“I took up painting again when we were recording at Rockfield, and I didn’t stop”: Pixies share new single Oyster Beds – two minutes of wall-of-sound punk inspired by Black Francis’ painting sessions

Pixies have shared another single from their forthcoming studio album, The Night The Zombies Came, and it is a lean two-minute work of punk rock animated by David Lovering’s insistent beat and wall-of-sound electric guitars with Palme d'Or-worthy tones.

Titled Oyster Beds, the track was inspired by frontman Black Francis’ painting sessions while the band were holed up at Rockfield Studios, in Wales. The lyrics, which are shared in the video for the track, read like a stream of consciousness, and are described by Francis as “a laundry list of things I was painting over the last couple years.” 

Said paintings are now hanging on the wall at his home. “I took up painting again when we were recording at Rockfield, and I didn’t stop,” he says.

This is a typical back story for a band whose songwriting has always conjured strong visuals. Out on 25 October – just in time for Halloween – The Night The Zombies Came, is shaping up to be what is known music critic argo as a cinematic release, and appropriately, given the time of year, it appears like the cinematic style is horror. 

Pixies - Oyster Beds (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

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Chicken, the first single plucked from their forthcoming album, is all dreamy late-night reverb guitar and finds Francis referencing zombie movies. 

Upon its release, Francis likened the act of making a record to making a film, with each song carrying some element of a theme that relates to the next. “In a collection of songs in a so-called LP, you end up making a kind of movie,” he said.

According to the press release, some of the things that inspired the band when putting The Night The Zombies Came together included, “Druidism, apocalyptic shopping malls, mediaeval-themed restaurants, 12th-century poetic form, surf rock, gargoyles, bog people, and the distinctive dry drum sound of 1970s era Fleetwood Mac.”

Pixies - Chicken (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

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Well, if Romero is to be believed, apocalyptic shopping malls certainly do have strong zombie energy. That last influence should make for an interesting interview with Lovering. His drums sound incredible here; ditto Joey Santiago’s guitar, which was once more captured by Pixies' go-to producer Tom Dalgety, who has been producing the band since 2016’s Head Carrier. 

The album will see Emma Richardson maker her debut on bass guitar, after replacing the outgoing Paz Lenchantin. 

The Night The Zombies Came is available to preorder and is out 25 October via BMG. Pixies are on tour and play All Points East Festival in London tonight. See Pixies for dates and ticket details.