It probably doesn't come as a surprise to music fans that the band of 2004 is the Pixies. It did come as a seismic shock, however, that they re-formed and made as much of an impact as they did. The Pixies are one of those great bands that rank among the all-time greats, but their break-up in early 1993 was about as bitter, angry and abrupt as it could possibly get. There had always been speculation about the band re-forming, but it seemed as though hell would sooner freeze before we would see band leader Charles Thompson (a.k.a. Frank Black or Black Francis) and bassist Kim Deal on stage together again.

But somehow differences were cast aside, and the band decided to take a stab at a tour. But who could have predicted the massive demand as we saw the Pixies book an unprecedented five nights at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom and eight nights at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom -- all selling out and breaking venue records. In addition to a huge world tour came a new best-of compilation and DVD. But the question on everyone's minds wasn't just could the band play and recapture the glory of their heyday, but does the band still matter in 2004? The answer is that perhaps the Pixies matter more now than ever.

In 2004, the musical climate is once again shifting. In 1990 during the Pixies' creative peak, heavy metal ruled the airwaves and MTV. In 1991, Nirvana (a band whose breakthrough hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was inspired directly by the Pixies) changed the face of what popular music could sound like. They opened doors for other bands -- good and bad -- to follow. But it wasn't long before pop music returned to wipe Nirvana's slate clean, and once again the cycle begain again. Grunge and
electronica died as quickly as they came about.

One might argue that alternative music is finally back as we see emerging bands like Wilco and Modest Mouse, who have built solid fan bases over the years and yet haven't broken through the wall of major commerical success. But somehow most bands today wear their influences on their sleeves so much that one can't help but feel music is in a stagnant recycle. The Scissor Sisters, Franz Ferdinand and Interpol are prime examples of bands whose music offers substance but little originality.

So when the Pixies announced that they were performing at Coachella, the premier music festival in the United States, it became clear that the time was right for them to return and show fellow musicians that there is something to be said for finding a unique sound and chemistry. Although some may argue that the Pixies' reunion wasn't entirely sincere (the tour was brazenly called "The Pixies Sellout"), even the most cynical skeptics would have to acknowledge that the band's Coachella performance was nothing short of brilliance -- perhaps even worthy of inclusion in the top 100 moments of rock 'n' roll history. When 50,000 devotees gather in the desert to witness a band that never had commerical success and never became a household name, the importantance of this band not only to other musicians but also to fans becomes difficult not to acknowledge. The buzz and vibe in the audience was unlike anything else most of us had seen before, particularly when the band came out on stage to massive applause, then tears and wide smiles.

The secret of the Pixies lays solely in their music. They have no image, no gimmick and no forced influences. Their sound could be a collage of everything from Neil Young to Husker Du to Peter, Paul and Mary. But the Pixies don't sound like anybody else, and nobody sounds like the Pixies. Their originality and chemistry is one that is purely accidental, a convergence of four ordinary individuals who create something extraordinary. When Frank Black's dark staccato guitar and piercing screams meet the angelic melody of Kim Deal's heavenly voice and throbbing bass lines, somehow a rare greatness takes form that cannot be replicated.

There are some sloppy moments to any Pixies performance, and fans are quick to acknowledge that they are four of the most ordinary-looking people you would ever see on a stage. But the beauty of the Pixies lays not in their receding hairlines or in their lack of fashion sense. Instead, their songs and sound continue to be as vital, fresh and essential in 2004 as they were in 1990.

Though the band appears to be staying together for a while (with strong indcation from Frank Black that a new record is going to be made in 2005), most Pixies fans are just grateful that a band whose music withstood the test of time came back around for an incredible tour. Music once again mattered, and for those of us who live for moments like the Coachella performance, 2004 was a year where somehow everything sounded good again, and there was hope for rock 'n' roll.

The Pixies remind us that the power of greatness lays in music that taps into the subconcious and makes us feel alive. A reunion like this rarely lives up to the hype, and few bands have returned to the stage with a sound as potent as the Pixies had this year. But perhaps few bands have matched the sheer brilliance and dynamics of the Pixies. As the old t-shirt said, "Death to the Pixes" -- but hopefully not for a while. I think most of us would rather see them stick around this time.