Pixies Album Mystery

New box set due

Seminal American group Pixies have caused much speculation amongst their fans by announcing a new release titled ‘Minotaur’.

The legendary group were formed when singer Frank Black answered an ad to find someone with an equal interest in Peter, Paul And Mary and Husker Du. Perhaps not quite embodying those influences, the group nonetheless came to define a generation of American acts, defining the quiet / loud template that Nirvana would enjoy such memorable success with.

Pixies released their debut album ‘Surfer Rosa’ in 1987. Produced by Steve Albini the record remains a hugely influential touchstone in modern rock, with its combination of frenzied surf guitar, punk rock and nonsensical lyrics proving to be massively influential.

The band stuttered to a halt in 1991 but reformed to great acclaim in 2004. The group have performed intermittently ever since, but have not released any new material. The individual members, meanwhile, have continued to work on their own projects with Frank Black and The Breeders both due for new releases.

However fans were left stunned when a new Pixies album titled ‘Minotaur’ appeared on the release schedules. At first, some thought it was a new album by the group but it seems that the release of a luxury box set containing material from throughout Pixies’ career.

‘Minotaur’ will present all five studio albums by the band, and also includes a DVD of the group’s legendary performance at Brixton Academy, a 54 page book and artwork with Vaughan Oliver.

Oliver provided much of the distinctive artwork that adorned the group’s album, and has specially re-shot some of the material for this release. Now a photography teacher, he explained in a statement that:

“I selected a team of students under my direction to work with the titles in the track listing, in a three dimensional way. Cutting the track listing out of cards, shining light through it, making the track titles from nails – all very organic.”

Pixies’ new box-set ‘Minotaur’ is available to pre-order from June 15th.

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