No Pixies song is more relevant to the current day than “Monkey Gone to Heaven.” That’s not something we usually associate with Pixies given the rather cryptic and idiosyncratic lyrics of Black Francis/Frank Black. But with lyrics that describe environmental problems of the 1980s combined with allusions to ancient gods and the bible and a strong implication that human beings are not going to survive these problems, it feels awfully pertinent right now.
Boston folk pop group Noble Dust have a bit of a unique shtick, as they are the rare band that have trumpets as a core part of their sound but they don’t play ska. They’ve have strayed somewhat outside of their musical niche to record a new cover of “Monkey Gone to Heaven.” Pixies are, after all, known for their loud rock sound that anticipated Grunge. But Noble Dust have found a song that suits their vibe as, until Black starts screaming at the end, it’s a relatively sedate ballad for Pixies.
Noble Dust play the song pretty straight but expand the instrumental palette. There are the harmonies the group is known for, plus piano and strings, and, of course, trumpet. The guitar is solo is quieter and less ragged than in the original and when it comes time for the screaming, the singers just sing the lines with more emotion than they sing the rest of the lyrics.
The result is a much prettier version of such a foreboding song (that always hid its foreboding behind Black’s zany delivery). It both still feels like the original but also manages to sound completely unlike Pixies themselves. Check it out:
