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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
 Posted - 12/06/2004 : 02:20:01
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don't you have the impression that Frank's 4th solo album (FB&TC) is often overlooked ? almost everbody loves the yellow album & TOTY, COR is often in discussion, as is pistolero. dog in the sand is hymnically praised, and everthing that follows also keeps peoples minds occupied. only FB&TC doesn't get as much attention (no matter, if postive or negative).
i think it's his first "serious" album - more personal-related lyrics, and less wacky themes. also, its straight-forward production points in that direction. there is a lot of negative energy in it, i think (666, solid gold, suffering, all my ghosts, i need peace). if i would be looking for a FB-album which expresses fear & dissappointment, i would chose this. quotes of the man or some insight knowledge about this period would be interesting.
again, the individual songs are great. solid gold, suffering and i need peace are probably my fav's. i don't like "the man who was too loud" as much - but i think most people around here do.
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 03:05:53
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I love FB&TC, but not for the same reasons as you. I really never thought of it as being a "negative" album, even though as you said, the lyrics are pretty dark at times. But there's so much energy in it that it doesn't sound serious or dark, or whatever. And I don't think the songs taken individually are that great; he's done better. But as a whole, it's a solid and tight record, which flows very well (even though the songs are ordered alphabetically, I couldn't think of a better tracklisting).
Strangely, even though this album and Pistolero are quite similar in terms of production and songwriting, I rank FB&TC as one of Frank's 3 or 4 best albums whereas I consider Pistolero as the worst he's ever done. Dunno why.
Oh, and FB&TC contains some of the best songs to cover with your band. We've already played AMG, Back To Rome, Solid Gold and 666 to death.
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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Helmut
= Cult of Ray =
315 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 04:27:09
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| It was FB first straight up rock album, recorded direct to the 2 track. It was FB coming back into form after the patchy COR and a period in the wilderness without a record deal. I remember at the time thinking he had dissapeared for good, but then he came out with this nugget. I agree that the follow-up Pistolero was crap, especially the annoying harmonies. |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 04:59:06
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ok I like Pistelero more, I like those harmonies
But this album is a classic too, just think about it: AMG, Dog Gone, I gotta move, man who was too loud
those are classics to me
but also Suffering (one of his underrated songs), steak and sabre (idem dito)
and the pop gem: do you feel bad about it
no this record is great, although you can hear that it was supposed to be a demo
frank singing is certainly seems sometimes a bit unserious
 "I joined the cult of Jon Tiven/Bye!" |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 06:39:18
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My feeling on the brown album is that it never really draws me back to it. However, then I listen to it and am reminded, hey this is good. Still, I have more compunction to go back to COR, so it's probably my least favourite FB album.
 "Join the Cult of Frank 2.0 / And you'll be enlightened (free for 1.x members)" |
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toeknee
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
281 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 10:30:02
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| Solid Gold is possibly the best thing he's ever done. |
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toeknee
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
281 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 10:30:58
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| Although the cover art has to be seen to be believed - it is laughably amateurish... |
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Triakel
- FB Fan -
119 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 13:34:49
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Yeah, the cover art sort of blows. But the music was his first "personal" recording. His previous work was pyrotechnic and third-person. "This is a song about ... some other guy." "See my awesome reference to The Bible/rock history/sci-fi literature?" I remember listening to that one, surprised at its, err, Frankness.
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 14:58:10
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Lyle Workman.
'Nuff said. |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 15:42:09
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This is my fav FB&C album hands down.
Catchin' blue in his eyes that were brown
-bRIAN |
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 17:07:54
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With such a shift in sound from the previous three, this album caught me a little off guard. It was the first time ever one of Franks releases needed a few listens before I really started to understand the Catholics. I'm a huge fan of FB/TOTY/CoR so to have to sit down and listen rather than be dragged up dancing was a new experience. And that's what I did. Grabbed my headphones and lapped up the stereo sound, Frank in this ear the lead in the other. I was enjoying what I was hearing ,but it wasn't until 'I Gotta Move', when Frank sings about Peter Radiator and Heaven being fine did I smile to myself.
To cut along "brown" album story short, Man Who Was Too Loud left me slightly sad, at the time. No, more inquisitive. It's still one of my all time favourite Frank songs, and was back then from the very first listen. But the bit he sings about playing too softly and never will he ever be loud again. No way! That's not good. I totally read between the lines and thought myself into believing this song was some how about Frank. Oh the questions that album left me with.
From then on I was dying to hear his next album. And this one had only just been released. Bring on Pistolero. Whole new story.
And for the record, love this album. |
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Helmut
= Cult of Ray =
315 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 18:47:45
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quote:
To cut along "brown" album story short, Man Who Was Too Loud left me slightly sad, at the time. No, more inquisitive. It's still one of my all time favourite Frank songs, and was back then from the very first listen. But the bit he sings about playing too softly and never will he ever be loud again. No way! That's not good. I totally read between the lines and thought myself into believing this song was some how about Frank. Oh the questions that album left me with.
The Man Who was too Loud was an old song. Straight after the Pixies broke up and FB came to Australia touring the first solo album he played an acoustic demo of it live on a radio interview. I had it taped, but dunno where it is now. That was in like Feb 1994. The interview was a pisser, people were petitioning him to play only Pixies songs at the shows and he was like "I've grown a new set of calouses on my fingers since I last played with the Pixies". |
Edited by - Helmut on 12/06/2004 18:49:02 |
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ccuadros
* Dog in the Sand *
Chile
1315 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 19:45:16
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Cool album!! king & queem of siam and solid gold are one of the best songs ever!!
Salu2!! |
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OldManInaCoffeeCan
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1467 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 21:28:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Helmut
quote:
To cut along "brown" album story short, Man Who Was Too Loud left me slightly sad, at the time. No, more inquisitive. It's still one of my all time favourite Frank songs, and was back then from the very first listen. But the bit he sings about playing too softly and never will he ever be loud again. No way! That's not good. I totally read between the lines and thought myself into believing this song was some how about Frank. Oh the questions that album left me with.
The Man Who was too Loud was an old song. Straight after the Pixies broke up and FB came to Australia touring the first solo album he played an acoustic demo of it live on a radio interview. I had it taped, but dunno where it is now. That was in like Feb 1994. The interview was a pisser, people were petitioning him to play only Pixies songs at the shows and he was like "I've grown a new set of calouses on my fingers since I last played with the Pixies".
Hey, check out the back of the "Frank Black & Teenage Fanclub; The John Peel Sessions" where Frank writes ..."I had a couple of new songs. "The Jacques Tati" and "The Man Who Was Too Loud", my tribute to Jonathan Richman."
After reading that I checked this Site's song database (no info on Jonathan or "Johnny" as Frank calls him) and then I checked google and found numerous articles about Jonathan Richman. One of the articles states that one of his bands, Modern Lovers,is credited with helping to invent punk and then Jonathan left to sing quietly.
Anyway, I too, had always assumed the song was about Frank. |
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Brackish Heart
- FB Fan -
Australia
176 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2004 : 00:10:19
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| personally i think Pistolero is considerably better. but i agree as a whole the album sounds good but individually the bulk of the songs are pretty ordinary if judged in comparison to his other works. |
Edited by - Brackish Heart on 12/07/2004 00:14:54 |
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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2004 : 00:46:46
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quote:
Originally posted by toeknee
Although the cover art has to be seen to be believed - it is laughably amateurish...
that's true - it is dead ugly. i think it was the first album which got voted off in the "best album/cover art" survivor. btw, this game, despite being one year old, is still alive; but only pixies records are left. maybe somebody will dig it out and give it new momentum.
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
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FrankfanL
- FB Fan -
USA
98 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2004 : 11:37:41
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| Right on, BLT !!! Lyle Workman, say no more. The brown album is up there among my favorites. It blew my mind when I read here (some time ago) that the songs are arranged alphabetically. As many times as I've listened to it, it did not occur to me. The tracks flow so beautifully together. Pistolero my least fave. |
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adda flea
- FB Fan -
USA
43 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 12:29:05
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Love Lyle Workman, cant say enough good things there, but I think the album is tremendously depressing. When I feel like shit and I want to indulge my mental self-mutilation, this album is definitely one of my choices.
I too think Pistolero is much better in all regards, although dont get me wrong here, there is no such thing as a bad frank album. |
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ivandivel
= Cult of Ray =
394 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 14:50:32
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| I believe there have been discussions about the (lack of) qualities in pistelero before. cult of ray was good, but nowhere near teenager of the year - so it left me a bit disapointed. The brown one reassured me that black still had all his abilities intact. King and Queen of Siam, Solid Gold and Steak'n Sabre are my favorites. I never got into pistelero, i think it's his only weak album. |
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adda flea
- FB Fan -
USA
43 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 15:06:12
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| I had Pistolero in my possession for about 2 years, then one day I wanted to hear one part of one song, and the addiction set in for like over a year. Give pistolero another chance. |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 15:32:27
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| I never truly appreciated "Suffering" until I saw FB play it solo acoustically at McCabe's last year. The version on the brown album cracks me up. |
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skeleton man1
- FB Fan -
30 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 15:44:04
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| the catholics first album and pistolero are two of my fav's im not understanding what is wrong with pistolero??? great album |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 16:16:56
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quote:
Originally posted by skeleton man1
the catholics first album and pistolero are two of my fav's im not understanding what is wrong with pistolero??? great album
IMO, there are more weak songs on Pistolero than any other FB album. "I Love Your Brain", "Starting to Lose It", "So Hard to Make Things Out"...you may love them, but I tend to skip them on the rare occasion that Pistolero makes it to my CD player (which is usually because I need to hear "85 Weeks"). |
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comatose22
- FB Fan -
11 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 19:47:53
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quote:
Originally posted by OldManInaCoffeeCan
quote:
Originally posted by Helmut
quote:
To cut along "brown" album story short, Man Who Was Too Loud left me slightly sad, at the time. No, more inquisitive. It's still one of my all time favourite Frank songs, and was back then from the very first listen. But the bit he sings about playing too softly and never will he ever be loud again. No way! That's not good. I totally read between the lines and thought myself into believing this song was some how about Frank. Oh the questions that album left me with.
The Man Who was too Loud was an old song. Straight after the Pixies broke up and FB came to Australia touring the first solo album he played an acoustic demo of it live on a radio interview. I had it taped, but dunno where it is now. That was in like Feb 1994. The interview was a pisser, people were petitioning him to play only Pixies songs at the shows and he was like "I've grown a new set of calouses on my fingers since I last played with the Pixies".
Hey, check out the back of the "Frank Black & Teenage Fanclub; The John Peel Sessions" where Frank writes ..."I had a couple of new songs. "The Jacques Tati" and "The Man Who Was Too Loud", my tribute to Jonathan Richman."
After reading that I checked this Site's song database (no info on Jonathan or "Johnny" as Frank calls him) and then I checked google and found numerous articles about Jonathan Richman. One of the articles states that one of his bands, Modern Lovers,is credited with helping to invent punk and then Jonathan left to sing quietly.
Anyway, I too, had always assumed the song was about Frank.
I've seen Jonathan Richman live. I like his tunes, at times cheesy though. His stuff with the Modern Lovers though outweighs his other stuff. For those who don't know him, he is the guy who keeps popping up and playing guitar in the movie "There's Something about Mary". I guess if your playing in a movie like that, then you might be playing too "softly". Check out the song with the Modern Lovers called "Pablo Picasso". Cool tune. |
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Superabounder
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1041 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 22:10:48
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I love the brown album. Some of the songs sound like the hardest-rocking songs he's ever done to me, what with the full bass, drums, and power guitars on them.
Anything with Lyle on it deserves much love. I've played a lot of air guitar to this album I'm afraid to say.
And Pistolero? Nothing wrong with it at all in my opinion. I think that there are at least eight songs that I really like on it. Actually make that twelve after an official recount. Although it does remind me of a Schlitz Malt Liquor commercial when Frank sings: "They're comin' on strong like a smooth operator".
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Someone
- FB Fan -
94 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 08:09:51
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All my ghosts is one of his bests. he should play it more often. very good album. hard to rank them though. they are all good.
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Sir Mike
- FB Fan -
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 08:48:56
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It's a good album, but they all are pretty good. I don't bother ranking them myself. Just pop one in the CD player whenever I feel like it.
________________________
Do you ever really know who you are? |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 16:30:35
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I guess I kind of agree with Dean, in that I like the album, but I'm not often drawn to it. Perhaps the fact that I downloaded it (legally) instead of buying the CD has something to do with that. I guess it's a pretty average Frank album. (Well, "average" in that it's in between good and bad. If I were to do a bell curve or whatever, it would be pretty low, just because most of the other albums are so great.) I think it's probably a stronger overall album than Pistolero, but Pistolero has more individual stand-out tracks. It also has more songs I don't care so much for, though.
"Signature quotes are so lame." --Nathan |
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stymie
= Cult of Ray =
385 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2004 : 10:12:33
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| It's not called the brown album. Please stop calling it that please. Primus has a brown album! The album is " fRANK bLACK aND tHE cATHOLICS" sIPMLE ENOUGH! |
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2004 : 10:44:12
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quote:
Originally posted by stymie
It's not called the brown album. Please stop calling it that please. Primus has a brown album! The album is " fRANK bLACK aND tHE cATHOLICS" sIPMLE ENOUGH!
True.
But since the dawn of time, well, fb.net forum, this album seems to have been labelled this by the fans, to seperate it from any other. Just like FB is the orange one (or is it?)
fRANK bLACK aND tHE cATHOLICS" sIPMLE ENOUGH! is just too much to type |
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~
Spain
2674 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2004 : 13:57:46
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I thought this was gonna be about the Primus Brown Album too.
--
Maze rats dreamed of mazes, according to the latest studies. Maze rat scientists dreamed of rats. I was dreaming of cheese. |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2004 : 14:39:14
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| I thought this was going to be about my copy of The Beatles' "white album," which was accidentally dropped in a mud puddle. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2004 : 00:52:32
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I thought it was going to be about my Jessica Simpson CD, which became brown for some reason.
(I don't call FB&TC the "brown album". I call it FB&TC)
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2004 : 04:34:39
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quote:
Originally posted by vilainde
I thought it was going to be about my Jessica Simpson CD, which became brown for some reason.
over-play?
After 2000 plays plus, a cd can become warn and brown. |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2005 : 07:51:24
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Maybe the Jessica Simpson CD is brown because it's a piece of crap?
"Signature quotes are so lame." --Nathan |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2005 : 10:08:04
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| Who can focus on Jessica when that Ashlee is such a car wreck? The halftime show at the Orange Bowl last night was non-stop comedy. |
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Topic |
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Praising the brown album
