The Breeders
Pod

THE REVIEW

"Pod", or how the Pixies should have sounded according to Kim Deal.

The Breeders were much more than just a side project of the former Pixies bassist; they actually influenced many alternative/grunge artists, especially Kurt Cobain, who cited the album in question among the most influential on his production. Just consider the members: Tanya Donelly, already guitarist of Throwing Muses, the same Deal, and Shannon Doughton, the pseudonym of Britt Walford, renowned drummer of Slint. Consider the production: Steve Albini, a man who certainly needs no introduction, who claimed that "Pod" was «the only album where he felt he had achieved the best sound and performance from a band».

The album opens with "Glorious"; balanced between Pixies and Throwing Muses, it boasts a perfectly defined rhythmic section and constitutes an indie lament similar to those later appreciated in some of P.J. Harvey's works (but much darker and more hysterical). The imprint of Donelly and her Throwing Muses is evident in a track like "Doe", exalted by the acoustic guitar and the sweet voice of Kim, capable of writing catchy yet tense melodies. Noteworthy is the similar-grunge cover of the Beatles' "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", alternating moments of tension, silences interrupted only by guitar noise, and verses sung angelically before culminating in angry choruses. The absolute peak of the album is probably the grunge-pop gem "Hellbound", which starts with an incredibly skillful bass line, nothing artificial. Kim perfectly combines catchy melodies and instrumental fury with the awareness of a great artist. Worth mentioning is also Tanya Donelly's guitar, which writes truly heart-wrenching phrases. "Fortunately Gone" still shows the influence of Throwing Muses and demonstrates the excellent songwriting abilities of Kim Deal, who crafts a splendid acoustic gem. The piece reveals beautiful melodic passages, sunny yet veiled by a subtle melancholy that permeates the entire album. Donelly's acoustic guitar accompaniment is as effective as ever, and Josephine Wiggs on bass contributes to making the whole thing even more evocative.

"When I Was A Painter" harkens back to the Pixies of "Surfer Rosa" and captivates with its "stifled" violin, the pounding bass riffs of Wiggs, and Deal's peculiar voice; it's an indie rock cultured and sophisticated and ranks among the high points of the album. The intro of "Metal Man" is vaguely comparable to that of "Teen Age Riot" by Sonic Youth if the latter were acoustic; it's an episode that is somewhat experimental, due to the sudden accelerations and almost incessant murmuring. The merits of the song are primarily the suggestive intertwining of the acoustic guitars, but also the very well-chosen backing vocals by Tanya Donelly. In the fleeting "Lime House", Donelly strikes again with her astonishing guitar riff, the absolute protagonist of the piece. Kim's singing becomes more nervous, Wiggs' bass increasingly effective, as clearly shown in "Opened", a track with Sonic Youth-like atmospheres. Deal indeed reminds me in some vocal attitudes of Kim Gordon, not to mention Donelly's guitar, which is played almost in the manner of Thurston Moore, while still confined to rock canons without attempting any experiments. The most complex remains "Iris", which slightly anticipates the sound of the early Hole, though not as extreme and particularly harsh. Kim screams, but they are certainly not screams comparable to those, furious and reckless, of Courtney Love; they are therefore always within certain limits, although approaching those typical of the foxcore genre, which would soon develop. What Hole would draw heavily from are the guitar hysterics, anyway, Love openly admitted to being inspired by Kim Deal's style and her Breeders.

"Pod" is to be considered a very valid debut, although it was slightly inferior to the subsequent "Last Splash", the masterpiece of the Breeders in every respect, thanks especially to a compelling single like "Cannonball", which would definitively consecrate them among the best indie acts of the '90s. Furthermore, with this album, Kim Deal proved to have songwriting skills by no means inferior to those of former bandmate Black Francis, who often tried to overshadow the artistic vein of the bassist in the Pixies, imposing himself firmly as the leader and sole mind of the group on various occasions (during a concert, he even went so far as to throw his guitar at Kim).

I'd say Deal certainly took a nice revenge.