| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Carl |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 08:47:48
http://stylusmagazine.com/stypod/archives/716
Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV
April 18, 2007
When the Pixies broke up, extra-terrestrial obsessed frontman Charles Michael
Kittridge Thompson IV a.k.a. Black Francis seemed primed for mainstream
stardom. In 1993, the Pixies ended at a point when, by many people’s accounts,
they were prepared to break out. The same year, he started his solo career by
inverting his stage name to Frank Black and making a self-titled debut album
that, while continuing certain Pixies mainstays (science-fiction influenced lyrics,
loud-soft dynamics), was slicker than anything he’d done previously and allowed
the melodic side of Black’s songwriting to shine through.
Though he had always shown signs of influences from bands like the Beach Boys
and The Beatles, the songs on Frank Black showed this on a whole new level.
“Los Angeles” shows off Black’s influences like never before in a song that’s
essentially a parody of the Pixies sound; starting off with slide guitar part and
dreamy vocals that sounds lifted straight from George Harrison’s playbook, it
quickly moves to a full on heavy metal assault, with a dropped-tuning riff and
pummeling drums, before moving seamlessly back to the start. Though some of
the songs sound like they could fit easily on one of the later Pixies albums like
Trompe Le Monde or Bossanova, the approach is far more streamlined and
produced than previous efforts, spreading so many layers of keyboards and
distorted guitars over the proceedings even Billy Corgan might have suggesting
toning it down. He even included an excellent cover of the Beach Boys’ Pet
Sounds outtake, “Hang on to Your Ego”; a holdover from an all covers album
that was scrapped in favor of the debut.
Despite the great songwriting and move towards a poppier sound, Frank Black
didn’t reach the success that Black and 4AD/Elektra had hoped; but Black got
another shot with 1994’s Teenager of the Year, a sprawling, twenty-two song
double album that moved away from the more manicured sound of the first
album, and went for a looser, full band sound that still managed to sound worlds
away from the Pixies. This was Black’s “kitchen-sink” album, the one in which he
seemed to throw up every idea he had onto a wall just to see what stuck. Despite
the fact that about half of the ideas don’t quite stick, the parts that do more than
make up for the rest. Black introduced a more classic sound on songs like
“Headache.” Driven by rollicking pianos and strummed acoustic guitars,
“Headache” manages to be possibly the catchiest song Black ever wrote (and
probably the best chance he ever had at a hit single), and he accomplished this
without having to tone down any of his trademark weirdness. “The Vanishing
Spies,” with its dreamy keyboards, lyrics about unexplained phenomenon, a
pretty melody, an arena-ready solo and Black crooning like he’s auditioning for
Berry Gordy is proof that Black is probably the Roy Orbison of whatever planet
he’s from.
Alas, Teenager of the Year, though it did better than his previous effort, still didn’t
get the attention it deserved. These days, Black makes most of his money from
the Pixies reunion tours, despite the fact that his solo work has more than
doubled that band’s output. But his heart seems to be with his solo experiments,
whether it be deconstructing his old band’s work or making a full album in a
Nashville studio in under 24-hours. Stardom just wasn’t in the cards on this
planet, but if we ever find life on other planets, he’ll almost surely be the biggest
rock star in the galaxy. |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| OLDMANOTY |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 03:23:04
'Los Angeles....starting off with slide guitar part...'
Have I been missing something all these years or does a slide guitar sound like a normal acoustic?!
Godspeed |
| fbc |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 00:35:54
Frank wrote it as part of promotions for the self titled. Press release type thingy. It's over at 4AD.com.
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| Apesy |
Posted - 04/20/2007 : 16:45:49
Ah. I'm assuming that snippet is from Fool the World?
I'd love to know a full list of the planned covers.
-=Apesy |
| fbc |
Posted - 04/20/2007 : 01:49:07
quote:
Originally posted by Apesy
quote:
Originally posted by Carl
...a holdover from an all covers album
that was scrapped in favor of the debut.
...what?
Trompe Le Monde was then still far from finished, but I told Gil that I was already keen on getting back into a recording session, even though I had no material. So, the concept at that time became an album made up mostly of covers; songs that I had come to know and love over the years, of course. And although this was an unoriginal concept, and one poorly executed by numerous artists, I still felt compelled by this flimsy excuse to get into a studio (here I'll say in passing that I thoroughly enjoyed "Pin Ups" by David Bowie).
So, over a year later, I finally took Gil's advice, and got together with the very talented Eric Drew Feldman, who had previously worked with Captain Beefheart, Snakefinger and Pere Ubu, and who had been helping us on Trompe Le Monde. By that time, I had plenty of tunes and musical scraps, and we would eventually trim down the beloved covers to just one: "Hang On To Your Ego", written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher. |
| floop |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 18:17:34
http://www.nme.com/news/frank-black/27682
Frank Black reveals details of two new albums
He'll use the Black Francis moniker once again
12.Apr.07 11:32pm
Pixies frontman Frank Black has two new albums on the way.
'Bluefinger' -- a new album inspired by Dutch painter Herman Brood -- is slated for a September release via Cooking Vinyl.
This album will see Black returning to the name Black Francis -- a moniker he used during his early days with the Pixies.
The album's first single, 'Threshold Apprehension', will be available as a digital download beginning May 7. It will then be released as a limited edition 7" single and a digital download bundle beginning May 25.
Speaking about the new album, Black said, "I used a couple of Herman Brood's painting titles for songs of my own for my new record 'Bluefinger'.
"I have my own impressions as to what his painting 'Threshold Apprehension' was all about. My song 'Threshold Apprehension' has nothing to do with the painting except that it, and my record 'Bluefinger', has everything to do with my impressions of Herman Brood," he said.
Black is also set to release a greatest hits album on June 12, entitled 'Best of Frank Black 93 - 03'. It is meant to serve as a narrative of Black's solo career during the 10-year period.
jamming good with Weird and Gilly |
| Apesy |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 17:49:44
quote:
Originally posted by Carl
...a holdover from an all covers album
that was scrapped in favor of the debut.
...what?
-=Apesy |
| PixieSteve |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 09:45:56
any thoughts carl?
"I'm such a a news nerd." - Carl |
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