal stylings are allowed to flourish to their fullest and "all over the world", which features outstanding guitars from Joey Santiago (check out his cowboy get up in the sleeve photo's). Over all, just as amazing as everything else the pixies ever did. But it and meet me at the hang wire.
Takes a lot of listening to like October 16, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I think this album takes one hell of a lot of listening to appreciate. When I first bought it I thought is she weird, velouria, dig for fire and the happening were the only good songs. After about five or six listens I began to really appreciate the songs on this album and rank it as high as doolittle but for different reasons. Black Francis has been subtle this time and not done what people expect from him but challenges you to accept a different side of the pixes, a more softer, melodic side to them. And if you give this cd a chance You'll love it just as much as anything else they've done.
underrated pixies classic March 25, 2004
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
When asked to name the best pixies album, people immediately jump to saying Doolitle or possibly surfa rosa. yet Bossanova certainly equals or evens beats them despite popular belief.pThe album contains the same pixies formula. screeching, raw guitars, catchy choruses, and harsh vocals. What makes this album so good is the ability of Francis to combine the power and agressions of the songs with sweet and uplifting melodies. People accuse the pixies of softening on this album, yet even if this is the case it can be hardly descirbed as a bad case in evidence of the tracks displayed.pThe energy is still there, at its most conventional on hang wire, dig fire and the superb stormy weather, but still present if released in a more restrained way on the incredible Velouria. pWhatever criticisms this album takes for being "lame", this albums confirms the god like status of the pixies as rock legends.
'Astonishing' February 2, 2001
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Arguably Rock music's finest-ever group, The Pixies' fourth and best album is a pure and magnificent distillation of their incredible talent. Starting with a cover of the Surftones' 'Cecilia Ann' and refusing to let up till the closing 'Havalina', 'Bossa Nova' is unsurpassed by virtually any other album by any other band for sheer visceral thrill (and - often ignored, this - emotion, most notably on 'Velouria' and 'Hang Wire'. On the latter, Black Francis sounds as if he's about to burst into tears as he wails the verses). Can anyone still come close to their effortless grasp of melody, their punchy rhythm, their deranged yet tuneful guitar, their offbeat vocals? No. Not only did Nirvana rip them off, but they influenced virtually every major band of the 90s, including the likes of Radiohead. the only way this album can really be judged is by comparing it with its contemporaries, and in my book it beats 'Doolittle' for sheer punch and tunes-per minute. A masterwork.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
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