In their first LP since 1991’s “Trompe Le Monde,” Pixies have returned with “Indie Cindy.” After a tumultuous year of losing founding member/bass player Kim Deal, replacing her with Kim Shattuck of The Muffs and then Paz Lenchantin of A Perfect Circle. Kim Deal and twin sister Kelley have recently gone on tour with their band The Breeders, performing their hit album “Last Splash” in its entirety. Deal was not present for the recording sessions of “Indie Cindy” and her absence has clearly taken an effect on the dynamics of the group. Pixies make some disappointing aesthetic choices. The band seems resigned in nostalgia, utilizing distortion effects and chords that seem heavy-handed in execution. “Indie Cindy” is a compilation of the several EPs the band has released since 2013. The EPs were met with mixed reception and the record, overall, is equal to the sum of its parts. Initially, my expectations were lowered having heard of Deal’s absence when the band released the single “Bagboy,” which was an indicator of some of the more questionable decisions made on the record. From the Lulu-era, Lou Reed-esque, spoken word on “Bagboy” and the title track “Indie Cindy,” Pixies don’t seem to be in a place of creative innovation. While “Trompe Le Monde” saw Pixies trying to focus on distancing their sound from “Bossanova” while minimizing Deal’s presence, “Indie Cindy” sounds like a brand new group attempting to replicate former innovations without creating anything original. The sound is overtly derivative, without any musical direction; the lyrics lack the intricate mysticism their career was built upon or technical excellence that made their records iconic. While The Breeders have gone on to refine their angsty, avant-garde sound, “Indie Cindy” shows Pixies at a dangerous level of misguided fumbling that befell many bands before them.