Last Splash

Released on 30 August 1993, Last Splash is the defining statement from The Breeders, the project that began as a side venture for Pixies bassist Kim Deal before becoming her primary creative outlet.

The album peaked at No.33 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum within a year — a remarkable achievement for a record so gleefully strange and sonically adventurous. Its title comes from a lyric in breakout single Cannonball, whose instantly recognisable bassline and surreal video — co-directed by Spike Jonze and Kim Gordon — became emblematic of the era.

Musically, Last Splash is a kaleidoscope. Rooted in alternative and indie rock, it folds in noise pop abrasion, art-rock textures and bursts of effervescent pop melody. Tracks veer from the spiky, punchy “I Just Wanna Get Along” to the woozy, surf-tinged sway of “No Aloha” and the instrumental twang of “Flipside.” Even the acoustic-leaning cover “Drivin’ on 9” broadens the palette, revealing a band unafraid of tonal shifts. The record feels homemade yet meticulously crafted — playful, odd and unmistakably self-assured.

Its influence rippled outward. Samples from the album later surfaced in tracks by The Prodigy, underscoring how far its sonic fingerprints travelled beyond alternative rock.

Critically, Last Splash has only grown in stature. Frequently cited among the greatest albums of the 1990s and later included in revised all-time lists, it is often described as a key text of alternative rock’s mainstream breakthrough — a record that distilled the genre’s spirit while retaining its outsider edge.

Last Splash endures not as a relic of the ‘90s, but as a vibrant, idiosyncratic landmark — warm, weird and forever fizzing with creative spark.