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Head Carrier
Studio album by Pixies
Released	September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
Recorded	February–March, 2016
Studio	RAK Studios, London
Genre	Alternative rock indie rock pop rock
Length	33:48
Label	Pixiesmusic PIAS
Producer	Tom Dalgety
Pixies chronology
Indie Cindy (2014) Head Carrier (2016) Beneath the Eyrie (2019)
Singles from Head Carrier
"Um Chagga Lagga" Released: July 6, 2016 "Tenement Song" Released: September 5, 2016 "Classic Masher" Released: November 24, 2016 "Bel Esprit" Released: March 17, 2017

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	5.9/10
Metacritic	64/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The A.V. Club	C
The Guardian
The Independent
Mojo
NME	4/5
Pitchfork	5.5/10
Q
Rolling Stone
Uncut	6/10

Head Carrier is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Pixies, released on September 30, 2016 on Pixiesmusic and PIAS. Produced by Tom Dalgety, and recorded at RAK Studios in London, the album is the first to feature new band member Paz Lenchantin on bass guitar, who joined the band in 2014 to tour in support of its previous album, Indie Cindy.

The album's title references a cephalophore, a saint carrying his own head, more specifically St. Denis of Paris.

Background

Production started around late 2015 after finding a new producer, Tom Dalgety (replacing previous producer Gil Norton, who had worked on the Pixies last four albums). The band met with him as they were recording demos for the followup of their 2014 album Indie Cindy. Previously they had debuted a number of songs live that they were testing as potential tracks for their next album. Such tracks included "Super Lecker", "O' Little Cloud", and "Down to Tulom".

This album marks the first full appearance of bassist Paz Lenchantin (formerly of A Perfect Circle and Zwan), after replacing previous bassist Kim Deal, who left the band in 2013. Lenchantin had previously been featured on the bonus track "Women of War" (a vinyl bonus track off of Indie Cindy), as well as live tracks for the deluxe edition of the same album. Lenchantin had previously been the touring bassist, but was promoted to full-time member starting with this album. She also has a writing credit and lead vocals for the song "All I Think About Now", which was written about Kim Deal and takes on the form of a thank-you letter.

The album was officially announced on July 6, 2016 with the release of its first single "Um Chagga Lagga". This was followed up by a second single, "Talent", on August 17, 2016. The whole album was streamed on NPR starting on September 22, 2016.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Black Francis, except where noted

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

• Black Francis – lead vocals, guitar
• Joey Santiago – lead guitar
• Paz Lenchantin – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "All I Think About Now"
• David Lovering – drums

Technical

• Tom Dalgety – production, engineering, mixing
• Rob Brinkman – engineering assistant
• Vaughan Oliver – art direction, design
• Joshua Price – design assistance
• Ian Pollock – illustrations

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

1. "Head Carrier by Pixies reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
2. "Reviews for Head Carrier by Pixies". Metacritic. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
3. Phares, Heather. "Head Carrier – Pixies". AllMusic. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
4. Colburn, Randall (September 30, 2016). "Pixies sound confident on Head Carrier, but the music lacks personality". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
5. Mumford, Gwilym (September 29, 2016). "Pixies: Head Carrier review – indie-rock veterans fail to match past glories". The Guardian. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
6. Gill, Andy (September 28, 2016). "Album reviews: Drive-by Truckers, Van Morrison, Bon Iver, Pixies, Regina Spektor and more". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
7. Perry, Andrew (October 2016). "Capo di tutti". Mojo (275): 90.
8. Beaumont, Mark (September 28, 2016). "Pixies – 'Head Carrier' Review". NME. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
9. Berman, Stuart (October 6, 2016). "Pixies: Head Carrier". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
10. Doherty, Niall (November 2016). "Black Magic". Q (365): 109.
11. Harris, Keith (September 30, 2016). "Review: Pixies' 'Head Carrier' Features New Bassist, Old Sound". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
12. Bonner, Michael (October 2016). "Pixies: Head Carrier". Uncut (233): 37.
13. Grow, Kory (June 2, 2015). "See Pixies Play 'Planet of Sound,' New Song 'Um Chagga Lagga'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
14. ^ Hogan, Marc (August 4, 2016). "Pixies' Black Francis and Paz Lenchantin On Head Carrier and Replacing Kim Deal'". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
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• 2016 albums
• Pixies (band) albums
• PIAS Recordings albums
• Albums produced by Tom Dalgety