Dig for Fire - A Tribute to Pixies

Most tracks here are politely reverent, reflecting what the Pixies intended in each song, but each artist leaves you — in a good way — with their own unmistakable impression. From Ok Go’s spare, piano-driven “Gigantic,” to the fuzz-fest that is Mogwai’s “Gouge Away,” all the way through to the sprawling six-minutes-plus gloom of British Sea Power’s instrumental “Caribou,” the tribute does what it’s intended to: it leaves you with a fresh appreciation of the band at hand. “Where Is My Mind” by John Strohm (formerly of the Blake Babies) is spot on, and serves up a hint of American Gothic, while They Might Be Giants have fun, in their own playful TMBG way, with “Havalina.” A few standouts among the lesser-known names here are worth noting: the Bunnies’ version of  “Alec Eiffel” takes the guitar gymnastics of the Pixies to new heights; the guitar buzz, vocal chorus and toy piano twinkling of  “Stormy Weather” by Bedroom Walls completely charms; the eerie “Down to the Well” by Dylan in the Movies sounds like Nick Cave on happy pills; and Joy Zipper’s take on “Wave of Mutilation” gives us breathy vocals and steely guitars dressed in a gauzy sheen.