The Pixies vs Nirvana

Urban Hat€monger ? · 02-09-2010, 01:39 PM

Husker Du

Sorry, it needed saying.

boo boo · 02-09-2010, 03:48 PM

I prefer Nirvana, but not by a huge amount.

Violent & Funky · 02-09-2010, 03:53 PM

boo boo is back!

TheCunningStunt · 02-09-2010, 06:34 PM

I like the Pixies but for me, Nirvana, always.

boo boo · 02-09-2010, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violent & Funky

boo boo is back!

I've been here the whole time silly.

Unknown Soldier · 02-11-2010, 01:02 PM

I like a whole load of stuff by the Pixies and especially the Trompe le Monde album but I still think Nirvana are better.

Rainard Jalen · 02-12-2010, 06:01 AM

Well my two cents:

Sure. Nirvana were heavily influenced by Pixies, no question there. Cobain has spoken expressly of how he set out to emulate the Pixies' iconic soft-loud-soft-loud dynamic on Smells Like Teen Spirit, and you find the technique on a number of the most popular Nirvana songs. Indeed, those bands most heavily inspired by Nirvana (e.g. Bush) sought to repeat Nirvana's own use of the whole soft-loud stop-start thing. So a lineage leading back to Pixies is clearly established...

...but that's where it stops. The similarities end there. There's little else to tie Pixies' dark though generally upbeat, racy and fun-inflected groove to Nirvana's sinister, warped world of tortured and dread-fraught death rock. The stark contrast in mood makes the two bands for the most part entirely uncomparable.

Cobain penned some of the greatest mainstream rock hits of all time. In terms of pop credentials of course Nirvana must win the contest hands down. But in terms of raw songwriting ability, as can only be captured by the acid-test measure of overall consistency, Black Francis comes out of top. Nirvana had way too much fluff on their records. In Utero for instance was a great album, but not song-for-song. It is great when taken as a whole. Pixies on the other hand are great by the sum of their parts and the parts themselves.

Pixies are a better band for me on the whole, basing my judgment on diversity and consistency above all else.

Midi · 02-12-2010, 09:23 AM

As for two or three singles Nirvana has out, I can't stand Nirvana. Even then, the singles aren't very remarkable as they are catchy. Either that or the music hasn't aged well, grunge is a genre than has plaques the radio stations for the passed 2 decades, and many people define grunge as 'rock'. Even though Pixies classified as grunge, Pixies never take themselves seriously in their compositions, and aren't bred from cliche under a cliche.

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 02-12-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midi

As for two or three singles Nirvana has out, I can't stand Nirvana. Even then, the singles aren't very remarkable as they are catchy. Either that or the music hasn't aged well, grunge is a genre than has plaques the radio stations for the passed 2 decades, and many people define grunge as 'rock'. Even though Pixies classified as grunge, Pixies never take themselves seriously in their compositions, and aren't bred from cliche under a cliche.

Neither is Nirvana. The sound certainly wasn't cliche at the time (and I still don't think it is) and there's a good difference between the original grunge movement and the post-grunge, modern rock stuff on the radio now.

And both bands took themselves seriously, both Francis and Cobain wrote very personal songs and sung them passionatly.

TheCunningStunt · 02-12-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainard Jalen

Well my two cents:

Sure. Nirvana were heavily influenced by Pixies, no question there. Cobain has spoken expressly of how he set out to emulate the Pixies' iconic soft-loud-soft-loud dynamic on Smells Like Teen Spirit, and you find the technique on a number of the most popular Nirvana songs. Indeed, those bands most heavily inspired by Nirvana (e.g. Bush) sought to repeat Nirvana's own use of the whole soft-loud stop-start thing. So a lineage leading back to Pixies is clearly established...

...but that's where it stops. The similarities end there. There's little else to tie Pixies' dark though generally upbeat, racy and fun-inflected groove to Nirvana's sinister, warped world of tortured and dread-fraught death rock. The stark contrast in mood makes the two bands for the most part entirely uncomparable.

Cobain penned some of the greatest mainstream rock hits of all time. In terms of pop credentials of course Nirvana must win the contest hands down. But in terms of raw songwriting ability, as can only be captured by the acid-test measure of overall consistency, Black Francis comes out of top. Nirvana had way too much fluff on their records. In Utero for instance was a great album, but not song-for-song. It is great when taken as a whole. Pixies on the other hand are great by the sum of their parts and the parts themselves.

Pixies are a better band for me on the whole, basing my judgment on diversity and consistency above all else.

For me it's a case of The Pixies invented it, Nirvana did it better.

View Poll Results: Which band is better?
Pixies are way better	67	23.93%
I prefer The pixies	62	22.14%
I like them about the Same	40	14.29%
I prefer Nirvana	56	20.00%
Nirvana is way better	55	19.64%
Voters: 280. You may not vote on this poll

02-09-2010, 01:39 PM	#111 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Husker Du Sorry, it needed saying. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

02-09-2010, 03:53 PM	#113 (permalink)
Violent & Funky FUNky Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 2,482	boo boo is back!

02-09-2010, 06:34 PM	#114 (permalink)
TheCunningStunt love will tear you apart Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 5,107	I like the Pixies but for me, Nirvana, always.

02-11-2010, 01:02 PM	#116 (permalink)
Unknown Soldier Horribly Creative Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London, The Big Smoke Posts: 8,265	I like a whole load of stuff by the Pixies and especially the Trompe le Monde album but I still think Nirvana are better.

02-12-2010, 06:01 AM	#117 (permalink)
Rainard Jalen Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,221	Well my two cents: Sure. Nirvana were heavily influenced by Pixies, no question there. Cobain has spoken expressly of how he set out to emulate the Pixies' iconic soft-loud-soft-loud dynamic on Smells Like Teen Spirit, and you find the technique on a number of the most popular Nirvana songs. Indeed, those bands most heavily inspired by Nirvana (e.g. Bush) sought to repeat Nirvana's own use of the whole soft-loud stop-start thing. So a lineage leading back to Pixies is clearly established... ...but that's where it stops. The similarities end there. There's little else to tie Pixies' dark though generally upbeat, racy and fun-inflected groove to Nirvana's sinister, warped world of tortured and dread-fraught death rock. The stark contrast in mood makes the two bands for the most part entirely uncomparable. Cobain penned some of the greatest mainstream rock hits of all time. In terms of pop credentials of course Nirvana must win the contest hands down. But in terms of raw songwriting ability, as can only be captured by the acid-test measure of overall consistency, Black Francis comes out of top. Nirvana had way too much fluff on their records. In Utero for instance was a great album, but not song-for-song. It is great when taken as a whole. Pixies on the other hand are great by the sum of their parts and the parts themselves. Pixies are a better band for me on the whole, basing my judgment on diversity and consistency above all else.

02-12-2010, 09:23 AM	#118 (permalink)
Midi Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 57	As for two or three singles Nirvana has out, I can't stand Nirvana. Even then, the singles aren't very remarkable as they are catchy. Either that or the music hasn't aged well, grunge is a genre than has plaques the radio stations for the passed 2 decades, and many people define grunge as 'rock'. Even though Pixies classified as grunge, Pixies never take themselves seriously in their compositions, and aren't bred from cliche under a cliche.