The Pixies have had a career unlike any other in alternative rock, disappearing as not-quite-the-next-big-things only to become gods in absentia. Doolittle is their knotty masterpiece, the embodiment of the Pixies' abrasive, exuberant, enigmatic pop. Informed by exclusive interviews with the band, Sisario looks at the making of the album and its place in rock history, and studies its continued influence in light of the Pixies triumphant reunion.

Ben Sisario writes about music and culture for The New York Times, teaches at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and is a commentator on the New York public radio station WFUV. He lives in New York City.