Debased, A Pixies Tribute, reviewed by Jersey Beat
Paul Silver from Jersey Beat spent some time with Debased, A Pixies Tribute. This is what he had to say about it:
”This is the latest in a series of benefit comps released by Sweet Cheetah, which they call, “Covers for a Cause.” This comp is a celebration of The Pixies, and it benefits Border Angels, a non-profit organization that promotes a culture of love through advocacy and education, by engaging in direct action to defend the rights of migrants and refugees.
“A wide variety of bands contribute cover tracks to this release, including San Diego noise-core stalwarts, Deaf Club. Led by Justin Pearson, best known for his other chaotic bands, Retox, The Locust, and Swing Kids, Deaf Club leads things off with their cover of ‘Broken Face.’ It’s probably the perfect choice for Deaf Club, as one of the most raucous off-the-wall Pixies songs, and Deaf Club manage to make it sound even wilder, more sinister and twisted, as only they can do.
“Also hailing from San Diego is Hauntu, who tackle ‘Velouria,’ one of The Pixies iconic songs. It represented the band’s move toward a more melodic sound, and the shivering guitars and use of theremin give the song a cool quivering quality. Hauntu’s rendition is more straightforward, more of a standard indie-pop song, replacing the desperation of the Pixies’ vocals with something breathier and sultrier.
“MK Naomi does a version of ‘Gigantic’ that’s partially faithful to the sparsely arranged original, but also includes some bigger instrumentals. The Pixies’ biggest song, ‘Where Is My Mind,’ is attempted by Toilet Rats, and they make the song their own. All it shares with the original is the melody; the instrumentation, the vocals, the whole vibe is different here, with a darker, more melancholy sound, distorted synths sounding somewhat sinister. It's a great take on the classic.
“Oh Condor’s version of ‘Tame’ is a little slower, and definitely darker and grittier than the original, while FVRMN’s cover of ‘Gouge Away’ is smoother, lusher and richer, more insistent sounding. There’s even some jangle in the bass! Holy Hands’ version of ‘Wave of Mutilation’ is probably the most faithful cover of the album, and Kill Surf City does a solid job with ‘Debaser.’
“Chris Broach makes ‘I Bleed’ sound even more poetic than The Pixies, and Palm Ghosts close out the comp with ‘Bone Machine.’
“Some of the tracks here stay pretty close to the source material, some bands go in new directions with the songs, but they all do a great job. And the album supports a very worthy cause.”