Cool as Kim Deal: A Retrospective
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In May I will be seeing The Breeders in concert. It is surprising to reflect on the fact that Kim Deal, the band’s driving force, has been at her craft for thirty years. Such are the joys of getting to an age where the artists you grew up listening to have become the aged veterans of the music world. Wait! I wasn’t growing up when I first started listening to her, I was 20, I was an adult. Yeesh.
The Playlist
Gigantic - The Pixies
Silver - The Pixies
Into the White - The Pixies
Hellbound - The Breeders
Fortunately Gone - The Breeders
Velouria - The Pixies
You and Your Sister - This Mortal Coil
Palace of the Brine - The Pixies
Do You Love Me Now - The Breeders
Safari - The Breeders
Cannonball - The Breeders
Invisible Man - The Breeders
Saints - The Breeders
Pacer - The Amps
Tipp City - The Amps
I Am Decided - The Amps
Mom's Drunk - The Amps
Cool as Kim Deal - Dandy Warhols
Son of Three - The Breeders
Huffer - The Breeders
Bang On - The Breeders
Night of Joy - The Breeders
It's the Love - The Breeders
Fate to Fatal - The Breeders (not on Spotify)
Walking with a Killer - Kim Deal
Wait in the Car - The Breeders
All Nerve - The Breeders
Nobody Loves You More - Kim Deal
Crystal Breath - Kim Deal
This is a profile in which some of you may not know the subject artist, yet you probably know the music. This is also a playlist that will journey less sonically than usual. Kim Deal has been thrashing on a bass or guitar her whole life and her style has not changed much. Her voice is straightforward and stays in the same range most of the time. But let’s not be too dismissive or judgy about Ms. Deal. She is a genuine rocker and must be included in the annals of rock history as one of the more significant female contributors to modern rock. And yeah, if you’re not into guitars and hard rocking music, maybe this playlist isn’t for you – though there are also some great pop songs here, so give it a chance.
Kim was born in 1961 in Dayton, Ohio and has an identical twin sister, Kelley, who has also been her musical partner for most of her life. The pair started writing songs (mostly Kim) and playing guitar as teenagers, forming a folk band called The Breeders while still in high school. Kim yearned to get out of the classic rock environs of Dayton and into places in which her punk and modern rock idols were spawned – namely, the coasts. That would have to wait as she trooped off to college where she was a lab rat, focused on medical studies. She bounced around several colleges, including Ohio State, before achieving an associate degree at Kettering College of Medical Arts. She then fulfilled her plan and got to the east coast when she married and moved to Boston, her new husband’s hometown. Kelley, on the hand, went west to California and became a computer programmer.
“Gigantic” \ Surfer Rosa \ The Pixies (1988)
Kim answered an ad in a Boston newspaper from a band seeking a female bassist who liked Peter, Paul and Mary as well as Hüsker Dü. It seemed like destiny for her given her folk-rock background and desire to play punk. The ad had been placed by a pair of schoolmates from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Charles Thompson IV – who went by the name Black Francis – and Joey Santiago. Both were guitarists and with Kim on as the bassist (even though she had only played guitar) they now needed a drummer. They asked Kelley first, who declined (probably because she’s not a drummer?), before settling on David Lovering, who was a friend of Kim’s husband. It was 1986, and Kim was a twenty-five-year-old, married graduate when she embarked on her musical career.
The band came together quickly under the accomplished playing of all four contributors and the impressive song writing of Francis. Santiago came up with the name, The Pixies, and they started gigging around Boston with the likes of The Throwing Muses, led by Kristin Hersh and her step-sister (and future bandmate to Kim), Tanya Donelly. The Pixies caught the eye of producer Gary Smith, who managed Fort Apache Studios and had the band record a seventeen-song demo. This led to a signing with prolific UK indie label, 4AD. An EP, Come on Pilgrim, was released in 1987 followed by their debut album in 1988, Surfer Rosa.
I can’t emphasize enough how bleak the rock music scene was in North America in the late ‘80s. It was saved by college rock and bands like The Pixies that reinvigorated interest in the guitar, paving the way for the grunge revolution over the next two years. Francis, inspired and influenced by fellow Boston band, The Cars, had a knack for incredible melodies and hooks that would be buried under layers of fuzzy guitar and feedback-laden solos from Santiago. However, his songs had a secret weapon, and that was being underpinned by thick, driving, swooping, pulsating, and throbbing basslines from their guitarist-turned-bassist. And as a bonus, she could sing and offer the most ethereal and plaintive vocals to offset the screeching of Francis and the layered, sonic assault. Make no mistake, Kim Deal was integral to The Pixies’ success.
Her contribution to the first album was prominent. She provided backing vocals on many songs, often simply harmonizing with Francis, and their voices paired perfectly. However, Kim also co-wrote and was given the lead vocal on the first single, “Gigantic.” The Pixies would never be a commercial success but gathered a die-hard fan base and considerable critical acclaim, and it all started with that first single. Give the UK credit for recognizing the music, pushing the single to #93 on the UK chart. It made little impression in the states.
“Gigantic” was a great introduction to Kim’s talent. A bass line that came and went leading to her voice before drums and guitar crashed in. The song was raw, her voice was simple, almost spoken, and the bass carried the foundation on which the melody rode, eventually featuring a solo from Santiago. This song was set apart from the rest of the album because of Deal’s vocal, a welcome change from Black Francis and the band’s wall of sound style. For many, such as myself, The Pixies were a better band when Kim was given a front-row seat.
“Silver” \ Doolittle \ The Pixies (1989)
Surfer Rosa would come to be recognized as an incredible debut and an important album in the resurgence of the indie rock scene in North America. However, it needed the follow-up, Doolittle, to gain the exposure and recognition it deserved. More accessible and with a greater range of songs to sink your teeth into, the second album raised the band’s profile by reaching #8 in the UK and #98 in the US. The two singles both cracked the top ten on the US Modern Rock chart. The Pixies penchant for alternating between quiet verses and loud choruses would become a hallmark of the emerging grunge sound and influence the likes of Nirvana.
The Pixies: Kim, Joey, David, Black Francis
Kim provided backing vocals on several songs, and same as the first album, shared a writing credit on one track, “Silver.” A slow, drawling, country crooner, her front presence again set it apart from the rest of the LP. In a twist, Francis sang in a falsetto and it was Deal’s lower voice that balanced it off. On the rest of the album, and particularly the singles, “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” and “Here Comes Your Man,” it was Kim’s bass and vocals that gave the songs their most attractive qualities. Her bass was often prominent in the mix, with the vocal and guitar playing around her footing.
Her voice was a huge benefit to the band. There was something about it that made The Pixies sound edgy, different, and wholly alternative. Kim’s voice was an intriguing element that made you prick up your ears and pay attention. It was atypical of female rock vocals, with perhaps only Kim Gordon in Sonic Youth as a contemporary comparison, though Gordon sang lead more often than Deal.
“Into the White” \ “Here Comes Your Man” single \ The Pixies (1990)
“Here Comes Your Man” was a standout track for The Pixies and was released as a CD single. It included three other songs, most notable of which was the ‘UK Surf’ version of “Wave of Mutilation”. It was a slower and more ambient version of the Doolittle track and became the more popular and superior version of one of their most popular songs.
For me, it was “Into the White” that was the best track on the release. Perhaps, just maybe, it was because the lead vocal was from Kim? I loved a good strummer, and this song had both electric and acoustic guitars strumming over a driving beat and a rolling bassline, all of which underpinned Kim’s vocal, hovering over it all like a spectre. It finished with crashing drums and screeching guitar while Kim intoned, “Into the White,” whatever that meant? I just knew it sounded wonderful. It was a fantastic song and almost my favourite Pixies song. Even thirty years on I still can’t listen to it without fully cranking the volume.
“Hellbound”; “Fortunately Gone” \ Pod \ The Breeders (1990)
It was clear from the outset that Kim was not going to stay settled simply as the bassist of The Pixies, and especially with not being able to get her songs recorded. As the band toured Surfer Rosa in Europe with the Throwing Muses, she continued to write new material which she shared and discussed with Tanya Donelly of the Muses. They decided to start a side project and recruited violinist Carrie Bradley. After recording a demo and playing a couple live shows, they approached their label, 4AD. Its founder, Ivo Watts-Russell, did not hesitate to sign the all-female trio. Kim reached back to her youth and used the name, The Breeders, for the new act.
Josephine Wiggs, English bassist from the band The Perfect Disaster, was asked to join since Kim would be playing guitar. When Kelley wasn’t available (due to a full-time job) to be the drummer (I’m starting to think she could actually play?) they took the advice of their producer, Steve Albini, and used Britt Walford of the band Slint on drums. To keep the guise of an all-female outfit he played under the name, Shannon Doughton, and even performed in drag for the two shows they played under this line-up.
The first album, Pod, was released at the end of May 1990 and in many respects, fit tightly with the sound of The Pixies but without the wall-of-sound guitars. The pacing, phrasing, and bass-laden songs were of a similar style. And although Tanya was only credited as writer on a couple of songs, there was a Throwing Muses feel to the sound – a sort of smartly structured power pop. The inclusion of violin in this east coast punk sound provided a different angle. Of course, the songs had Kim’s voice which always sounded great. I have always favoured distinctive voices over virtuoso talent. I’m not interested in how many octaves a singer can hit, or how purely a note can be held, it just needs to sound good and fit with the song, to make it interesting. Kim did this as well as anyone.
Pod wasn’t a big seller, though reached #22 in the UK albums chart. Critics liked it and Kurt Cobain cited it as one of his favourite albums. Indeed, this album fit as a grunge era contribution.
“Hellbound” had a video, but otherwise no singles were released from the album. “Hellbound” was a catchy, raw, pop sounding tune that was more accessible than most of the rest of the LP. Pod included a fantastic, grinding version of The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun” that alternated between the slow and the chaotic. “Fortunately Gone” was also a different sounding song. A light pop tune full of melody and bounce and an acoustic riff that was starkly different than the guitar-frenzy of the album. Tanya and Kim harmonized nicely, and it showed the band could trot out a wider array of sound than their full-time acts.
“Velouria” \ Bossanova \ The Pixies (1990)
The Pixies’ third album was a slight departure musically, easing up on the guitars (just a little) and allowing a little nuance in the music. For us fans of Ms. Deal, it was disappointing by not having any of her songs and much less of her vocals. The greater musicality of the album and more accessible melodies achieved greater success, reaching #3 in the UK and #70 in the US.
Bossanova was a great album with many standout tracks. “Rock Music,” was a fun, chaotic romp. “Allison” took you on an exhausting, relentless run. “Is She Weird” and “Dig for Fire” were great, mid- to low-tempo songs with usually great bass work from Kim and fantastic hooks that drew you in. But it was the lead single, “Velouria,” that stole the show. One of the great songs of the era, it was a grand sounding rocker carried by a lovely guitar riff and thundering bassline. Black Francis’ plaintive vocal was offset by Kim’s distant and lighter vocal playing in and around the back corners of the song, and of course that’s why it is the selection for this playlist. Once again, it was Kim’s contribution that set it apart, especially over the concluding section in which she hypnotically and melodically spelled out the song. She made “V-E-L O-U R-I-A” as haunting a vocal as you will ever hear.
“You and Your Sister” \ Blood \ This Mortal Coil (1991)
This Mortal Coil was Ivo Watts-Russell’s project that collected 4AD’s artists together to record alternative covers of older songs. The first release was the 1984 album, It’ll End in Tears, that gave us the exquisite Cocteau Twins version of the Tim Buckley tune, “Song to the Siren.” In 1991, the third album was released, Blood, and once again was a fantastic collection of songs.
Ivo, clearly in need of hearing Kim and Tanya sing together, set them up to do this beautiful cover of the Chris Bell song, “You and Your Sister.” Kim took the lead and Tanya harmonized over a lovely acoustic guitar. It was one of two Bell covers on the album, the other being “I am the Cosmos,” performed by Dominic Appleton (from the band Breathless) and Deirdre Rutkowski. In addition to his solo work, Chris Bell was known as being a founding member and song writer for the seminal band, Big Star, and who passed away in 1978 in a car accident, joining the infamous ’27 club.’
“Palace of the Brine” \ Trompe Le Monde \ The Pixies (1991)
The recording of The Pixies fourth album would drive the band apart, making it their final album (at the time). It was a shame, because for as much as I laud Kim for the band’s distinct sound and best moments, there was no denying Francis was a stupendous song writer and he and Joey Santiago were mean guitarists that could build a sonic wall quite unlike anyone else. All of that was evident on the album, Trompe Le Monde, as they moved back to the wall-of-frenetic-sound of their first two LPs. However, the pop sensibility of Bossanova carried through so now there were wonderful melodies shot through the hard rocking sound – as well as a curious space/alien theme. It made for a brilliant album and their most complete work. The only thing that kept it from perfect was the lack of more vocals from Kim.
The album launched with the blast-and-a-half sprint of the title track, followed by the raw angst of “Planet of Sound,” and then the impeccable, “Alec Eiffel.” It was an exhausting and exhilarating trio of songs that got you going. The pace was carried through “The Sad Punk,” with some momentary breaks, before delivering a stellar cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Head On”. This brought on, “U-Mass,” my favourite Pixies song and one of the greatest punk songs ever recorded. I’m not much of a dancer, but I hurled myself around the floor at The Dance Cave (upstairs from Lee’s Palace) every Friday and Saturday night to this song for a solid year. Francis drawled through the song with ambivalence while the most intoxicating guitar riff built the tension, leading to an explosion as Francis snarled, “it’s educational,” before descending into a cathartic, chaotic ending. It all rode over a rhythm from Lovering and Deal. This song must be heard at volume eleven – every time.
The next song was “Palace of the Brine” and just about the only track that gave Kim some airtime, brief as it was. It was a country-ish, mid-tempo song, and frankly having Kim’s backing vocal on the chorus provided a respite at the halfway point of the album. It was a catchy tune that employed The Pixies’ patented fast-slow, quiet (though not so much in this one) -loud elements to the usual wonderful effect. The album finished strong over the remaining eight songs (you could tell CDs had arrived with four or five more songs per release than on vinyl) and there wasn’t a weak song on the album.
The Pixies toured relentlessly to promote Trompe Le Monde, including as the opener for U2 on their ‘Zoo TV’ tour in 1992, which didn’t sit well with the band. By the end they were happy to go their separate ways to work on individual projects. They had released four albums in four years with few breaks. Francis was rumoured to be difficult to work with and, while always being the primary song writer, had taken total creative control of the band, something that caused tension with the always assertive Kim. He went on to release a few solid solo albums while in 1993, declared the end of The Pixies.
“Do You Love Me Now”; “Safari” \ Safari EP \ The Breeders (1992)
As The Pixies were winding down, Kim met up with Josephine Wiggs in England and they teamed with Spaceman 3/Spiritualized drummer Jon Mattock (who would be credited as, ahem, Mike Hunt) to record the song, “Safari.” It was yet another fantastic song from Kim and another big favourite of mine. It blended a great acoustic riff with her lovely, echoey vocal and a toe-tappin’ break-beat that helped launch the song into a wonderful, chaotic ending. Kim’s voice never sounded better, mixing with the music in impeccable fashion.
The Breeders (L to R): Kelley Deal, Tanya Donelly, Josephine Wiggs, Britt Walford, Kim Deal
Returning to New York, Kim and Josephine re-teamed with Tanya (who had left Throwing Muses) and Britt (not sure why, but Carrie would not return on violin, though would guest on the next album), and this time Kim was successful in recruiting her sister. Once again asking her to play drums (honestly, I can find no evidence of her having been a drummer), Kelley instead insisted on being the third guitarist… even though she didn’t know how to play. But hey, she was finally in the fold!
Three more songs were recorded: “Do You Love Me Now,” “Don’t Call Home”, and “So Sad About Us.” “Do You Love Me Now,” was a slow tune that allowed the Kim and Tanya vocal combo to work beautifully over subtle guitar and bass as well as cello from Josephine. The songs were packaged with “Safari” and released as the Safari EP. It did not gain them attention in the US but reached #69 in the UK album chart. I played this CD almost daily for many months during 1992.
“Cannonball”; “Invisible Man”; “Saints” \ Last Splash \ The Breeders (1993)
In 1992 as The Pixies finished their tour and went on hiatus, Jim MacPherson joined The Breeders as drummer and Tanya Donelly moved on to create the band, Belly. This left Kim, Kelley, Josephine, and Jim as the line-up going into the studio to record the second Breeders album. As a warm-up they toured Europe as the opener for Nirvana, riding high on their album, Nevermind.
Last Splash was an unlikely breakthrough. It reached #5 in the UK, #33 in the US and went platinum. The single, “Cannonball”, reached #2 on the US Modern Rock chart. It was more of a success than any of The Pixies albums, who were frankly a far more accomplished band musically. All the songs on the album were written by Kim and featured an intriguing mix of tracks that drew from her usual raw punk sounds to more affected, sound-effect laden compositions. There was also a greater mix of pace and atmosphere than we were used to hearing from her. Last Splash was her crowning achievement.
The LP opened with a short, tense, rocker, “New Year”. “Cannonball” then announced that The Breeders were worthy of serious consideration. It opened with a distorted, megaphone vocal, a percussive interlude, and then an explosion of looping bass, catchy beats, and a raw, relentless guitar riff that propelled the song. I still remember hearing it for the first time at The Dance Cave. My jaw dropped and eyes lit with joy to hear this incredible song. It was catchy as all get-out, featuring many moments of superlative elation, whether it was the wonky bass (from Josephine, I had to look it up certain this had to come from Kim) or the catch-your-breath breaks. So yeah, it is another of my all-time fave songs, and if you’re keeping score that now makes four in which Ms. Deal either wrote or played on. The song went to #44 on the US charts – rather high for an indie band – and #40 in the UK, where the magazines NME and Melody Maker both declared it 1993’s best song.
The album was solid but did have some weak spots. The next song, “Invisible Man,” was not one of them. A nice mid-tempo, pop song to ease up a little after “Cannonball,” it returned to the old-school pop sound in which Kim was skilled. After a semi-acoustic “Aloha” (yes with Hawaiian accents), and a slow burn, “Roi,” the Safari song, “Do You Love Me Now” was perfectly included. A quick instrumental surfer, “Flipside,” followed and then another power-pop ditty, “I Just Wanna Get Along.” “Divine Hammer” would be another single that would get some Modern Rock chart attention, and while it was a good song I always thought the production killed it. It sounded like it was recorded through a wall, with the bass riding too forward and obscuring the rest of the music. It had a catchy groove though and I have always thought it was a candidate to be re-recorded. “Saints” was the third single from the album and reach #12 on the Modern Rock/Alt chart. It was a great, fun, power-pop song with an expansive sound and a great vibe. It was the last romp on the album, leading to “Drivin’ on 9”, a slower, swingin’ tune before the reprise of “Roi” as an outro.
I listened to Last Splash a lot that year. It was a regular on the stereo at my girlfriend Maggie’s apartment. I didn’t hesitate to scoop up tickets to see The Breeders at The Opera House in November of 1993, eagerly looking forward to seeing Kim live. A week or so before the show I caught them on Late Night with David Letterman where they were performing “Divine Hammer.” It was… not good. Check it out, it was a nice way to see the Deal twins up front, but that was about it. The Late Night set was notoriously bad for sound, so maybe that was an excuse, but even with help from the show’s impeccable band, it was still a bit of a mess. It was clear that Kelley was still learning on guitar and Kim’s vocals were weak (she also smirked through it while singing, “I’m just looking for one divine hammer” on national TV, which yes, was referring to what you probably think it is). So, I headed to the show in Toronto with a bit of trepidation, which came to bear when I caught one of the worst shows of my concert-going career. Jim and Josephine were tight, and tried desperately to keep the songs together while Kim and Kelley wandered on the guitars and vocals. The songs were shambolic at best, and I left amazed that a band that played so messily had managed to craft such a great album. I sincerely hope that twenty-five years of playing since then results in a much better show this spring.
All that aside, The Breeders did score the opening slot on Nirvana’s tour for their In Utero album in 1994 as well as a prominent spot on the Lollapalooza tour, where they played their last show together in September 1994. In 1995, Kelley was busted for heroin, a drug she’d battled since her teens (she was thirty-four at that point).
In summer of 1994, The Breeders released an EP, Head to Toe. The title track was a tune written by Josephine, and there was a version of “Saints,” one of the Last Splash singles. Two covers were also included, “Shocker in Gloomtown” by Guided By Voices and “Freed Pig” by Sebadoh. The EP reached #68 on the UK singles chart.
“Pacer”; “Tipp City”; “I am Decided”; “Mom’s Drunk” \ Pacer \ The Amps (1995)
Kelley’s arrest and eventual admission into rehab put The Breeders on hiatus. The unremitting Kim kept writing and planned on a solo album. She began working with Kelley on it, to help distract from her recovery, and MacPherson was recruited on drums. It was starting to look like another Breeders album until Kelley decided to withdraw to focus on her rehab and Kim turned to fellow Dayton musicians Luis Lerma on bass and Nate Farley on guitar to round out the line-up (Josephine went to New York to produce an album with members of Luscious Jackson). Kim started calling herself Tammy Ampersand, which led to them naming the new band, The Amps.
The Amps
An album was recorded called Pacer and it is something I’m just discovering now. It didn’t sell well and escaped my notice back in the day. I have to say I’m thrilled to discover what a solid, thoroughly enjoyable album it is. Kim went back to the rockin’, punky sounds of The Pixies and early Breeders and there was much less of the lighter, surf-pop of Last Splash (except for the opening song, the title track). The songs were edgy, catchy, and at a time when grunge was giving way to electronic music and the new wave of Brit Pop bands, it was a nice, last hurrah of classic grunge. This playlist includes the first four songs from the album, which are all short, catchy, power-pop songs thick with guitar and bass, and Kim’s cool vocals riding shotgun. Kim has always struck me as a somewhat straightforward, sardonic, whatever kind of female rocker and the songs on this album seemed to carry that personality more directly than much of the rest of her discography. This album is going to get a good airing on my stereo over the next while.
“Cool as Kim Deal” \ The Dandy Warhols Come Down \ The Dandy Warhols (1997)
One of my favourite bands of the past twenty years is The Dandy Warhols. I discovered them by chance when their first album came out and have been a devout follower of theirs ever since. This, their second album, significantly raised their profile and set them up for a breakthrough on their third album. However, I knew they were cool and worth sticking with because they were just looking for a girl, “cool as Kim Deal.” It was a nice hat-tip to our lady in profile, who by 1997 was hitting the decade mark of her career.
“Son of Three”; “Huffer” \ Title TK \ The Breeders (2002)
Surprisingly, it was seven years before the arrival of another album from Kim. After The Amps, she invited Carrie Bradley back to join the Amps line-up as a new version of The Breeders. Unfortunately, Kim had fallen into her sister’s habit and drug use was now affecting her song writing, recording, and the relationships with her band, the producers, and technicians in the studio. Endless time in the studio was not producing results and Kim would disappear without explanation. This poor working environment led to the departures of MacPherson and Farley and other hired musicians, as well as three recording engineers (all of whom had worked with her in the past). Her demands had reached a meticulous standard such that no one was making her happy. She learned the drums so she could start playing them herself on the recordings.
Therefore, in this largely isolated and painful, messy process she managed to record some songs. She also did some production work for fellow Dayton band, Guided by Voices (whose singer, Robert Pollard, had written “I am Decided” from The Amps album, and had also taken on Nate Farley when the guitarist left The Breeders), and contributed to a few others’ work. In 1998, Kelley briefly rejoined the band before moving on again, but out of that came some more songs and a cover of The James Gang tune, “Collage,” which appeared on the soundtrack to the film, The Mod Squad, in 1999. In 2001, Kim went to New York to find a band and met up with members of Los Angeles band, Fear. Andrew Jaimez (drums), Mando Lopez (bass), and Richard Presley (guitar) agreed to join her and they all returned to LA to work together. Once there Kelley would join (again) but Jaimez decided he didn’t have the time for The Breeders, being replaced by journeyman drummer, Jose Medeles.
This new line-up finished recording songs, start playing some shows, and released the next Breeders album, Title TK, which in publishing parlance means ‘title to come.’ It was during this recording that Kim adopted, ‘all wave’. It was her name for an analog recording process, eschewing the cold, clinical, and convenient aspects of digital recording. This meant no computers, recording onto tape, and physical masters that had to be converted to digital forms for distribution. She felt she got a more natural and spontaneous recording since mistakes were not easily removed.
The sound of the album then had some of the murkiness of Last Splash and a sparseness of sound that was different than much of the prior recordings. Perhaps a result of her state of mind, the addiction problems, and the multitude of players over the course of the album’s development, it lacked cohesion and had many distracting interludes and changes. Kim’s penchant for melody and her lovely voice still held the songs together, so it was a listenable LP, but not of her usual quality. A soft ballad, “Off You,” was released as the first single, followed by the punky and fast-paced, “Huffer,” which was a lot of fun, and finally, “Son of Three” which settled between those two. The album was nothing new from Deal, it mixed elements of The Pixies, Pod, Last Splash, and The Amps, but whereas pulling the best of all of those would have made for a great album, instead this was more of a muddle.
“Bang On”; “Night of Joy”; “It’s the Love” \ Mountain Battles \ The Breeders (2008)
In 2003, Black Francis was showing a renewed interest in performing The Pixies songs in his solo shows (now performing as Frank Black). Discussions with the others led to a reformation of the original band. In February 2004 a tour was announced, and unlike the limited attention they had received on their first go-round, this time the tour sold out quickly – four nights at the Brixton Academy in London set a record for fastest sell-out at the venue. The tour was a huge success and was accompanied by a digitally released single, “Bam Thwok,” The Pixies’ first new music in thirteen years, and a greatest hits package. My wife and I saw The Pixies at the International Centre by the airport in Toronto that year and they were fantastic. I got to see Kim sing “Gigantic” during the encore. It was perfect save for the lack of “Into the White”. The Pixies continued to tour, play festivals, and plan a new album.
In between her Pixies work, Kim worked with Kelley on new material for The Breeders, occasionally getting into a studio to record with the band. They also returned from L.A. to Dayton to care for their mother who had Alzheimer’s. Along the way they lost Presley, who left music to sell cars, so by the time of the release of their fourth album, Mountain Battles, The Breeders were a quartet of the Deal twins, Medeles, and Lopez.
The new album was a welcome return to form. The songs were stronger, more straightforward, and had the strongest elements of Deal’s writing. “Bang On” was a raw, percussive, vocally distorted song reminiscent of something from Pod. “Night of Joy” was an atmospheric slow song that perfectly used that faraway, floating vocal style that Kim’s voice was perfectly suited. “It’s the Love” was a cover of a song by Dayton’s The Tasties and featured a vocal from Kelley. Overall, the sound of the album was very recognizable as a Kim Deal album, and while there was no new ground broken, it was a solid listen.
As per their name tags: Kelley Deal, Jose Medeles, Kim Deal, Mando Lopez
“Fate to Fatal” \ Fate to Fatal EP \ The Breeders (2009)
“Walking with a Killer” \ non-album single / All Nerve \ Kim Deal (2012)
“Wait in the Car” \ non-album single / All Nerve \ The Breeders (2017)
“All Nerve” \ All Nerve \ The Breeders (2018)
The band followed their album with an EP, Fate to Fatal, in 2009, while the original line-up for Last Splash came together in 2012 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of that album, resulting in a worldwide tour through 2013. Kim played a solo set at a festival late in 2012 that included several new songs, including one she released as a single, “Walking with a Killer.” However, any hope for a solo album did not come to be.
Kim then announced in 2013 that she would be leaving The Pixies, who were forced to make their first line-up change of their career. A new Pixies album was released in 2014, the first to not include her, and they have carried on with tours and releases since.
Sign of the times? Kim and Kelley doing their own silk-screen printing.
News from Kim and The Breeders had otherwise been quiet, save for a brief tour in late 2014. Then last year came a new single, “Wait in the Car,” co-written with former Breeder, Richard Presley, and the first new music from the band in eight years. This was accompanied with a brief fall tour. This past January came an announcement of a new album coming in March, a tour, and the immediate release of a second single, “All Nerve.” These all come via their original line-up including MacPherson and Wiggs.
I just listened to the album, All Nerve, for the first time and I’m pleasantly surprised, as it holds together better than the recent songs would have suggested. It included Deal’s solo single, “Walking with a Killer”, and the Breeders singles, “Wait in the Car” and “All Nerve” (now also the title track). “Nervous Mary” was a solid opener and “MetaGoth” an intriguing, almost industrial styled rocker. “Archangel’s Thunderbird” was a jangly pop-rocker, and there were the usual raw ballads, and perhaps Kim’s attempt at the blues with the closer, “Blues at the Acropolis.” Again, it didn’t break new ground and wasn’t going to reignite The Breeders as a leading act, but for fans it was a decent addition to the discography. Planning to see them on this tour, I also hope the show delivers on their full catalogue, including “Safari,” which was mostly left off the setlists in the fall.
The Breeders: Jim, Kelley, Josephine, Kim
With Kim Deal, what you see is what you get. She has never been a fashion icon or trend setter other than through her music. Her journey from The Pixies through The Breeders, with detours to solo gigs and The Amps, has traced a consistent and solid path through the history of modern rock music. The Pixies brought back anger, loudness (and quiet), punk, and catchy melodies to a rock world that had become stale and overblown. Kim’s basslines and ethereal backing vocals were often the components that set The Pixies on another plane. Through The Breeders she has been able to explore pop and surf music and give her voice the airing it deserved. Though not blessed with power or range, her voice is as unique and effective as those who can startle you with virtuosity. A rare female lead, she has also been an example of how woman can rock and be successful without having to glam it up or throw in a beat while dancing in a revealing costume. Though only releasing five albums (six if you include The Amps, and not including The Pixies) over 29 years she has still managed to build a legacy that has influenced many a current rock band, especially given the current wave of female rockers. We all wish we could be as cool as Kim Deal.
UPDATE May 2018
I saw The Breeders at The Phoenix on May 6 and am happy to report it was a great show. The band was tight, executed the songs well and Kelley was a reliable guitarist now, carrying most of the songs. Josephine and Jim still provided a solid foundation and Kim’s voice, while not always hitting every note, was as endearing as ever. They played, “Safari,” and while tough to reproduce live, it was still great to hear. So, I left a happy camper.
UPDATE October 2025
“Nobody Loves You More”; “Crystal Breath” \ Nobody Loves You More \ Kim Deal (2024)
After a ten-year gap between Breeders albums from 2008 to 2018, it took another six years for us to hear from Kim Deal. For the first time, the release was a solo album, following the release of a handful of solo singles since 2012. The album did, however, have notable Breeders participation. Kelley, of course, was in the mix playing on three tracks and singing back-up on a fourth. Jim Macpherson played drums on two tracks.
A notable list of guests also collaborated. Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) played bass on two tracks. Journeyman and ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist Josh Klinghoffer played on one song, while Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub) played on the album’s closing track. Fay Milton and Ayse Hassan from Savages collaborated and played on the song, “Big Ben Beat.” Grunge superstar producer Steve Albini helped record all but three tracks, not long before his passing in May 2024.
Nobody Loves You More was a collection of songs written and recorded over the prior fifteen years. Musically, it ranged broader than her past work, though remained solidly tied to the noisy indie brand established by her other acts. The LP lacked outstanding tracks that demanded attention but nonetheless had many appealing moments and songs. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility it could worm its way more deeply into the mind after multiple listens, but I haven’t given it that chance.
Much of the LP was mid to down tempo, best exemplified by the title track, which was the first song on the LP and its fourth single. It featured strings, Spanish flavoured horn interludes, and one of Kim’s more plaintive and vulnerable vocal performances. The song’s video matched the album artwork, presenting Kim in a costume, full make-up, and in a visually intriguing and creative set piece of a small stage surrounded by simulated water and a flamingo. It was nice to see something more artistic than what most artists are doing these days, and certainly a change from her.
“Crystal Breath” was the second single. It mixed echoey vocals with crashing beats for a slight industrial vibe. It was a more contemporary take on Deal’s sound, and an example of how she was experimenting more broadly with her compositions.
Kim toured the album through late 2024 and early 2025. She did not come to Canada, so I didn’t have a chance to see her. Hopefully that opportunity will come, along with more music and not another six years or more before that time comes.
