I'm laying on my coach watching Fight Club for the first time while being stoned for the first time. You can only imagine what that could be like. Then I hear the distant howls and the back of my head the guitar and drums kick in and the movie ends. I sat there and stared at my tv listening to the song. The next day a looked for the song and bought Wave of Mutilation:The Best of the Pixies.
At first I didn't like it so much because the only song I really knew was 'Where Is My Mind',then I really started to listen. To anyone who bought the CD thinking of where is my mind there are many other great tracks.
Check These Out:
Gigantic
Hey
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Debaser
Gouge Away
Wave of Mutilation
Dig For Fire
Here Comes Your Man

After all that your mind will change. I also saw them live in Pittsburgh on the reunion tour and it was the best concert of my life.

Not one song I don't like on this one, they definitely did a swell job putting it together. I was just happy that Broken Face, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Caribou, and Gigantic were on it. All in all, good to get if you're just getting into them.

Truth be told, this wasn't my first Pixies album. I started out with Surfer Rosa and Doolittle (picked them up on the same day) and became hooked. I had the rest of their catalogue in no time. This is actually the last Pixies CD I bought; it served no other purpose than to round out my collection. Besides, I like this band enough to give them some extra cash for something I don't really need.

But, if you're skeptical about starting out with the albums, this would make a great starting point. A few personal favorites are missing, but you'd be hard pressed to find a perfect greatest hits compilation from any artist, so I'll cut "Wave Of Mutilation" some slack. Be forewarned, though: this is a very addictive band.

If you like this, and pick up the rest of their albums and comps, check out Frank Black's solo stuff. You'd also like the Breeders (Kim Deal's band after the Pixies split).

To the reviewer below me: don't be disheartened, Erik. It looks like you weren't meant to be a Pixies fan in the first place. Tough luck, dude.

The only good pixies song is where is my mind. I heard this on the fight club movie. I thought it was a great song so i listened to this cd. It sucked. DOn't listen to it

This is the second compilation from the Pixies... a bit too much for the band, that released just 4 full length albums (plus one b-side collection, one EP and one BBC-sessions disc).
Collection is good, but it's near impossible to extract wrong songs from Pixies' portfolio, 'cause this band had no weak songs.
And my main question:
WHERE IS ... no, no MY MIND - I must say: WHERE IS RIVER EUPHRATES??

This is a great compilation of 23 of some of the Pixies greatest songs. This is well worth it and I think the Pixies are one of the greatest indie influences of the past 18 years or so. What I love about the Pixies is that they are different, eclectic, and awesome to watch live. They shorten their songs somewhat when they are live.

Every song on this CD is a great example of what makes the Pixies so great and so different from what else is out there right now. Their songs are eccentric, witty, and melodic. They are not full of fluff that gets featured on Top 40 radio. Kim Deal and Frank Black are awesome and have influenced many, many bands. Check them out live if you ever get the chance. They will not disappoint. This CD is a great place to start if you are unfamiliar to the Pixies. It really has some great songs like "Monkey's Gone to Heaven", "Bone Machine", "Nimrods Son", "The Holiday Song", "U-Mass", and "Dig For Fire." Good thing about the Pixies is that they are still kinda obscure to most people and you can pick up their CD's really cheap. I don't think some people really get them, but they are a brilliant band.

I can only recommend this album for people who have never heard of the Pixies. For Pixies fans, there's no point to having this compilation. It adds nothing new. For people who have no idea who the Pixies are, this album will open your eyes to a whole new world of music-- edgy, melodic, psychotic, and beautiful. You won't be disappointed.

Pixies would have to be one of the best indie bands out there. With songs such as "Monkey Gone To Heaven", and "Bone Machine" its hard not to like The Pixes. Even though they went their own way and started newer bands, The Pixes will always be my favorite Indie Band.

First I must confess that I am writing from the perspective of being an obsessive Pixies freak. The Pixies to me are one of the most important bands ever to have graced the planet of sound. Their cutting edge music, 99% of which was written by Black Francis (aka Frank Black), has directly influenced the music of heavyweights such as Radiohead, Nirvana and David Bowie. To me they are so important that I felt compelled to jet back to Britain from Beijing in June 2004 just to catch one of their comeback gigs at Brixton Academy... It was well worth the money and the jetlag!

So, I guess I should be happy with any new Pixies release (as most obsessed music fans find it difficult to criticize the bands they hold in such high esteem)? Not so I'm afraid.

Whilst there is not a weak song on this album, it seems like a pointless waste of time to recommend this album to people who have never heard the Pixies before. This album contains songs available on all four of Pixies studio albums, plus the B Sides album released in 2001. These albums are available at a bargain basement price in most music retail outlets and are no doubt even cheaper on the internet.

So, why not just start off buying Come on Pilgrim / Surfer Rosa, followed by Doolittle, then Bossanova, then Trompe Le Monde, and finally the B Sides album. These 5 albums wouldn't be very expensive (GBP25, $50) and once you have them you would have all of the songs off of this pointless 'Best Of' compilation, plus alot of the better songs that were missed off (Cactus, I've Been Tired, Space (I Believe In) etc.) Another reason not to buy WOM is that a new Pixies studio album release is due at the end of 2005, which gives you even less reason to purchase this compilation.

In fact if you wanted a decent Pixies 'Best Of' compilation then search online for the live reunion shows that are for sale, as they will contain live versions of all of the above tunes (plus more) and have the added atmosphere of a gig.

It makes you wonder why the record company didn't bother to add some previously unreleased recordings, which would have made this worthy of purchase not just for newbies but also for long time fans.

THIS IS THE BEST ROCK ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT! Go out and buy this record now. If it is too late to go to a record store (damn music stores should be open 24 hours a day, 6 days a week!) then go camp outside until the store opens. Then go to the rock section, look under "P" for Pixies, grab this gem, pay for it, then skidaddle over to the nearest cd player (even if it ain't yours) and crank this baby up to 11!!!! (shameless Spinal Tap reference there folks!)...............or you could just buy it off of Amazon.com

This is a much better introduction to the Pixies than the previous "Death To The..." compilation. I am not big on best of's, but this has pretty much all the "hits". My only question is why include two b-sides, when they just released a b-sides collection where people can obtain these songs if they want them. I usually don't quibble over song selections on hits cds, but "Cecilia Ann" and "Head On" would have been much better, and much more obvious choices! Anyway, if you're just getting you're feet wet, this is a good place to start, to see if you are up for the challenge that is PIXIES!

One of the best bands of all time in my humble opinion. A collection of maybe the most catchy and exciting songs (dare I say hits?). This album makes me generally happy on the inside. Doesn't incest and UFOs make everyone happy?

BUT I agree with some other reviewers in that if you are new to the Pixies, just go out a buy Doolittle. Once you listen to that you'll want to own everything anyway. Simpley one of the best rock bands ever.

This is, of course, 23 of the best songs ever recorded. But why would anyone want to buy it? If you're a Pixies fan, then you should already own all these songs. If you're just getting into them, buy Doolittle and pretty soon you'll want to own all the other albums anyway.

Well I have to say I've been waiting for this to come out for a while. Then I finally got to see them live but thats a whole other story. Basically this comp takes 23 of the their best songs and puts them on one cd. Its nothing fancy but there are some great songs here. If you like the Pixies then its a must. If you're into the Radiohead/Nirvana/post-rock/punky sounding stuff then check this out because chances are you might like it. These guys along with Jane's Addiction are the most influencial bands of the late 80's early 90's you owe it to yourself to chek them out. If you don't get this (which is highly recommended) then check out Surfer Rosa.

The pixies released so many albums, all great. this cd is the perfect compilation for them. Buy this over the "death to pixies" compilation

That was the first Pixies song I heard, during the ending of Fight Club. I found out about the Pixies through that movie [which is very good] but although Where Is My Mind? went to the top 10 of my favorite songs, I never really checked out other Pixies stuff. But then I got a Spin magazine with them on the cover, and I read about how they influenced Radiohead and Nirvana, my 2 favorite bands. I cracked and bought this CD, and let me tell you, it was well worth it. There are some very amazing songs here, and pretty much all of the 23 songs are good. Repeated listenings may be needed for some songs, bu it was a great buy.

Not much to add to the other reviews, except to note that "Cecilia Ann", the best surf tune Dick Dale never wrote, is inexplicably missing from this collection. It's on their other greatest hits package, Death to The Pixes, so it's a bit of a head scratcher why it isn't included here. They could have easily dropped "Nimrod's Son" and added Cecelia instead. Otherwise a good introduction to a very good band. I just discovered them a few months ago and am glad I did. If you like this album, check out their two best works: "Doolittle" and "Bossanova", on which you can find Cecilia Ann.

The Pixies are an excellent alternative/modern rock band, and their greatness shines through on this Best Of album. With a whopping 23 tunes collected in one place, how can you go wrong?

Granted, hardcore Pixie fans might find that many of the tunes contained on the album lack the synergy they have when place in the surrounding context of the original albums from which they are drawn. That's a valid criticism of any and all greatest hit collections, but I nonetheless maintain that anyone who buys this album will not be disappointed.

The songs on the album combine loud, noisy and gritty guitars with catchy melodies-a rare combination indeed. They also write distinctive songs, not formulaic ones. Expect some distinctive lyrics, too. The lead vocals of Black Francis, combined with the (primarily) backing vocals of Kim Deal provide a good harmony. Holiday Song, Gigantic, Monkey Gone to Heaven, and Here Comes your Man are probably the most accessible and radio friendly tunes. However, I basically dig every single track on this album. This album showcases alternative/modern rock at its very best.

I had the pleasure of hearing the band play, here in 2004. Most all-if not all-of the tunes on this collection were part of the set list, and the band hasn't lost a step. If you want to be a cool person, buy this album.

Alot of people like me probably have their previous collection "Death To The Pixies". The advantage to that is it comes with an excellent live disc, as well as the hits disc. However, as far as the hits discs go, this is the better one. It's roughly the same, but it has 6 more songs. Besides the bigger tracks like "Where Is My Mind?", "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Here Comes Your Man", and "Dig For Fire", this disc also has the choice cuts "Hey", "Into The White", "Alec Eiffel", and a cover of "Winterlong" (Neil Young). It may not all be their best, but it's 23 of their best tracks on 1 disc, and that's hard to beat. It'll go great with your "Dinosaur Jr." and "Sonic Youth" albums.

How can you sum up the pixies in this little space they offer you? The first time I heard them I didn't know what to think of them. Weird and totally original, they rocketed to the top of my CD collection. The lead singer Frank Black's voice is haunting and mesmerizing it just pulled me in. The music itself is just rock and roll in its purest most raw form. You can just listen and tell it isn't over produced. If you like Nirvana or Radiohead then you should definitely check this out. This collection is pretty insane because it has all the songs you need to listen to really appreciate the Pixies. If you like it you should buy the DVD too, it has a great live concert on it and their insane videos. Most people would know at least one of their songs "where is my mind" from the ending credits of Fight Club, also one of their best songs. The good thing now is after years of being broken up they are back together and touring, so you can actually see them live now. So buy the record and if you like it buy their other CD's. If you are a true rock fan then you won't be disappointed!

Buy this disc, it's an outstanding compilation! I just wish that they have included Levitate Me (the BBC version), I've Been Tired and Head On. I don't care what they say, I find Trompe Le Monde to be an excellent album! Heck, anything that Pixies does is excellent! I am so glad that they are back.

Does noone else's copy of this cd have a very present static throughout the entire song "Bone Machine"? I returned my first copy and the replacement has the same problem. The rest of the cd is great!

This is a great deal and a beautiful CD. The songs have the power to completely change your mood. Favorites: "Where is My Mind,"--sad and gorgeous song! "Monkey's gone to heaven," equally fantastic, "Hey." Anyway, this is pointless--I love just about every song. Get it and you'll get into it.

I have yet to purchase this cd because no one can tell me if the songs have been remastered. I own all the individual cds and therefore have no reason to buy it unless the sound quality is improved over the original versions. Can someone please tell me? It doesn't say on the outer packaging but will refer to remastering somewhere in the credits/liner notes if any remastering was done.
Thanks very much.

a masterpiece. An absolutely brilliant collection of songs by a band worthy of all the praise. This is high energy, soul-invigorating music that set the bar so very high for all other bands calling themselves "rock" bands. Anyone who has seen Frank Black in his glory for the past few years will know that The Pixies show is a must.

I'll start this review by saying this CD is brilliant. The pixies combine brilliant guitar sound with clever lyrics and pleasant vocals. If you're already a fan of The Pixies you will love this album, however you won't really need it. Each one of the Pixies' albums is great, and so this CD is an unneccesary attempt at singeling out the best tracks. If you're new to the Pixies, I would definately reccommend this CD as an introduction to their music, before going on to listen to their albums.

There has been a lot of excitement surrounding The Pixies. They are the most influential band of the 1980s. Black Francis invented the slow verse and fast chorus that paved the way for Kurt Cobain and PJ Harvey. Radiohead owe everything to them. They just finished playing Coachella to a packed house. I am glad that I wasn't there because it was mayhem. This is the first great collection of the best of four perfect albums. The Pixies (1987-1992) was this generation's Ulysses. All the hits are here. Hopefully this leads back to the albums. The Pixies deserve to be heard in their entirety. They created album rock and never had a dull moment. Even some of their later projects were great. Kim Deal's voice is great. Black Francis is a great songwriter. The guitar parts are so original. This is a great band. Hopefully more albums are released in the future. There are a lot of live shows out there.

This is a fairly solid album and is very well done. BUT if you have Death to the Pixies than this album has little to add. A few tracks are notable such as "Winter Long" and "Into the white" Also some of the single versions are interesting to listen to, but not worth buying again for many repeated tracks. Instead of buying this, buy Death To The Pixies and go download Winter Long and Into the white of iTunes or something.

The only criticism that I would have about this album is that the Pixies don't need a "best of" album. Their albums are strong enough on their own that I would recommend purchasing Doolittle to get an introduction to their music. Then you won't have to question whether to buy another album due to purchasing the same songs twice.

The label 4AD has acknowledged that on these discs the beginning of the song "Hey" has been cut off. They plan on correcting this on future discs but have no plan to recall the defective discs that are already out there. Don't buy this disc until this has been corrected.

It's pretty much impossible to go wrong with any Pixies songs, but I must say it's imperative to go out and buy the albums, especially Bossanova because it was ridiculously slighted here. I can understand only putting 3 songs from that album on here (although I'd put 7), but I don't understand how they could have picked "Dig for Fire" over "The Happening" (which is far and away the best song of all time, I'd say. Well, maybe not far and away, but you know.) and "Havalina". Also, no "River Euphrates" and no "Cactus" from Surfer Rosa. Still, Pixies songs are Pixies songs, and this is a decent place to start, although any of the middle 3 albums would be just as good to start with (Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova).

This is a pretty good and generous "Pixies" collection. Also good because the previous "Best Of" called "Death To The Pixies" is either out of print, or an import now. Though this one doesn't come with a bonus live disc like the other did, it does include 6 more tracks. Included are the songs "Bone Machine", "Gigantic", "Here Comes Your Man", "Dig For Fire", and "Planet Of Sound". It also has one of my favorites "Alec Eiffel", and the Neil Young cover "Winterlong". Overall it's a great package of a true alternative band, and is far from "Tame".