Pick of the Week: Pixies “You’re So Impatient”

Illustration of a dark grey rock formation with a light orange sky in the background. On top, dark orange text reads: "Pixies, You're So Impatient." The top left corner has a light blue guitar pick with the words, "WERS 88.9 Pick of the Week" in white text.
Graphics by Sarah Tarlin

By Nora Onanian, Web Services Coordinator

Clocking in at just over two minutes, Pixies’ new single “You’re So Impatient” is a fittingly short and punchy song written towards someone who just can’t seem to wait. 

Pixies’ frontman Black Francis shared in a statement, “There’s this guy, there’s this gal, there’s this tug-of-love dynamic going on.” It’s a tune that might ring familiar for anyone who’s been in a romantic relationship where each half of the pairing is moving at different paces. 

Francis named the song as a “slightly comedic suburban culture moment,” a theme supported by the lyrics. From verse one onwards, the speaker of the song is traveling with their date through a mall— the local of a true nightmare to the anti-suburbanites. From the speaker’s love interest wanting to leave a movie early, to a rejected stop for a drink at a medieval-themed eatery, he is left spiraling. Francis sings, “Who's gonna live? Who's gonna die? Is there any true love? Oh, I don't know why.”

 

THE LYRIC VIDEO

Francis described the mall serving as “a very zombie, rock ‘n roll horror movie setting.” While this seems bursting with potential for a “Thriller”-level music video, Pixies fans must settle for a lyric video for now. With it, Pixies put the rock in rock and roll. The words to the new single are projected across soaring geologic landscapes. Greys and oranges are the only colors used, but the visuals remain captivating enough. 

A NEW ERA FOR THE OLD SCHOOL BOSTON ROCKERS

“You’re So Impatient” was released as a double A-side single, the old school Boston rockers giving equal weight to their cover of “Que Sera Sera” (in English, “Whatever Will Be, Will Be,” a not so subtle contrast to the impatience of its pairing). 

In the track, Black Francis keeps his well-loved growling and gritty tone as narrator. The bass, guitar and drums are bursting with energy, especially erupting during an instrumental break in the final chorus. Francis even breaks the fourth wall a bit, announcing its arrival: “Here comes my favorite part.” 

While not a new direction for Pixies sonically, the two single releases mark the first recordings since longtime bassist Paz Lenchantin left, and Emma Richardson filled her spot. Richardson, who spent over a decade playing with Band of Skulls, has already stepped in on Pixies’ live shows as well. 

The band are currently on a co-headlining tour with Modest Mouse. They already swung by Xfinity Center in Mansfield earlier this June, so if you’re local and excited to see Pixies locally… Well, you might just have to be more patient than whoever this song is sung about. 

 

Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!

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