Maps of Music

Head Carrier (2016)

Where the lyrics of Head Carrier take you, and where it was really made.

The title refers to a cephalophore, a saint shown carrying his own head, and the album marks the first full appearance of bassist Paz Lenchantin.

Key places

Recorded at RAK Studios, London (2016)

Recording site RAK Studios — The album was recorded at RAK Studios in London, with Tom Dalgety as producer. The source gives the studio as the recording site but no exact recording date. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Head Carrier is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies
• Released 30 September 2016 on Pixiesmusic and PIAS
• Produced by Tom Dalgety and recorded at RAK Studios in London
• First album with bassist Paz Lenchantin as a full member
• Lenchantin joined in 2014 to tour in support of Indie Cindy
• Title references a cephalophore, St. Denis of Paris

Background

• Production began around late 2015 after the band found a new producer
• Dalgety replaced Gil Norton, who had produced the band's last four albums
• The band met Dalgety while recording demos for the follow-up to Indie Cindy
• Lenchantin replaced Kim Deal, who left the band in 2013
• Lenchantin had been the touring bassist before becoming a full member with this album
• Lead single Um Chagga Lagga was announced on 6 July 2016
• Second single Talent followed on 17 August 2016

Recording

• Recording lasted about three months
• The band rehearsed the songs on their own in Toronto for three weeks
• Two weeks of rehearsal with Dalgety followed in November
• Recording took place in London at RAK Studios

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1986.
• Original lineup: Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals), David Lovering (drums).
• Named after a word Santiago picked randomly from a dictionary.

Members

• Francis is the primary songwriter; his surreal lyrics cover extraterrestrials, incest and biblical violence.
• Deal left in 2012; Kim Shattuck and then Paz Lenchantin followed; Lenchantin became a full member in 2016.
• In 2024 Lenchantin was replaced by Emma Richardson, formerly of Band of Skulls.

Career

• Debut mini-LP Come On Pilgrim (1987), followed by Surfer Rosa (1988), Doolittle (1989), Bossanova (1990) and Trompe le Monde (1991).
• Disbanded in 1993 after modest US success, but gained more popularity in the UK and Europe.
• Reunited in 2004 with sold-out world tours; released The Night the Zombies Came in 2024.
• Known for extreme loud-quiet-loud dynamics blending surf rock and punk rock; influenced Nirvana, Radiohead, Weezer and others.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released 30 September 2016 on Pixiesmusic and PIAS
• Sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies
• Earlier album Indie Cindy first came out as three EPs before a full album
• Head Carrier was issued as a full LP instead
• Produced by Tom Dalgety and recorded at RAK Studios in London
• First full album with bassist Paz Lenchantin, who joined in 2014 for touring
• Release followed Indie Cindy and its tour
• Album was announced publicly on 6 July 2016 with the first single Um Chagga Lagga

Records

• UK chart: number 7
• US chart: number 72, for one week
• Charted at various positions on charts worldwide

Sources: es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title refers to a cephalophore, a saint carrying his own head, more specifically St. Denis of Paris
• Tom Dalgety replaced Gil Norton, who had worked on the Pixies' last four albums
• The band rehearsed in Toronto for three weeks before recording, which lasted three months
• Lenchantin replaced Kim Deal, who left the band in 2013
• Lenchantin had been a touring bassist before being promoted to full-time member with this album

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

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