Surfer Rosa

Surfer Rosa
Surfer Rosa
Studio album by Pixies
Released	March 21, 1988
Recorded	November & December 1987
Studio	Downtown Recorders (Boston); Q Division (Somerville);
Genre	Alternative rock; indie rock; art punk; grunge;
Length	34:07
Label	4AD
Producer	Steve Albini
Pixies chronology
Singles from Surfer Rosa
	"Gigantic"; Released: August 22, 1988;

Surfer Rosa is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British label 4AD.^[5] It was produced by Steve Albini. Surfer Rosa contains many of the elements of Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. It includes references to mutilation and voyeurism alongside experimental recording techniques and a distinctive drum sound.

As 4AD was an independent label, distribution in the United States was handled by British label Rough Trade Records; however, it failed to chart in either country. Only one single was released, a rerecorded version of "Gigantic", and reached number 93 on the UK Singles Chart. Surfer Rosa was rereleased in the US by Elektra Records in 1992, and in 2005 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Surfer Rosa is often included on critics' lists of the best rock albums. Alternative rock artists including Billy Corgan and PJ Harvey have cited it as an inspiration; it was an influence on Nirvana's 1993 album In Utero, which Albini also produced.

^ "Music Week" (PDF). Music Week. March 19, 1988. p. 38. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ Sisario, Ben. Doolittle 33⅓. Continuum, 2006. ISBN 0-8264-1774-4. p. 18
^ Mervis, Scott (June 8, 2021). "Pixies will play Stage AE in September". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 6, 2021. The Boston band debuted in 1988 with "Surfer Rosa," introducing its unique form of quiet-to-loud art-punk and, over the course of a few years, hit the college airwaves with such songs as "Gigantic," "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man."
^ Staunton, Terry (August 11, 1990). "Pixies – Bossanova". NME. Archived from the original on October 12, 2000. Retrieved August 29, 2015. Gil Norton's production leans towards the harsh garage grunge of 'Surfer Rosa', although the songs retain the strong melodies of 'Doolittle'. In many ways, 'Bossanova' is the composite Pixies LP, the most positive elements of its two predecessors blended together to make one of the most intriguing and listenable albums of the year.
^ The Pixies' previous release, Come On Pilgrim, was an EP rather than a full album.

[Release-1] "Music Week" (PDF). Music Week. March 19, 1988. p. 38. Retrieved January 4, 2024.

[2] Sisario, Ben. Doolittle 33⅓. Continuum, 2006. ISBN 0-8264-1774-4. p. 18

[mervis-3] Mervis, Scott (June 8, 2021). "Pixies will play Stage AE in September". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 6, 2021. The Boston band debuted in 1988 with "Surfer Rosa," introducing its unique form of quiet-to-loud art-punk and, over the course of a few years, hit the college airwaves with such songs as "Gigantic," "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man."

[NMEBA-4] Staunton, Terry (August 11, 1990). "Pixies – Bossanova". NME. Archived from the original on October 12, 2000. Retrieved August 29, 2015. Gil Norton's production leans towards the harsh garage grunge of 'Surfer Rosa', although the songs retain the strong melodies of 'Doolittle'. In many ways, 'Bossanova' is the composite Pixies LP, the most positive elements of its two predecessors blended together to make one of the most intriguing and listenable albums of the year.

[5] The Pixies' previous release, Come On Pilgrim, was an EP rather than a full album.

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