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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
 Posted - 10/03/2002 : 09:01:26
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| I'm sure this will not be new to most of you - but www.cookingvinyl.com has info on both new albums, a brief Q and A with the great man, as well as info on the Gordon Gano album which Frank contributes to (as well as some Pixies info). No doubt the SpinArt site carries the same/similar info?? |
Edited by - El Barto on 03/23/2003 22:32:29 |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2002 : 00:55:54
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The best official site is www.sonicunyon.com Frank's Canadian label. Lots of info, pictures, audio clips, press releases and reviews. I'm supposed to be in charge of the links page of FrankBlack.net, so you're gonna have all the good sites as soon as I have time to do it...
Denis |
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Jettison
- FB Fan -
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2002 : 04:53:08
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Seems as though the link isn't working...
-Jettison |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2002 : 05:00:33
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Sorry, just remove the comma at the end of the link.
Denis |
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Thomas
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1615 Posts |
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JamesM
= Cult of Ray =
308 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2002 : 11:43:09
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Did anyone notice that in the little Q&A section, Frank referred to the questionaire during the first few questions as characters from his songs? Bartholomew, Mr. (Crackity) Jones, etc.?
-Jimmy M. |
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2002 : 04:50:43
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A review from the Cooking Vinyl newsletter. (It is well worth joining Cooking Vinyl in my view):
Here they come. Two years after the impressive 'Dog in the Sand', Frank Black & the Catholic's are to release not one, but two albums on August 26th. Entitled 'Black Letter Days' and 'Devil's Workshop', both albums were recorded live to two-track in their mobile recording studio from October 2001 to April 2002.
Black says: "'Black Letter Days' was done in downtown Los Angeles, near Japantown, in a space that was declared for Spain somehow, and a Spanish flag was flown especially for the session. 'Mr. Thompson, the drums must stop,' said the building manager, but by that time we'd finished 'Black Letter Days' and we quickly vacated to a North Hollywood rehearsal complex to begin 'Devil's Workshop'.
The stout was still Irish, the vodka was still Russian and the Spanish flag was flown once again. The rehearsal studio is right on the Burbank runway, so drum noise was not an issue. In fact, Tommy Lee's was much louder than we were, and I suppose his rehearsals are deeply embedded somewhere in our tapes. I don't think it's a hindrance to the record."
According to Mr. Thompson, the main difference between the two is that 'Devil's Workshop' is a shorter, easier to listen to album, whereas 'Black Letter Days', with its eighteen songs, is more sophisticated and less straightforward.
Starting brilliantly with an amazing cover of Tom Wait's 1993 song 'The Black Rider', Black Letter Days ends with another tremendous version of the same song, surprisingly reminiscent of Bowie's 'China Girl'. In between, a wild bunch of fantastic songs are to be found.
Since Frank Black started to play solo at the beginning of the 90's, he has released six highly acclaimed LPs, including 'Frank Black', 'Teenager of the Year', 'The Cult Of Ray' and more recently the excellent 'Dog In The Sand'. On 'Black Letter Days', there are a few odd and moving songs such as 'Cold Heart Of Stone', where Black's voice is heart rending, as well as "a couple of songs that are super mellow country rock", and a handful of master pieces: '1826', 'True Blue', 'Jane The Queen Of Love' and 'Jet Black River'. The guitars are still as powerful as you would expect, especially on the enormous '21 Reasons', a live highlight during the last American tour.
'Black Letter Days' evokes ordinary weekdays, as opposed to 'Red Letter Days', the 'high and holy days' that were marked in red in old calendars. "Every day I work. Every day's the same." The album is also about love and separation "Someday I know that you'll be coming back here. Will you someday?", and of course about travelling. "At the end of miles you stare out at the ocean. Mountains at your back you think you've tamed."
But as one is not enough, 'Black Letter Days' twin album 'Devil's Workshop' will strike you with its calm and melodic features. In fact, it is probably one of the most melodic albums Frank Black has ever released, with wonderful tunes such as 'Out Of State', 'His Kingly Cave', 'Bartholomew', 'Fields Of Marigold' and more. Even 'Velvety', a dark and noisy song Frank Black wrote at the age of 15 is unrecognizable. That just tells you. 'Devil's Workshop' also includes a couple of songs that are likely to become classics, namely 'San Antonio TX' and 'Whiskey In Your Shoes', as well as the Frank Black Session bonus track 'Modern Age'. Finally, the tale 'Heloise' is said to be inspired by the true story of an impossible love between 15-year-old noble Parisian girl Heloise and poet and philosopher Abelard. As Heloise's uncle opposed their secret marriage, Abelard was caught, castrated, and both lovers ended their lives separately in a convent and a monastery, exchanging passionate letters that are now very famous.
'Black Letter Days' and 'Devil's Workshop' are, without a doubt, two great Frank Black albums that everyone should have.
Coralie Muratet
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