{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Trompe le Monde | type = studio | artist = Pixies | cover = Pixies-TrompeLeMondeCover.jpg | alt = | released = September 23, 1991 | recorded = 1991 | studio = {{ubl|Master Control, Burbank|Pacifique, Burbank|Studio des dames, Paris|Blackwing, London}} | genre = {{flatlist| *Alternative rock *punk rock *grunge<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ewing |first1=Tom |title=10 Years, 100 Albums, 1000 Words |url=http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/bestlps.html |website=Freaky Trigger |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000416222621/http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/bestlps.html |archive-date=April 16, 2000 |date=1999}}</ref>}} | length = 38:58 | label = 4AD, Elektra<!-- Only the record label that the album was originally released on should be specified. --> | producer = Gil Norton | prev_title = Bossanova | prev_year = 1990 | next_title = Pixies | next_year = 2002 | misc = {{Singles | name = Trompe le Monde | type = studio | single1 = Planet of Sound | single1date = May 28, 1991 | single2 = Alec Eiffel | single2date = 1991 | single3 = Letter to Memphis | single3date = 1991 | single4 = Head On | single4date = 1991 }} }}
'''''Trompe le Monde''''' (French for "Fool the World") is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released on September 23, 1991<ref name="Blender"/> on 4AD in the United Kingdom and on September 24, 1991, on Elektra Records in the United States. Recorded in Burbank, California, Paris and London, the album was produced by Gil Norton, and was the Pixies' final studio album before their break-up two years later. Additionally, it was the band's last album to feature founding bassist Kim Deal.
==Composition== "Head On" is a cover of the Jesus and Mary Chain track. It was released as a single and reached number 6 on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S.
"U-Mass" is a song about the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where Black Francis met Joey Santiago before dropping out to form Pixies. In a 2001 interview, Santiago recalled that the original guitar riff was written while they were still enrolled at the school.<ref>[http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2001/04/15/frank-black-odd-ball/ Magnet Magazine interview]</ref>
Tracks like "Planet of Sound," "Trompe le Monde," "Space (I Believe In)," and "Subbacultcha" recall a heavier metal leaning sound. ''Planet of Sound'' was composed in Drop D tuning.<ref>{{Citation |title=Pixies - Planet Of Sound (Tab) |url=https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/pixies/planet-of-sound-tabs-432534 |access-date=2025-09-20 |language=en}}</ref>
==Title== The album name comes from the title of the first track, "Trompe le Monde", a French phrase ({{IPA|fr|tʁɔ̃p lə mɔ̃d|pron}}) meaning "Fool the World".<ref name="AllMusic" /> Unlike previous albums, the title of the album comes from the name of a song (rather than a song lyric), and is a play on the French phrase "Trompe-l'œil", a painting technique in which the painter fools the viewer into thinking objects presented are real, and also "trompe la mort", which means "daredevil" in French. On some versions of the CD, the title is erroneously printed as ''Tromp le Monde'' on the disc itself.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/trompe-le-monde-mw0000267861 |title=Trompe le Monde – Pixies |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=October 28, 2024 |last=Phares |first=Heather}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Blender'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Blender">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/new/55357/trompe-le-monde.html |title=Pixies: Trompe Le Monde |magazine=Blender |volume=7 |issue=11 |date=December 2008 – January 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2015 |last=Dolan |first=Jon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220211946/http://www.blender.com/guide/new/55357/trompe-le-monde.html |archive-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Chicago Tribune'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-11-07-9104100131-story.html |title=Pixies: Trompe Le Monde (4AD/Elektra) |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=November 7, 1991 |access-date=November 17, 2015 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev4score = A−<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/10/11/trompe-le-monde/ |title=Trompe Le Monde |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=87 |date=October 11, 1991 |access-date=November 17, 2015 |last=Arnold |first=Gina |author-link=Gina Arnold}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Los Angeles Times'' | rev5score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-10-13-ca-796-story.html |title=Pixies Transcend the Ordinary |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=October 13, 1991 |access-date=November 17, 2015 |last=Boehm |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Boehm}}</ref> | rev6 = ''NME'' | rev6score = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://eyesore.no/pdf/Pixies.TrompeLeMonde.Review.NME.19910921.pdf |title=Kick Asteroid!!! |magazine=NME |date=September 21, 1991 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |last=Brown |first=James |author-link=James Brown (editor) |page=32}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev7score = 9.4/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19282-pixies-catalogue/ |title=Pixies: Catalog |website=Pitchfork |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=April 25, 2014 |last=Powell |first=Mike}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Q'' | rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pixies: Trompe le Monde |magazine=Q |issue=61 |date=October 1991 |last=Cooper |first=Mark}}</ref> | rev9 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=The Pixies |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Wolk |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/639 639–640]}}</ref> | rev10 = ''The Village Voice'' | rev10score = A−<ref>{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv292-92.php |title=Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=March 3, 1992 |access-date=October 17, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref> }}
Michael Bonner of ''Lime Lizard'' described ''Trompe le Monde'' as "one of the best albums that you may very well ever hear" and "a strong contender for best album of the 20th century".<ref name="Bonner">{{cite journal |author=Michael Bonner |date=October 1991 |title=The Pixies ''Trompe Le Monde'' |journal=Lime Lizard |page=50}}</ref>
In a retrospective review, AllMusic writer Heather Phares noted the reduced role of Kim Deal, calling it "essentially Black Francis' solo debut".<ref name="AllMusic" /> Tom Ewing of ''Freaky Trigger'' named ''Trompe le Monde'' his ninth favorite album of the 1990s, describing it as "clean-lined sci-fi popmetal, perpetually underrated."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ewing |first1=Tom |title=10 Years, 100 Albums, 1000 Words |url=http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/bestlps.html |website=Freaky Trigger |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000416222621/http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/bestlps.html |archive-date=April 16, 2000 |date=1999}}</ref>
== Track listing == {{Track listing |headline=''Trompe le Monde'' track listing |all_writing = Black Francis, except where noted |title1 = Trompe le Monde |length1 = 1:48 |title2 = Planet of Sound |length2 = 2:06 |title3 = Alec Eiffel |length3 = 2:50 |title4 = The Sad Punk |length4 = 3:00 |title5 = Head On |note5 = The Jesus and Mary Chain cover |writer5 = Jim Reid, William Reid |length5 = 2:13 |title6 = U-Mass |length6 = 3:01 |title7 = Palace of the Brine |length7 = 1:34 |title8 = Letter to Memphis |length8 = 2:39 |title9 = Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons |length9 = 2:48 |title10 = Space (I Believe In) |length10 = 4:18 |title11 = Subbacultcha |length11 = 2:09 |title12 = Distance Equals Rate Times Time |length12 = 1:24 |title13 = Lovely Day |length13 = 2:05 |title14 = Motorway to Roswell |length14 = 4:43 |title15= The Navajo Know |length15 = 2:20 |total_length = 38:58 }}
{{listen | filename = PixiesUMass.ogg | title = "U-Mass" | description = is the sixth track from ''Trompe le Monde''. This sample contains the end of the first verse and the chorus. }}
== Personnel == {{div col|colwidth=25em}} '''Pixies''' * Black Francis – vocals, rhythm guitar * Kim Deal – bass guitar, vocals * David Lovering – drums * Joey Santiago – lead guitar
'''Additional musicians''' * Eric Drew Feldman – keyboards, synthetics * Jef Feldman – tabla, doumbek ("Space (I Believe in)", "Lovely Day")
'''Technical''' * Gil Norton – producer * Steven Haigler – engineer * Andrew Ballard – assistant engineer * John McDonnell – assistant engineer * Ken Gardner – assistant engineer * Scott Blockland – assistant engineer * Philipe Tousche – assistant engineer * Vaughan Oliver / v23 – art direction, design * Chris Bigg – design assistance * Paul McMenamin – design assistance * Simon Larbalestier – photography * Steven Appleby – artwork (rockets) * TPP Ltd. London – typesetting {{div col end}}
==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ Chart performance for ''Trompe le Monde'' !scope="col"| Chart (1991) !acope="col"| Peak<br />position |- !scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=219}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 61 |- {{album chart|Netherlands|26|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Germany|35|id=6548|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|20|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Sweden|43|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |- {{album chart|UK2|7|date=19911005|rowheader=true}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|92|artist=Pixies|rowheader=true}} |} {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ 2021 chart performance for ''Trompe le Monde'' !scope="col"| Chart (2021) !acope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Flanders|191|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|124|artist=Pixies|album=Trompe le Monde|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2022}} |}
==Certifications and sales== {{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for ''Trompe le Monde''}} {{certification Table Entry|title=trompe Le Monde|type=album|artist=The Pixies|relyear=1991|certyear=2000|region=France|award=Gold|source=infodisc}} {{certification Table Entry|title=Trompe le Monde|type=album|artist=Pixies|relyear=1991|certyear=1991|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|id=7760-1060-2}} {{certification Table Entry|region=United States|nocert=true|salesamount=359,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capradio.org/music/eclectic/2015/02/03/the-record-unfinished-business/|publisher=Capital Public Radio|title=The Record: Unfinished Business|date=3 February 2015|access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>}} {{certification Table Bottom}}
==References== {{reflist}}
* Frank, Josh; Ganz, Caryn. ''Fool the World: The Oral History of a Band Called Pixies''. Virgin Books, 2005. {{ISBN|0-312-34007-9}}.
== External links == * [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r15335|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic: ''Trompe le Monde'']
{{Pixies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1991 albums Category:4AD albums Category:Albums produced by Gil Norton Category:Elektra Records albums Category:Pixies (band) albums