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BlackRider
- FB Fan -
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - 09/20/2002 : 18:32:37
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I've actually only listened to Black Letter Days so far, and it's great Frank puts out so much new music of high quality. Although he seems to have mellowed some in his older age, that's not such a bad thing at all.
Certainly wish he would come round these parts more often (midwest) but don't mind traveling a 100 miles or so to catch his shows.
Oh well, anyways it's nice to have an FB forum, thanks for putting the site up. |
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mdisanto
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1140 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2002 : 18:39:27
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id say the scene is my favorite song off both of them and then chip away boy - mike
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JamesM
= Cult of Ray =
308 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2002 : 19:45:18
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The new albums are wonderful. Didn't like Devil's Workshop too much at first, but it's really grown on me. Kinda like a fuller version of Pistolero.
And yeah, I really wish Frank would tour the midwest more often. St. Louis is really hankerin' for a Mr. Black and the C's show (hint, hint, certain members of the board).
-Jimmy M. |
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Fu Manchu
- FB Fan -
France
17 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 01:56:03
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i'm very impressed by black letter days, great stuff almost every track but i'm disappointed by devil's workshop ... no-so-good tracks plus overplaying or bad sounding almost everytime (not to talk about the uninspired cover art ...)
i give BLD 8 stars out of 10, and DW 6, but this is subject to change
(my previous notes so far: FB:9, TOTY:10, TCOR:5, FBATC:6, P:7, DITS:9) |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 03:01:46
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My notes (I just hate rating records like this): FB - 8, TOTY - 10, TCOR - 8, FB&TC - 9, P - 5, DiTS - 9, BLD - 10, DW - 9.
Denis |
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Don Eduardo
= Cult of Ray =
Australia
403 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 06:30:23
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Well I'll have a go too : FB: 8, TOTY : 10 COR: 6 FB&TC: 7 P: 9 DITS: 8 BLD : 8 DW: 8.5
Love the new ones! Velvety should be released as a single... |
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velvety
= Cult of Ray =
Portugal
536 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 16:40:32
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mine are: FB-9; TOTY-9; COR-6; FB&C-6; P-7; DITS-9; BLD-8; DW-8
my favourite song is whiskey in your shoes. one of his best ever, i think.
i will run after you was perfect in SSMVGD. i don´t like this version. |
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mdisanto
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1140 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 16:46:09
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i think i will run after you is awesome on DW, i really miss the keyboards in kingly cave but its still cool
-miked |
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Chip Away Boy
= Cult of Ray =
914 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 17:09:15
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| whats SSMVGD again? |
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Thomas
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1615 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 17:13:01
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Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day
Thomas
"Our love is rice and beans and horses lard"
BÖCswu |
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StenchBones1979
- FB Fan -
17 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2002 : 22:36:43
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i like black letter days best of all the FB&C's ones. i liked the SSMVGD run after you better but i like the new one and i like having 2 versions.
and i like cult of ray alot, i don't understand why most people find it disappointing. i like the commando/ramones/dance war connection.
devil's workshop kicks the ass too. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 05:54:53
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I also found the new versions of His Kingly Cave & I Will Run After You a bit disappointing at first, but I got used to it, and when listening yesterday to SSMVGD I definitely changed my mind. Frank did well in re-recording them, they're absolutely amazing. Now we'd like to see the first versions released as b-sides, please...
Denis |
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remig
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1734 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 08:23:42
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Both are different but they 're very good.
I'm glad I've discovered different versions of His Kingly Cave , I will run after you and Modern age.
My favorite songs are End of Miles (best "car-driving" song he has ever made), Out of State , 21 reasons, BLD, Modern Age
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frankblackphx
= Cult of Ray =
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 12:19:11
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I think the two new albums are awesome. In my opinion Devil's Workshop took just a little bit longer to grow on me but it is incredible (The Scene is one of my all time favorite Frank songs). If I had to rate his albums it would go FB - 8.5 TOTY - 10 COR - 7.5 FB&C - 7.5 P - 8 DITS - 9.5 BLD - 9 DW - 8
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Chip Away Boy
= Cult of Ray =
914 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 13:55:24
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| sad to sound like the ignorant frank black fan, but what is this Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day everyone keeps talking about??? and how can i GET ME SOME OF MY HANDS ON IT?! |
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Spartacus
- FB Fan -
Australia
84 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 18:03:45
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I think both of the new albums are great-not quite up to teenager though (but one cant attain perfection every time)!
My fave songs are:
-BLD- California Bound(only took one listen), End Of Miles, 21 Reasons and Chip Away Boy.
-DW- Velvety, Heloise, The Scene and Whiskey- Are You Headed My Way is the only song I'm not a fan of from this album
cheers
'I thought that I would stay just for a while' |
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Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 22:10:32
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I'd say that Devils Worshop is more consistent than Black Letter Days, but BLD has the better songs. Songs like End of MIles, Black Letter Days, California Bound, Chip Away Boy, Jet Black River are FB classics. However there are a couple o songs on BLD which are tedious to listen to. On DW every song is good, although I agree that this album took the longer to grow on me. Songs like The Scene, Out of State, Bart, Whiskey in my Shoes etc show that Frank Black is still the best American rock musician.
My ratings on the FB albums are:
FB: 9 TOTY: 9 COR: 7 FB&C: 8 P: 8 DITS: 8 Od: 7 KT: 9 BLD: 8 DW: 8
Thats all folks |
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theonecontender
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
565 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 23:28:37
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I'm always amazed by 1826 and San Antonio (especially the intro). Did someone say "live to two track"??? Sit back and think about that for a second... no really, think about it. How do that many musicians - regardless of their talent - pull that off. Unbelievable.
1c |
Edited by - theonecontender on 09/26/2002 23:29:31 |
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Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 02:10:13
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Please can someone explain to me the story behind 'Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day
' as I keep hearing about it but do not really know what its about. I take it that it's been rerecorded on the new album BLD and is 'I will run after you.' To be honest, this is one of the songs which I do not like off of BLD, the start of it is great but then when it changes to the lyrics 'I will run after you' it kind of doesn't work in my opinion. I'm obviously not knocking Franks work because the guy is a genius. I'm interested in hearing SSMVGD though and hope it gets released as a B Side. Does anyone know if any singles will be released off of the two albums.
Anyway, its great to get two Frank Black albums at once, both have been recorded to minidisk, which has not left my player since the day I recieved them in China (two days before release date believe it or not, not bad for the other side of the world).
I look forward to hearing someones response.... this is the coolest thing since On the 8th Day, and will hopefully surpass it in terms of up to date and regular FB info. Keep up the good work! |
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bazza
* Dog in the Sand *
Ireland
1439 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 05:03:54
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i would have to say that BLD takes a good while to get into.. but its a truly amazing album. the critics response has amazed me.. ok - it may be three of four songs too long, but valentine and garuda, 21 reasons and california bound are all incredible songs and as a whole it shows how close to neil young and bob dylan the chuckster is getting. would love to hear BLD songs live - i know FB loves ireland! its also a vast improvement on Sunny Sunday.. and even the versions of i will run after you and his kingly cave are much better on the new albums. sorry frank! still getting into devils workshop; but BLD is defo in my top three and the lyrics are some of his best yet (the others being 1. dog and 2. FB).
cheers
Barry
stone to the bone
:o) |
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 07:04:52
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| Does anyone else like Southbound Bevy? I thought it was a filler initially - but it is one of my favourites now. Great albums Frank et al, you are the one solid the spaces lean on, envious. |
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holzgrafe
- FB Fan -
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 08:31:16
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| SSMVGD is a set of ten tracks recorded in 2000 that surfaced that summer. I don't have it here with me at work, so my details may be off. I think it's ten tracks. Anyway, FB&C went into the studio, allegedly in the San Francisco Bay area, with new material. They recorded this material but evidently it didn't turn out the way Frank wanted, or maybe it just wasn't ready yet. Apparently Frank handed out a few copies at shows to people close to the band. Of course eventually they leaked out, were posted as mp3s, and ended up on ebay, I guess. His Kingly Cave and I Will Run After You are on there, in different versions, as are Pan American Highway, Constant Sorrow Man, and other tracks that have since appeared on EPs and compilations, some of them from those very sessions, if I'm correct. The SSMVGD refers to a track they cover by the late Doug Sahm, Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day. Them's the basics. Hopefully someone will flesh out this skeletal account of SSMVGD. - Mel |
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El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 14:40:00
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I was there when he handed Jeremy the copy at the 9:30 Club in 2000. We listened to it on the way home (could we be the first people to hear the album? hmmm...). It was all white with the track listing on the back. No art or anything. He said he felt it wasn't that great, but they might release it as an online-only album (perhaps eluding to his prediction that someone would upload it...who knows). The track listing is:
01 - Constant Sorrow Man
02 - Pan American Highway
03 - Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day (Doug Sahm)
04 - Humbolt County Massacre
05 - Angst
06 - Sleep (Donovan)
07 - Sister Isabel (Del Shannon)
08 - Le Cigre Volant
09 - I Will Run After You
10 - His Kingly Cave
All songs here were released at some point (b-sides mostly), some even before this album (alternate recordings). In my opinion, "I Will Run After You" from SSMVGD far surpasses the version on BLD, hands down. It's so much more emotional, powerful, and inspired. The vocals on BLD are kind of tired and lowbeat, the backing vocals don't blend as well, and the ending isn't as powerful. "His Kingly Cave" is pretty much the same, except for the tremolo effect on the guitar.
(let this post be a tiny glimpse at what's to come in the song index/discography *plug plug plug*) |
Edited by - El Barto on 09/27/2002 14:59:59 |
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Bohemoth
- FB Fan -
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2002 : 23:09:25
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| Frank gave me a copy the night after the D.C. show to listen to on the way home, and odballs. we were talking about humbolt county massacre and how he recorded it different he said that he didn't feel the songs on the sesions didn't turn out that good. |
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Jose Jones
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1758 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2002 : 10:44:18
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"southbend bevy" is definitely one of my favorite songs on that album, as is "valentine and garuda" and "california bound". i love both albums. i didn't like DW as much at first, but now i love it.
-dan |
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mdisanto
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1140 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2002 : 14:59:58
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jet black river (i wanna say jet black rider every time) doesn't get enough credit it seems. its such a cool song.
-miked |
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ProverbialCereal
- FB TabMaster -
USA
2953 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2002 : 13:42:39
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i think "whispering weeds" sounds like a chet atkins song. well i only have one chet atkins album so maybe that's why. but that effect on the electric guitar is chet atkins-esque. i think the effect is just a short delay with some reverb. that would probably sound good with a nice hollow body and a tube amp. which i have neither of. doh.
Derek |
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Mike Rutherford
- FB Fan -
USA
171 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2002 : 17:25:23
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I personally vote BLD and DW as the best two albums released in 2002. I love both albums equally as well and, though it would seem asd though I'm in the minority here, I think that they are Frank's best work yet. I wrote a review of BLD on Amazon.com, I have a link to my Amazon reviews in my profile if anyone wants to bother looking at any of em.
It would really be hard for me to say which of the 2 I prefer the most. I guess that if I could only keep one, it would be BLD because it's longer and has some utterly amazing songs (Chip Away Boy, Cold Heart Of Stone, 21 Reasons, Jane the Queen of Love, End of Miles...and so on and so forth). But DW is also amazing in it's own right. I personally love Out of State, the lead melody throughout that song is just beautiful. San Antonio Tx is amazing, Heloise is amazing, Whiskey in Your Shoes....I guess the only 2 tunes I really don't care for off of both records is 1826 and the 2nd, more subdued version of Black Rider. And even 1826 is ok if I'm in a certain mood.
I also must disagree about "I Will Run After You" sounding better on SSMVGD. I personally like the new version better. Same goes for Kingly Cave and Modern Age (I think that Modern Age is much improved). Kingly Cave is one of the tunes that it took me awhile to get into but now I love it.
I also love Southbound Bevy. It took a couple of listens to get used to the way Frank sings the tune, but I love everything about that tune now. It sort of reminds me of "Against the Wind". Also, "Whispering Weeds" sounds very Paul Simon-ish to me with the tribal sounding beat and all.
All in all, I love all of Frank's output and deem ANYTHING that he has done solo as being better than anything the Pixies released. Ever since the first solo record, I have never looked back. Like I said, Frank keeps on getting better with age IMO. I personally can't get enough of the new records. The steel pedal is so amazing, I can only hope that Frank will continue using it more and more. The new albums are perfect for driving down country backroads at night and driving through stretches of desert land by day. Brilliant job Frank. |
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Gavin Williams
- FB Fan -
South Africa
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2002 : 06:06:50
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| I honestly liked Devil's Workshop straight off the bat. Fields Of Marigold almost had me in tears, such a beautiful anthemic chorus, you just want to sing along, y'know? Velvety is a rocking opener and out Of State is just exceptional andf I love the "creepiness" of Heloise. Black Letter Days has really grown on me. It's length put me off at first, there's just so much to digest. I really don't like Jane The Queen of Love For some reason but Southbound bevy is great. The thing I love about FB albums is how they grow on you more and more with each listen, it's like a new thing strikes you about them every day. |
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ProverbialCereal
- FB TabMaster -
USA
2953 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2002 : 15:58:39
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i bought Devil's Workshop first and was totally into it after the second or third listen. then a week or so later i got BLD. that took me a little longer to get into but i love it now. they both rock. I do skip over a couple songs on BLD but it's still a great album. DW is 30-some minutes long and BLD is double that. but i still had to pay 14.99 for both. argh. even at best buy.
Derek |
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OliverK
- FB Fan -
43 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2002 : 17:51:31
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After a few weeks of listening to other things and now returning to the new Franks, the big sleeper song, for me, is "Southbound Bevy".
At first, I think Southbound Bevy's nearly exact resemblence to early 70s Rolling Stones (the arrangement, the vocals) kinda distracted me from how good a song it is, and I'm just now catching up. The bridge ("Don't get your spirits high...") especially knocks it home. I often repeat it a few times while spinning the album. |
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MIRV
- FB Fan -
178 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2002 : 19:32:14
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| cult of ray has great songs, as well as really shitty songs. there is no in between. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2002 : 19:35:27
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| Personally i like DW more then BLD's. Every damn song on that album is great. Ive been waiting for His Kingly Cave to come out for a year and a half about..ever since i heard if off of napster..now that song is cool, wiskey in your shoes, San Tx, Heloise are all excellent.. i cant say enough about this CD, it really impresses me..i think its more exciting then BLD's but i enjoy that CD alot aswell. |
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