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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 05/10/2006 :  01:32:44  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Thought we'd start this thread, since the Cooking Vinyl promo site already has a couple of blurbs about FMRM and more reviews should start appearing soon. For now I've only found one from music blog loudersoft.com:

<<Which Frank Black do you like? Are you a Pixies-type Black Francis-only person? Do you like rock and roll Frank Black? Cowboy? Teenager? I like them all, but some more than others. There’s sinewy, sinister persona on every side of Frank Black because he’s a guy who can change gears on you without asking and just keep driving. Before you know what’s hit you, he’s done something more original than before. His 2005 release Honeycomb received a great deal of praise, but I wasn’t nearly as hot on it as I am on this one. It’s a doozy, read on.

On his soon-to-be-released double CD Fastman Raiderman he takes on a tongue-in-cheek Van Morrisson cum Traffic cum Elton John-circa Madman Across The Water and Tumbleweed Connection version of Frank Black — and this time it works perfectly. There are definitely Pixie-isms scattered throughout these 27 songs, but more importantly than which Frank Black it is that you get on these songs is the fact that it’s the best Frank Black CD I’ve ever heard. Trying to compare it to the rest of his catalog is pretty pointless because there’s really no comparison. This is an accessible Frank Black that has a wide-ranging appeal. He does a better Van Morrisson than even Van does, and the songwriting is, well, fun. It’s consistent, and from Frank Black that means a truly remarkable collection.>>


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!

Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 05/10/2006 :  07:19:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
"He does a better Van Morrisson than even Van does."

Wow.

BTW, did a bit of Googling, and discovered that those review quotes on the MySpace site are for Honeycomb...I couldn't find the Maverick review, but I'm sure that is too!

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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 05/18/2006 :  09:43:35  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Pitchfork reviews Fitzgerald and gives it 3 stars and a half (out of ?):

<<Frank Black: "Fitzgerald"
genre: rock

Frank Black has passed through the Honeycomb, and he is never coming back (expect for the Pixies reunion, of course). Where last year's effort found him working with legendary Memphis session men, this one teams him with them and other musicians from all over the world, including Levon Helm, P.F. Sloan, and Al Kooper to Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson and Bad Company's Simon Kirke. The classic session feeling works a little better this time out, and "Fitzgerald" feels as natural as anything he's done in years. Part of it is that he lets his eccentric songwriting personality through in lyrics like "living hammered is always hit or miss" and "your love shone through your cigarette-stained beard." Musically, Frank grounds sturdy Southern soul on a solid backbeat and pocket-bound drumming, with understated piano outlining the chords. It's certainly nowhere near as expressive or distinctive as his best work, solo or with the Pixies, but at least Black's not wasting the time he's spending in the studio with his heroes. [Joe Tangari]>>


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 05/22/2006 :  01:31:13  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
2 short reviews, I think they're webzines:

http://www.rakemag.com/stories/section_detail.aspx?itemID=18171&catID=148&SelectCatID=148

<<MUSIC: Frank Black - Fastman/Raiderman, Available June 20
Now that the reanimated Pixies have proved to be an arena-sized success, Black is back to focusing on his solo career, and this double album shows he hasn’t been just counting his cash. He called back several Nashville session players from his last album, Honeycomb, and brought in other guests as disparate as The Band’s Levon Helm and Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson. The sound, accordingly, is all over the place, burnishing Black’s hard-won rock ’n’ roll credentials with deft folk, country, and soul stylings. His lyrics remain as intriguingly inscrutable as ever, while his voice, though surely seared by screams, is often more warm, relaxed, and inviting than expected.>>


http://boulderdirt.com/index.cfm/article/id/45CB0ED7-3FFF-41FA-4B20AB87687D962F

<<++ Frank Black, "Fast Man/Raider Man" (Back Porch, June 20)
Those waiting for another Pixies album better be patient. For the second time since reconvening his seminal indie-rock combo, the artist formerly known as Black Francis is releasing a country flavored platter recorded with a crew of Nashville studio legends. And this time, it's a 28-song double CD.
Like most double albums, "Fast Man/Raider Man" is a bit too much of a good thing, but there certainly are gems here, particularly a twangy take on old Irish fave "Dirty Old Town," a duet with Marty Brown. Fans looking for the screaming, nonsensical Frank Black will be taken aback by the gentle, even restrained, voice he uses on much of the album.>>


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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pixie punk
> Teenager of the Year <

2923 Posts

Posted - 05/22/2006 :  07:30:55  Show Profile  Visit pixie punk's Homepage  Reply with Quote
This review I found on buluthim.blogspot.com-
Modern Music Changed My Life!


Friday, May 19, 2006
Frank Black - Fastman Raiderman (2006)
Rating:8.5/10
Modern Music Album Review:
Frank Black's last album Fastman Raiderman which comprises two disc.There are 27 songs in this record. When I first listen it,i think that he again made a great fantastic record.Another different taste of Frank Black and another amazing record.His style in this album Adult Alternative Pop/ Rock with more country melodies.I should say that it's a totally professional record after Honeycomb.First single from this album is Fitzgerald.Calm,relaxing work.Frank Black's style changing on every album.But it's not a disadvantage i think he uses his talent succesfully while changing and trying other things.Melodical and more adult album maybe it's not entertaining but it's full-up with feeling.With song My Terrible Ways you'll compare his song with neil young i think you won't be wrong,sure there is similarity with his voice.One of the best song in this record is It's Just Not Your Moment,wanderful melody and i think this album a very big present to Frank Black's fans.



PUERTO RICO PIXIE
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 05/22/2006 :  07:31:16  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by vilainde

a twangy take on old Irish fave "Dirty Old Town," a duet with Marty Brown.


I thought Ewan McColl was Scottish born, just checking that out, turns out he was born in Lancashire and his parents were Scots. The Dubliners and The Pogues probably popularised it as an Irish song. Funnily enough, the site I looked up has links to record companies that have issued his albums, including Cooking Vinyl!

http://www.pegseeger.com/html/ewan.html


Edited by - Carl on 05/22/2006 07:31:41
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/01/2006 :  02:17:26  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
How to review a record without having heard a note of it, by Pinnacle Entertainment:

<<Sometimes you have to go back to move forward. With a solo career in danger of stalling, a reunion with the Pixies has clearly lit a creative fire within the artist formerly known as Black Francis and Cooking Vinyl are preparing to release the third Frank Black album in as many years: Fast Man Raider Man.

Where last year's critically applauded Honeycomb album found Black working with legendary Memphis session men, here he expands his list of collaborators to include The Band's Levon Helm, P.F. Sloan, Heartbreaker drummer Steve Ferrone, Marty Brown, Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson, Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free, and the legendary Al Kooper. Musicians returning from Honeycomb include Booker T & The MGs' Steve Cropper, Reggie Young, Buddy Miller, Spooner Oldman and Chester Thompson.

Black's clearly relishing spending time in the studio with his heroes and, by his own admission, he was more relaxed during recording this time around: "On Honeycomb I was walking on eggshells," Black admits. "These guys are still legends, but now that we’d hung around a bit, I was more at ease".

Perhaps because of this, Black doesn't adhere to such a strict blueprint this time around. In fact, there was a degree of overlapping with the recording of this and his last album (no bad thing since Honeycomb formed a high watermark in Black's solo career); 'Highway To Lowdown', 'Sad Man's Song' and 'Where The Wind Is Going' were all originally recorded for Honeycomb but didn't quite fit into its laidback remit. Since Fast Man Raider Man lacks such a distinct tone, there was no problem including them this time around. In fact, they form three of the album's highlights.

Elsewhere, 'Wanderlust' has Black doing Van Morrison better than Van Morrison, 'Fitzgerald' and 'Elijah' both hark back to the time when Black and the Pixies were turning rock music on its head, while 'My Terrible Ways' is a true, tragic story of heroism in wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Fans of the screaming, shrieking Black Francis may be confounded as he moves further and further away from his Pixies heyday, but to attempt to curb a talent as endless as Black’s would be a crying shame.

Fast Man Raider Man is released on 19th June.>>

oh well, at least it's positive. Do people get paid to write such stuff?


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =

Canada
11687 Posts

Posted - 06/01/2006 :  07:07:29  Show Profile  Visit Cult_Of_Frank's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I would imagine yes. And that, my friends, is a crying shame. Still, thankfully positive bullshit instead of negative.


"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =

France
777 Posts

Posted - 06/01/2006 :  07:52:01  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As I HAVE listened the record, I felt free to quickly review FMRM in a free reviews french site (for free alas):

http://www.tatapoum.net/idisque/?D=30145
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/01/2006 :  08:00:27  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
you're on tatapoum? are you on the np too? do we know each other?


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =

France
777 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  05:01:56  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No I just filled up the thing to make the review.
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mcil
- FB Fan -

United Kingdom
148 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  05:38:51  Show Profile  Click to see mcil's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
It only got 2*s in this month's Q, and Sonic Youth's latest offering only got 3*s as well, the folk at Q seem to not be fans of alternative music...

"Your Bone's Got a Little Machine..."
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  05:57:24  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Have a look at how Q Magazine reviewed the last 6 FB records (from metacritic.com):

DiTS: 8/10
<<This is Black's strongest set of songs since 1994's second solo selection, Teenager Of The Year, largely because the trademark wit and weirdness is back.>>

BLD: 4/10
<<The wait for the first great Frank Black solo album continues. [Sep 2002, p.100]>>

DW: 4/10
<<Dominated by common-or-garden blues workouts, with few of the startling dynamics that marked his former band's finest work. [Sep 2002, p.100]>>

SMYT: 3/10
<<Suffers from the same faults as previous efforts: limp tunes, pompous guitar solos and an overhwlming sense of "Will this do?" [Sep 2003, p.98]>>

HC: 7/10
<<His mutation into Hank Williams may be unlikely, but it also proves to be rather charming. [Aug 2005, p.126]>>

FBF: 4/10
<<If anything, [Disc 2] is the real rip-off, as unsuspecting buyers will be shellshocked by these FX-laden, space-ambient settings. [Dec 2004, p.135]>>

By the way, "Q" means "ass" in French. At least their reviews are consistent over the years...


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <

Poland
4698 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  06:59:58  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i remember SMYT actually got 2/5 but they thought the written words meant it equated to 3/10. i was very distraught about that.


FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th

Edited by - PixieSteve on 06/02/2006 07:00:32
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  07:13:37  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
well, metacritic have always been harsh towards Frank too. If you add the notes given to BLD and divide by the numbers of reviews, it gives a total of 63 and yet the final note on metacritic is 58.


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  07:18:50  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Anyone here has a hotpress.com membership? I see they gave FMRM 7.5/10 but you have to subscribe to read the review.

[edit: the article summary says "Credit to Black for producing an engaging and sprightly record which skips between alt-country and acoustic pop and reminds us of his capricious talents." That's all I can read without subscribing.]


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!

Edited by - vilainde on 06/07/2006 03:12:43
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 06/02/2006 :  10:29:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I saw the new issue today, didn't check it for a FM/RM review. Elijah is on Q's cover CD.

[EDIT]Elijah is on Uncut magazine's cover CD!!



You can submit a review here:

http://www.albumvote.co.uk/reviews/2537.html

Edited by - Carl on 06/09/2006 17:45:56
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/06/2006 :  00:35:31  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
A regular review from webzine (?) Indigo Flow:

<<Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man - Album
Following on from last year’s Honeycob [sic], Frank Black returns with more Americana recorded in Nashville and LA. This time around Black is joined by a number of guests, including Levon Helm from The Band, Tom Petersson from Cheap Trick and Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free, as well as his backing band from Honeycomb.

Fast Man Raider Man is made up of 27 tracks over 2 CDs, a number of which were recorded in a single 24hr recording marathon. The result, as you might expect, is a little bit harder than Honeycomb. Country music is the overall theme here but there are also nods to The Clash, Tom Waits and Van Morrison along the way.

Frank Black’s songwriting talent is apparent, as always but what this album really suffers from, unfortunately, is that there’s too much of it. It doesn’t need, or benefit from having 27 songs on it, nor even from being spread over two discs. You’re hit with so much that songs eventually start to blend into one another and you forget what you’re listening to, which means gems like Elijah and You Can’t Crucify Yourself get lost in amongst the rest.

Had Black been a bit more ruthless with his song choices then this might have been a classic. As it is, it’s just too long and lacks definition.

Reviewer: Andy
Score: 3/5>>


And a small but positive blurb from some blog:

<<For the Love of Frank

Black Francis is back, and as usual, unable to filter his prolific songwriterness down to one simple CD. Fast Man, Raider Man is out later this month on Back Porch, home of Alejandro Escovedo, among others.

Swallowing disc 1 is like slow sipping a 24 oz. Tecate — definitely as back porch-style as Frank Black has ever sounded. Perhaps the Pixies reunion has left him longing and feeling as free as ever to recorded a country record. But, don’t be dissuaded, each cut on Fast Man has the mark of Black’s unique, timeless songcraftsmanship.>>


Denis

I love Guitar Wolf from the Erath!
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -

United Kingdom
1733 Posts

Posted - 06/08/2006 :  07:46:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
From Beats Daily Bulletin: http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk/bulletin/060606.html, dated 6.6.06

ALBUM REVIEW: Frank Black - Fastman/Raiderman
This is the twelfth studio album from the ex-Pixie man since the band split up and is a much more upbeat affair than 2005's 'Honeycomb'. I suppose the polite review would read, 'The record pays homage to some of the greatest artists rock music has produced'. The other review would read, 'On this record Frank Black rips off a load of old Neil Young tracks'. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Whilst Frank does sound unmistakably like Neil Young on 'Fast Man', he also sounds like Nick Cave on 'When the Paint Grows Darker Still' and Lou Reed on 'The End of the Summer'. That breath of 'homage' can't be all bad news. 'In the Time Of My Ruin' echoes Pixie classic 'The Thing', but it's the horn driven psych-blues of 'Dog Sleep' ('I'm livin' on Horsemeat but I could not win') that provides the standout moment, whilst the Eagles-esque drivel of 'Kiss My Ring' deserves to be skipped. The latter is one of the few duds over the two discs and, despite the potential arrogance of a 27 track issue, 'Fast Man' doesn't feel too bloated. So, it's a good album with a hatful of catchy songs that 'reference' some of the greats but it still leaves you wondering how Frank Black would've done them. EM
Release Date: 19 Jun



"I thought that I had reached bedrock, but then I saw the Clopser's ringpiece bearing down on my nose..."
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1834 Posts

Posted - 06/08/2006 :  08:06:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ten Percenter
The truth probably lies somewhere in between.

Gotta hate that about "the truth". Just can't nail that fucker down.

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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -

United Kingdom
1733 Posts

Posted - 06/09/2006 :  01:07:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
A 4 out of 5 review from Marquee magazine, brief but positive: http://www.marqueemag.com/reviews.html

There are those who would praise anything released by Frank Black, those who think that the Pixies front man has never put out anything other than sheer genius. I am not one of these people, but when it comes to Fastman Raiderman, I probably sound like one.

The admittedly self-indulgent double-disc set is some of the most accessible Black to date; an inspiring blend that ranges from Pixie-esque material to country tracks to melancholy, insightful ballads. The album is also chock full of a similarly wide array of guests, including The Band’s Levon Helm and Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson.

Light one moment and devastatingly introspective the next, Fastman Raiderman picks up where his last album Honeycomb left off, but goes miles beyond.

— Brian F. Johnson



"I thought that I had reached bedrock, but I had yet to reach Birmingham..."
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 06/09/2006 :  17:54:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Just edited my post above, Elijah is on Uncut's cover CD, not Q's. Uncut gave it a so-so review, and 2 out of 5 (I think out of 5!) stars.

Johnny Barleycorn is on The Word's cover CD, and they give FM/RM a decent review.

No review here, but details of the issue up at the moment:

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/

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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2006 :  06:20:23  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Review by ArtVoice, "Buffalo's #1 Alternative Newsweekly". Warning: it's not exactly positive and the end of the article will make you cringe.

<<Now that Frank Black’s career as an alt-country musician is cemented by the imminent release of a second album in that genre—a double CD, no less—it is time to draw a definitive line between Black and his alias/alter-ego, the Pixies’ Black Francis. Though Francis is still making indescribable music with the Pixies (a tour is scheduled for later this year), Black, who is rumored to begin touring with the Foo Fighters when they reach the East Coast this August, is busy pushing a persona that is, if anything, straight-up alt-country. It’s not really even that “alternative,” with songs like “Dirty Old Town” loaded with steel guitar, honky-tonk charms and a decidedly Southern drawl coming from Black. The majority of the songs on this 27-track album seem to be channeling other noteworthy musicians, from Van Morrison to Jim Croce, Leon Redbone, Dire Straits, Smog, Johnny Cash, Vic Chestnutt, the Boss, John Lennon and even Neil Diamond. The list goes on to include less surprising influences like Pere Ubu and Captain Beefheart—both of whom Black has worked with before, in one persona or another—but the possible derivations are so numerous I began to wonder, “Is this some kind of respectful sendup of the great male vocalists of our time?” Some of this may be explained by the album’s featured guest players, namely the Band’s Levon Helm, Cheap Trick’s Tom Peterson and Bad Company's Simon Kirke—though, of these, only the Band’s influence really makes a mark; actually I wish this album had more of Cheap Trick's influence on it. Another explanation is that Pixies fans are simply getting old (though legions of new, younger fans were born when Fight Club ended, I know). Is this what happened to devoted Genesis fans, now saddled with a store of Phil Collins records? Or to lovers of the Police, who are still conflicted about Sting? These comparisons are probably unfair—especially the Phil Collins one—for this is by no means a bad album, nor is it likely to offend anyone, but it may disappoint and confuse. Should this happen, Pixies fans take heart and pop in Surfer Rosa; it is the perfect antidote to Fast Man Raider Man.>>


Denis

Your team sucks
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2006 :  12:28:01  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
http://www.musicomh.com/albums5/frank-black-2_0606.htm

Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man (Cooking Vinyl)
UK release date: 19 June 2006


Like the Grinch who stole Christmas only to give
it all back again, Frank Black is no longer the
snarling, Biblical banshee that screamed of Uriah
hitting the crapper. Thought Honeycomb was a
fluke? Think again - this is Charles Thompson on
a moonlit veranda, not a beer-soaked stage.


That, however, is not necessarily a criticism in itself.
Last year's Honeycomb LP might have had Pixies
fanatics scratching their heads as to what ever
happened to Black Francis, but it was consistently
good; refreshingly devoid of the occasional filler
that crops up now and then throughout the Frank
Black back catalogue.

Like last year's country opus, Fast Man Raider Man
sees Charles take to the studio with all manner of
country illuminaries. This time, it seems, his awe
has melted into comfort, as bold tracks announce
themselves with toe-tapping regularity across the
two discs: from the curious verse / resolute chorus
of If Your Poison Gets You to Fare Thee Well's
Chuck Berry-ish cheerful jaunt, this is Honeycomb
with a nutty filling.

In the course of 27 tracks there are notable
highlights, of course: You Can't Crucify Yourself
bears witness to Frank's return to lyrical form ("You
can't crucify yourself, no, that takes two / Maybe
you could use some help, and if you do - just say
you do"); Dirty Old Town features a whisky-
flavoured duet with Johnny Cash soundalike Marty
Brown
; Dog Sleep resurrects the melancholy of
2001's Show Me Your Tears with a distinctly
baudeville twist.

The second disc, in fact, commences with In The
Time Of My Ruin, the driving, layered progression of
which will have you wondering when you last had
your attention so forcefully grasped by a Frank
Black track. His voice resonates to its loudest levels
for years (Pixies reformation excluded),
announcing that, yes, this is a double album, but
you're going to bloody well sit there and enjoy it.

And it's an assertion that - to a certain extent, at
least - rings true. The overall impression of disc
two, indeed, is that the percussion brushes
previously prominent were bumped in favour of
honest-to-goodness drumsticks; the pianos not so
much caressed as jabbed; the guitars not so much
weeping as talking loudly. Highway To Lowdown,
for instance, sounds like a refined reassertion of a
Catholics number; Elijah saunters confidently into
rock territory, complete with foot-to-the-floor guitar
solos and a wall-shaking chorus; Kiss My Ring is as
riotous as country gets.

Thereafter, unfortunately, the country-tinted tracks
begin to merge into one another, proving that, yes,
you can have too much of a good thing. To be fair,
the second half of disc two is probably as strong as
the rest of Fast Man Raider Man, the problem being
that twenty-odd tracks have already seeped from
the speakers, and none of the final handful seem
to have the spark that cropped up earlier on (Fare
Thee Well excepted).

So while it's hard to criticise Frank for having
improved upon his last, well-recieved solo effort -
and fair to compliment a good job well done - there
must be a reason why good only becomes great
from time to time: at 27 tracks, Fast Man Raider
Man is simply too long, and, as such, a dilution. A
four star album in a three star guise, perhaps
Charles is becoming indulgent after all these
years...

- David Welsh

Edited by - Carl on 06/13/2006 12:35:45
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1834 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2006 :  12:53:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Carl

http://www.musicomh.com/albums5/frank-black-2_0606.htm

Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man (Cooking Vinyl)
[font=Verdana]UK release date: 19 June 2006


refreshingly devoid of the occasional filler
that crops up now and then throughout the Frank
Black back catalogue.

"filler"? "filler"? "filler" is what I call the stuff a nonprolific musician supplies to pad an album, not the extra if unrefined material a productive guy like Frank seemingly creates at whim.

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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  03:04:32  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Review in French from "Spirit", apparently a cultural mag from the Bordeaux region:

<<Frank Black - Fast Man, Raider Man (Cooking Vinyl/Wagram)
Douze albums depuis 1993. Eloquente comptabilité. Avec ses sommets (Teenager of the year) et ses écueils (Frank Black & The Catholics). Forcément. Alors qu’attendre, en 2006, de celui qui fut l’enchanteur des années Pixies ? Pas grand chose en somme. Pourtant, le Falstaff n’a rien perdu de son appétit : Fast Man, Raider Man déroule ainsi 27 titres, toujours épaulé de l’ex-Pere Ubu Eric Drew Feldman. L’atmosphère alerte, primesautière (?), domine ces sessions aux évidentes vertus domestiques. Surout, Frank Black s’y révèle plutôt convaincant dans le mid tempo (Johnny Barleycorn), la ballade aux contours moelleux (End of summer), le country & western (Don’t cry that way) ou le flirt jazz (Dog sleep). Le propos, lui, révèle une certaine mélancolie (In the time of my ruin, Sad Old World, You can’t crucify yourself, Don’t cry that way). Passent les années, plus se rapproche le spectre tutélaire de feu Warren Zevon. Manquent encore une production à la hauteur de ses modestes ambitions ainsi qu’une nécessaire concision. Recommandable néanmoins.>>

Translation to come if anyone's interested.


Denis

Your team sucks
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <

France
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Posted - 06/14/2006 :  03:07:36  Show Profile  Visit cassandra is's Homepage  Reply with Quote
ça me tue les petits jeunes qui veulent jouer aux apprentis critiques et qui sont même pas fichus de pondre une review sans fautes d'orthographe... en plus c'est super mal écrit, blaireaux de bordelais!




pas de bras pas de chocolat

Edited by - cassandra is on 06/14/2006 03:07:58
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kotvana
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Israel
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Posted - 06/14/2006 :  03:28:30  Show Profile  Visit kotvana's Homepage  Click to see kotvana's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
stupid review.
second half of cd2 is AMAZING!
it's a shame the critic didn't have enough spirit and time to listen carefully to all the tracks. so what if it's 27? so hear it at least 7 times! how can he missed a classics such as "when the paint grows darker still" "the end of the summer" "fitzgerald" "sad old world"???????
it's a shame these ppl can earn a living from doing a really lousy job.

quote:
Originally posted by Carl

http://www.musicomh.com/albums5/frank-black-2_0606.htm

Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man (Cooking Vinyl)
UK release date: 19 June 2006


Like the Grinch who stole Christmas only to give
it all back again, Frank Black is no longer the
snarling, Biblical banshee that screamed of Uriah
hitting the crapper. Thought Honeycomb was a
fluke? Think again - this is Charles Thompson on
a moonlit veranda, not a beer-soaked stage.


That, however, is not necessarily a criticism in itself.
Last year's Honeycomb LP might have had Pixies
fanatics scratching their heads as to what ever
happened to Black Francis, but it was consistently
good; refreshingly devoid of the occasional filler
that crops up now and then throughout the Frank
Black back catalogue.

Like last year's country opus, Fast Man Raider Man
sees Charles take to the studio with all manner of
country illuminaries. This time, it seems, his awe
has melted into comfort, as bold tracks announce
themselves with toe-tapping regularity across the
two discs: from the curious verse / resolute chorus
of If Your Poison Gets You to Fare Thee Well's
Chuck Berry-ish cheerful jaunt, this is Honeycomb
with a nutty filling.

In the course of 27 tracks there are notable
highlights, of course: You Can't Crucify Yourself
bears witness to Frank's return to lyrical form ("You
can't crucify yourself, no, that takes two / Maybe
you could use some help, and if you do - just say
you do"); Dirty Old Town features a whisky-
flavoured duet with Johnny Cash soundalike Marty
Brown
; Dog Sleep resurrects the melancholy of
2001's Show Me Your Tears with a distinctly
baudeville twist.

The second disc, in fact, commences with In The
Time Of My Ruin, the driving, layered progression of
which will have you wondering when you last had
your attention so forcefully grasped by a Frank
Black track. His voice resonates to its loudest levels
for years (Pixies reformation excluded),
announcing that, yes, this is a double album, but
you're going to bloody well sit there and enjoy it.

And it's an assertion that - to a certain extent, at
least - rings true. The overall impression of disc
two, indeed, is that the percussion brushes
previously prominent were bumped in favour of
honest-to-goodness drumsticks; the pianos not so
much caressed as jabbed; the guitars not so much
weeping as talking loudly. Highway To Lowdown,
for instance, sounds like a refined reassertion of a
Catholics number; Elijah saunters confidently into
rock territory, complete with foot-to-the-floor guitar
solos and a wall-shaking chorus; Kiss My Ring is as
riotous as country gets.

Thereafter, unfortunately, the country-tinted tracks
begin to merge into one another, proving that, yes,
you can have too much of a good thing. To be fair,
the second half of disc two is probably as strong as
the rest of Fast Man Raider Man, the problem being
that twenty-odd tracks have already seeped from
the speakers, and none of the final handful seem
to have the spark that cropped up earlier on (Fare
Thee Well excepted).

So while it's hard to criticise Frank for having
improved upon his last, well-recieved solo effort -
and fair to compliment a good job well done - there
must be a reason why good only becomes great
from time to time: at 27 tracks, Fast Man Raider
Man is simply too long, and, as such, a dilution. A
four star album in a three star guise, perhaps
Charles is becoming indulgent after all these
years...

- David Welsh


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Teafer
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Posted - 06/14/2006 :  03:34:42  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by cassandra is

ça me tue les petits jeunes qui veulent jouer aux apprentis critiques et qui sont même pas fichus de pondre une review sans fautes d'orthographe... en plus c'est super mal écrit, blaireaux de bordelais!




pas de bras pas de chocolat




ouaah. ben moi je trouve la critique pas si mal. il faut bien comprendre que sorti du petit monde des fans hardcore de frank, le vrai monde n'a pas vraiment été révolutionné par FB&C (l'album). et c'est vrai que fmrm aurait gagné à la concision (les chansons sont un peu trop longues à chaque fois...), pourtant je trouve l'album SPECTACULAIRE.
faut pas s'énerver contre les bordelais, ils ont une ville pourrie, un groupe de rock pourri en tôle, un maire pourri, une équipe de foot toute pourrie. etc..;

"i'm not impressed. you wanna impress me? take the wheel, motherfucker."
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  03:56:40  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
ah tiens Teafer t'es français?


Denis

Your team sucks
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <

France
4233 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  04:06:54  Show Profile  Visit cassandra is's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Certes, tout ce que je veux dire, c'est que c'est super mal écrit et que pour un gars qui se veut critique ça la fout mal.
Non, mais je m'énerve mais j'ai pas encore écouté l'album, j'attends la sortie officielle.




pas de bras pas de chocolat
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Teafer
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Posted - 06/14/2006 :  06:06:12  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by vilainde

ah tiens Teafer t'es français?


Denis

Your team sucks



ah non, parisien.

"i'm not impressed. you wanna impress me? take the wheel, motherfucker."
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <

France
4233 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  06:14:12  Show Profile  Visit cassandra is's Homepage  Reply with Quote
ouh la... c'est pire




pas de bras pas de chocolat
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-

France
2715 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  06:17:40  Show Profile  Visit Frog in the Sand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by vilainde

Fast Man, Raider Man déroule ainsi 27 titres, toujours épaulé de l’ex-Pere Ubu Eric Drew Feldman.



First scoop, I didn't know EDF played on Fm/Rm...

-----
blackolero le only Frank Black / Pixies site 100% in français
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cassandra is
> Teenager of the Year <

France
4233 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  06:24:50  Show Profile  Visit cassandra is's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I told you this was a bad review...




pas de bras pas de chocolat
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-

France
2715 Posts

Posted - 06/14/2006 :  06:30:16  Show Profile  Visit Frog in the Sand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Teafer
et c'est vrai que fmrm aurait gagné à la concision (les chansons sont un peu trop longues à chaque fois...), pourtant je trouve l'album SPECTACULAIRE.



Y a du vrai là-dedans. Je crois qu'avec un peu plus de concision Fm/Rm aurait pu être le TOTY folk de FB.

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blackolero le only Frank Black / Pixies site 100% in français
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