This bit of '80s cult-rock curio comes courtesy of former Pixies leader Frank Black (nee Black Francis), who handed a handful of early demos by his legendary band over to his Canadian distributor, Sonic Unyon. The nine songs on Pixies were culled from the same session that spawned the Pixies' 1987 debut Come On Pilgrim, and all but one track wound up being re-recorded for subsequent albums or B-sides. Broken Face, Break My Body, and the out-of-character pop jewel Here Comes Your Man sound especially fully realized, even if they don't pack the grandiose snarl they would in their later forms.

Casual fans and newcomers are better off with the albums, but in all, it's a good indicator as to how prolific the Pixies were even as they were just getting off the ground.

Track Listing