Doggerel

Doggerel is the eighth studio album by Pixies, released on September 30, 2022. It marked another chapter in the band's remarkable late-career resurgence, following Beneath the Eyrie, while introducing a more melodic, reflective, and expansive approach to their sound. Although unmistakably a Pixies record, Doggerel demonstrates a band more interested in refinement than recreating the explosive dynamics of their classic late-1980s albums.

Musically, the album blends alternative rock, indie rock, surf rock, folk influences, and psychedelic textures. Black Francis' distinctive songwriting remains at the center, but the arrangements often favor melody and atmosphere over the abrupt loud-quiet-loud contrasts that became a defining characteristic of the band's early work. Songs such as "There's a Moon On," "Vault of Heaven," "Haunted House," and "Nomatterday" reveal a band still experimenting more than three decades after its debut.

Lyrically, Doggerel explores mythology, folklore, history, environmental themes, and everyday observations. As on many Pixies albums, Black Francis combines surreal imagery with cryptic storytelling, leaving much of the interpretation to the listener.

### Behind the Music

One of the most significant aspects of Doggerel is what it does *not* try to be. Rather than attempting to recreate the raw energy of landmark albums like Doolittle or Surfer Rosa, Pixies deliberately embraced a more mature style. Black Francis explained that he wanted the songs to breathe, allowing melodies and arrangements to develop naturally instead of relying on the dramatic shifts that had become synonymous with the band's early sound.

The album also marked another successful collaboration with producer Tom Dalgety, who had previously worked with the band on Head Carrier, Beneath the Eyrie, and their reunion-era recordings. Dalgety encouraged the group to expand its sonic palette while preserving the quirky identity that has always separated Pixies from other alternative rock bands.

Doggerel was the second Pixies album to feature bassist Emma Richardson, who joined the band in 2021 after Paz Lenchantin's departure. Best known for her work with Band of Skulls, Richardson brought a different musical perspective while fitting naturally into the band's established chemistry. Rather than attempting to imitate previous members, she contributed to the evolving sound of the modern Pixies lineup.

The title Doggerel refers to simple, irregular, or intentionally playful verse. Black Francis chose the name because it reflected his fascination with ordinary language, unconventional storytelling, and finding poetry in unexpected places. That playful literary spirit runs throughout the album, where seemingly everyday subjects often develop into strange, imaginative narratives.

Critics noted that Doggerel revealed a band comfortable with its legacy but unwilling to become trapped by it. Instead of revisiting the explosive style that influenced countless alternative rock bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Pixies focused on writing strong songs with richer arrangements and greater musical patience.

Looking back, Doggerel stands as another example of Pixies' refusal to become a nostalgia act. More than thirty-five years after redefining alternative rock, the band demonstrated that creative evolution remained more important than simply repeating the past.