The alt-rock movement may have been stereotyped as a bunch of downer dudes, but it was far richer and more varied than that. Quirky, innovative, and immensely charming, the Breeders’ whimsical excursions in musical brio feel more a celebration of life than a condemnation of it. And good for them.
Still stinging from her departure from the Pixies, weary from the control-freak egocentrism of former bandmate Black Francis, Kim Deal formed the mostly female Breeders alongside Throwing Muse Tanya Donnely, later recruiting British bassist Josephine Wiggs. By the time of Last Splash, the standard lineup was complete, with drummer Jim MacPherson and twin sister Kelley Deal on guitar, replacing the departed Donelly (who went on to form Belly). Their debut album Pod (1990) had been a real treat, and Last Splash (1993) proved even better.
Since then, they’ve had a decades-spanning career of sporadic releases (only three albums in the years since) of consistently high quality.
Playlist 1
Playlist One leads off with their greatest album, Last Splash, in its entirety, before working backwards toward Pod.
Playlist 2
Playlist Two is a blend of two of their subsequent albums, along with excerpts from Kim Deal’s side project, the Amps.
Cover Art:
- Last Splash (front cover and inner sleeve): Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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