Pixies
Indie Cindy

I could start from the conclusion, stating that the splendid "Jaime Bravo" is probably the most beautiful album closer the Pixies have ever produced and continue by observing how their new album moves between ferocious and surreal charges (the violent and harsh "What Goes Boom", the irresistible "Blue Eyed Exe"), lysergic temptations (the slowed-down "Silver Snail", "Magdalena 318"), crystal clear pop ("Greens And Blues", "Ring The Bell"), reversals of their typical pattern "calm, quiet verse/explosion of a hard and distorted chorus" (the enchanting title track, where instead a rather twisted and hysterical verse and a much slower and more relaxed chorus are displayed) and musical directions quite unusual for them ("Andro Queen").

I could argue that the songwriting of the Elves has remained excellent despite the passing years (many tracks here could be potential singles) and that if it is true that for me the only way to know if a record is great is to raise the volume and see what happens, well, with this "Indie Cindy" I keep raising it exponentially every time I listen to it, often putting it on repeatedly (which for me is an additional sign of the goodness of an album).

I could give you a harangue, boring you to death, declaring once again that the previous "Bossanova" and "Trompe Le Monde" are excellent and that this is no less, approaching in particular the first mentioned in attitude and sonority, contrary to the eternal lovers of the (magnificent) "Come On Pilgrim", "Surfer Rosa" and "Doolittle".

I could underline my (surely very discussed, below, by many of you) five stars and further confirm it, because for me their return at these levels is manna from heaven: there is the strength of the songs they have written and played maintaining the enthusiasm and creativity of old times to give a fabulous sequel to their story that has influenced so much of what has been and is produced and consumed as "alternative rock" and you know what? From them, today, I expected exactly an album like this.

And I could continue (though resulting unnecessarily heavy), but I decided instead to write nothing. Listen to these new Elves, without too many paranoias in your head; as with My Bloody Valentine last year, we've been waiting for them for too long not to seize the opportunity and not dive right in: whatever your opinion may be afterward, it will still be worth it.

Ah, for me album of the year, already now.