4 for the weekend 11•07•09: 20 years of Doolittle

This week’s 4-pick was going to be a no-brainer.

20 years ago, 1989:  the finest year of the modern music era.  Don’t believe me?  Check this out–one of the earliest QBiM posts that doesn’t make me wince with embarrassment–and tell me if you think differently.  The world was on the cusp of a new decade, rushing perilously close to a new millennium and a new world order.  Music was in the throes of changes, too.  We were caught somewhere between new wave and no wave, “Madchester” and grunge, and The Cure were in the U.S. Top 40.

And out of Boston, brewing and building over the course of a couple early releases, was Pixies with Doolittle.  Arguably the finest recorded moment of their musical career, it was the bridge that linked the past (underground American college rock) with what would come in the next 24 months (overground American grunge/alternative rock).  Cobain said so himself:  “Feels Like Teen Spirit” was an attempt to sound like Pixies.  Thankfully, he struck on his own unique sound, because, let’s face it:  there will never be another Beatles, and there will never be another Smiths, and there will certainly never be another Pixies.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doolittle, Pixies are heading out on the road, playing Conan O’Brien, and offering up a 4 track sampler of what you might hear at one of their shows (download your own copy here):

MP3: Pixies “Dancing the Manta Ray (live)”
MP3: Pixies “Monkey Gone to Heaven (live)”
MP3: Pixies “Crackity Jones (live)”
MP3: Pixies “Gouge Away (live)”
Myspace: Pixies

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