The Breeders, a band that rose to fame in the nineties, was formed when Pixies bassist Kim Deal desired more; she wanted to be a frontwoman whose words were at the center of the music she was producing. I stumbled upon the Breeders’ “Divine Hammer” music video during a YouTube rabbit hole. The video looks dated: it’s pixelated and you can’t quite make of all the images on the screen. However, Deal’s smooth and clear voice kept me intrigued and wanting more. Last Splash (1993) is a formative record for me. It sounds like eighth grade and spending too much time on the internet as a young person, discovering and searching for music that resonated with me. Now, as a sophomore in college, I frequently revisit the record. The best, and only way, I can describe how this album makes me feel is the satisfaction of shaking out all of the tension from my limbs, acquiescing to carelessness, and feeling malleable.
Thus, I want to take you through my five all-time favorite songs by the Breeders.
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- “Off You” – Echoing with a bass line too memorable ever to forget, Deal’s voice drawls on, singing lyrics that teeter between ambiguity and vagueness, but it’s one of my favorite songs, ever. There are portions of the song where distorted bass notes emerge unexpectedly; it sounds like an alien invasion. It’s the noise that does not necessarily go with the rest of the instrumental portions of the song, but somehow, it does. It jolts you awake during such a quiet, vulnerable track.
- “Do You Love Me Now?” – Written after her divorce from John Murphy, Kim Deal sings about loving your ex-partner even after a tumultuous breakup. The first line of the track is completely isolated, with an echoed effect that prepares listeners for heavy percussion and illustrious riffs. Without sounding too pretentious or too philosophical, Deal asks: “Does love ever end?” It’s sappy and heartbreaking, everything I love in a song
- “Oh!” – Kim Deal wrote this song from the perspective of an insect encouraging other insects to fly high. Part of me wants to find every symbolic aspect of this song and what it might mean, but the part is totally content with the idea that this is just a song about bugs
- “Cannonball” – This song is one of the most popular songs by the Breeders and rightfully so. It is a ball of energy. Every time I’m having trouble writing up an essay or working on a project, this song is a cacophony of pleasant noises that I can either feel or think through. “Cannonball” is another example of how infectious the guitar licks are throughout Last Splash. The track is a perfect blend of bubblegum pop and grunge which is an exciting and fun combination of sounds.
- “The She” – Named after the nightclub She in Daytona, Ohio, this song narrates the experience of dancing in a club. It is a religious experience emphasized by the clear and hypnotizing drum beat that exists throughout the entire song.
I have fond memories of listening to the Breeders in the library, my leg shaking rapidly, my hands typing nonsense, and feeling driven enough to finish whatever was raising my cortisol levels to an unhealthy level. However, this is simply proof that listening to the Breeders in any setting is possible and a variation of feelings, mood shifts, and emotions can be wonderfully incited. Calm down, be made new, or shake your whole body with the Breeders.
Article by Natalia Girolami