PIXIES – “Motorway to Roswell” (from the album Trompe Le Monde)
Well, I’ve finally come into agreement with the estimable Tom
Ewing: Trompe Le Monde is the Pixies’ finest album,
period.
While none of their albums disappoint, TLM remains
a fascinating listen from beginning to end. Their albums
are strong affairs through-and-through: They didn’t record
many weak tracks, but nothing in their catalog bedazzles
me and ensnares me as much as Trompe.
Perhaps the one song that is most representative of the
wide-eyed wonderment of the album is the penultimate
track, “Motorway to Roswell.” In a perfect world, this would
be the final song on the album, and would’ve been
the ideal way to close their career (but it’s not; “The Navajo
Know” ends things).
The song, as far as I can tell, is about a little alien and his journey.
The best moment comes in at 2:48 when what seems like a
countless number of backing vocals pop in. The song just
seems to float from there on in, the proceedings ending
with a tinkly piano that gently fades out. It’s not too difficult to
envision the Pixies making that journey down the motorway,
off into the sunset, never gracing us with their majesty again,
but leaving behind some of the best music ever recorded.