As utterly anti-rock and roll as reunions are, I was positively giddy when I heard that the Pixies were actually going through with it after months of teasing and rumors. Upon hearing evidence of the new live show, my fears were somewhat quelled: the Pixies still rock and, more importantly, aren't embarrassing. They may look rode hard and put up wet (what is with David Lovering's serial rapist hair, anyway?), but Black Francis was never exactly, uh, a looker. Now Kim Deal is another story. Granted, it was her voice that made her so hot, but you'd think she'd maybe hit the treadmill or do a sit-up or something before the big tour. "Bam Thwok" is her song. She wrote it based on a child's art book she found abandoned in the street. It's beyond strange that the first new Pixies song in 13 years would be from Deal, since Black Francis made sure to muzzle her on the final two Pixies albums, less her star shine brighter than his, but, perhaps, it's his weird way of raising the white flag. Bygones and all. Well, "Bam Thwok" sounds enough like the Pixies. Phew. Joey Santiago's razor-sharp guitars are unmistakable and the legendary soft/loud dynamics are in place. Deal's repetition of the chorus is a tad grating, and her happy-fun-good-time lyrics seem way out of character for the Pixies' twisted schtick, even for her, but it's not a disaster. Hell, it's a lot better than at least three songs on Trompe Le Monde, so here's to the future of the Pixies. Don't let us down.