Dave Grohl Names Pixies' "Surfer Rosa" the "Most Perfect Record"

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl didn't hesitate when BBC 6 Music Radio recently asked him to name the most perfect record ever made: Pixies' 1988 debut Surfer Rosa. According to NME, he gave three reasons — the recording work of late producer Steve Albini, the lyrics of frontman Black Francis, and the distinctive dual-vocal blend of Francis and bassist Kim Deal.

Grohl on Albini, the lyrics, and that dual vocal

Grohl said in the interview that Surfer Rosa may have been the record that first introduced Steve Albini's recording philosophy to a wide audience. He described Black Francis's lyrics as swinging "between the abstractly cerebral and the absurd," carrying real depth alongside a deliberate rawness.

On the vocal pairing, he said the combination of Francis and Kim Deal's voices was rare for its time: "I've probably listened to that record ten thousand times, and I still love it — I could listen to it every day."

Surfer Rosa has long been regarded as one of the most important albums in alternative rock history, and has also been publicly praised by PJ Harvey and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. The album's "Where Is My Mind?" became widely known after appearing in the 1999 film Fight Club, and has since turned up in films including Sucker Punch (2011) and Knock Knock (2015).

Foo Fighters' "Take Cover" European tour underway

Grohl gave the interview while Foo Fighters are in the midst of their "Take Cover" European tour, promoting new album Your Favorite Toy. The tour kicked off with two shows in Liverpool, which NME reviewed at four stars, describing the atmosphere as loose and club-like.