Mountain Battles

We Say...

Review by Wayne Robins

You'd think that the worldwide triumph of the 2004 reunion tour of the Pixies — for which the Breeders' Kim Deal plays bass and sings — would resonate on Mountain Battles, just the fourth Breeders' full-length album in 20 years. And to some extent, it does: This is a confident record and, occasionally, a sophisticated one, with an abundance of variety and brimming with heart and wit. For novelty, there are songs in German (the oompah punk-metal "German Studies"), and in Spanish (the romantic pop tune "Regalme Esta Noche," sung phonetically with great sincerity by Kelley Deal), and there might have even been a fourth language if someone had translated the punchy soccer chants of Middle Eastern rave "Istanbul" into Turkish. There's also a party-hearty girl-group sock-hop version of "It's the Love," originally by fellow Dayton band the Tasties.

Mountain Battles evolved over the several years since 2002's Title TK, and involved a number of producers, including the Breeders' perennial sonic consigliere Steve Albini. Nevertheless, the record manages to maintain all of the Breeders' signature virtues: hit-and-run songs — most under three-minutes, all under four; the push-and-pull energy that gathers strength from pauses as much as from forceful rhythms; the plainspoken, sweet-but-strong, sing-songy vocals. There's even concessions for those who prefer their Breeders shot-and-a-beer basic: the Dinosaur Jr. footprint of "No Way," the Joan Jett-style defiance of "Walk It Off," the funk/punk "Bang On." It's a wide range, to be sure, yet the quiet force of Kim Deal's musical personality, coupled with a vision that has stayed true for 20 years, is what holds this rich batch of songs together.