All Nerve

Kim Deal was a major part of the '80s-'90s alternative rock scene, both as bassist for The Pixies and front woman for her own band, The Breeders. She was, along with Kim Gordon, Courtney Love, Tanya Donnelly, and Kristin Hersh, among the most significant women of the era. Now in her mid-fifties, she was part of the first Breeders record in a decade, All Nerve. It's terrific.

In this era, jittery rock like The Breeders may be nostalgic, but it's welcome. As the title suggests, there is a nervous intensity to the sound, with songs that suggest things just aren't right. On the opening track, "Nervous Mary," Deal sings:

"Heartbeat
 Hustle and pound
She's running down the wrong street"

The next track is the exclamation of many a parent to a child, "Wait In The Car," usually not shouted with tenderness, and the one after that is the title track, which is what passes for an alt-rock love song:

"I won't stop
I will run you down
I'm all nerve:

And what could be more nerve-wracking than "Walking With A Killer," which seems to be about a woman being given a ride by a murderer:

"I would not survive
I didn't know it was my time to die"

The music is jittery as well, with spooky guitar work by Kim's twin sister, Kelley, ominous bass by Deal herself, and some interesting drumming by Jim Macpherson (Josephine Wiggs plays guitar and bass). This kind of rock, which was exemplified by the Pixies and sometimes called "noise-pop," was never intended to be soothing. Listening to it is akin to having a sleepless night.

Deal has led an interesting rock and roll life. One wonders if she will follow in the footsteps of Gordon, Love,  and Hersh and write a memoir.