Pixies: The Night the Zombies Came review – an echo of an echo of past glories
Is there an act that has had a second coming as underwhelming, yet at the same time as long-lasting as that of the Pixies? The astonishing run of albums from 1987's Come On Pilgrim to 1990's Bossanova still stand as one of the cornerstones of modern-day indie rock. Yet the records released over the past decade – of which this is the fifth – have been noteworthy mainly for the homeopathic quantities of excitement contained therein.
The Night the Zombies Came doesn't buck the trend. Much of the record recalls the more laidback moments on Bossanova: the odd surf-guitar inflection from Joey Santiago here, more restrained vocals from Black Francis there. None of it is especially awful, but there's such a paucity of memorable songs that it's like an echo of an echo of former glories. Even when some energy is injected, as on You're So Impatient and Oyster Beds, it's more huff-and-puff than blowing anybody's house down. Still, at least humanity's lengthy wait for a song that starts from the perspective of a decapitated chicken has finally been addressed (on Chicken), so there is that at least.
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Edinburgh Reporter
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- Edinburgh Reporter
Wet Leg at Usher Hall
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Edinburgh Reporter
28-05-2025
- Edinburgh Reporter
A Deep Dive into the Online Arcade Game at chicken-road
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Cleverly uses human emotions and psychological issues to grand effect while setting up a terrific, turbulent team. The Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU) embraces its dark side with a team-up of the titular anti-heroes. The unconventional and troubled group are forced to embark on a dangerous mission against an all-powerful enemy who threatens the entire planet. Perhaps reflecting its rockier road over the past few years, a few lesser known directors have been taking on MCU flicks and this time it's Jake Schreier ( Paper Towns, Robot & Frank) who finds his name up in lights. He proves a steady and sturdy hand for a film that ends up being much more than the Marvel take on Suicide Squad a lot of us were expecting. Other than Florence Pugh ( Yelena) and Sebastian Stan ( Bucky) the cast lacks big name big screen star power but this helps the ensemble to create a realistic bond amid horrible histories that weigh on all of their minds. I loved how mental health was the overriding theme, even with the main villain, and Schreier makes use of literal and figurative darkness to ram this home; the thoroughly desaturated colours are a long way from the usual MCU day-glow palette. Much of the excellent musical score by Son Lux seems to sample Pixies' 1988 hit Where Is My Mind?, which is a very appropriate choice given the subject matter. Pugh is at the flick's core; the Oxford-born star manifests sadness, pain, rage and heroism aplenty. Humour comes from David Harbour ( Alexei), Wyatt Russell ( John) builds on his Falcon and the Winter Soldier role and Lewis Pullman ( Bob) is a sheepish, puzzled revelation. Julia Louis-Dreyfus ( Valentina) isn't quite as nasty as she could be, and her character and motivations feel lifted from TV's The Boys. The film takes a while to get going too, with the team trapped underground for much of the first third. Darkness prevails overall, however, as Thunderbolts* cleverly uses human emotions and psychological issues to grand effect while setting up a terrific, turbulent team to create MCU magic. ● What are your favourite Marvel movies? Do you prefer flicks from Marvel or DC? Pop me an email at and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers. ● Thunderbolts* is showing in cinemas now. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
