There’s arguably no Pixies record that could have benefited more from a masterful manicure, which is so well-executed from start to finish that it’s impossible to forget that you’re not listening to the original version. “Rock Music,” which once sounded limp, now lives up to its name as a sub-two-minute banger. This time around, “Velouria” sounds like a fantastical space odyssey presaging the interstellar obsession that Frank Black lacquered over his solo works years later. The brilliance of Dave Lovering’s frenetic drum rolls are crystallized on “Allison” and “Is She Weird,” the latter of which also brings Joey Santiago’s guitar playing and Kim Deal’s bass into shiver-inducing focus.
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The Bad Penny (beta) 