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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
 Posted - 07/08/2004 : 07:00:16
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Frank Black Francis & Two Pale Boys "Cactus" - This is a selection from the forthcoming Frank Black Francis project, which finds Frank Black reworking several Pixies classics with David Thomas' side men, Two Pale Boys. The record is mostly quite mellow, recasting familiar tunes with low-key, atmospheric arrangements. The best of the new versions play up ideas and themes which were already present in the material: "Monkey Gone To Heaven" is stripped of its bombast, and is set to music which would not sound out of place on an underwater documentary soundtrack; "The Holiday Song"'s lead guitar hook is replaced with festive horns; and "Caribou"'s chimey keyboards and woozy horns sound like a Beach Boys record played at half speed. Nothing on the record is an outright failure, but Black's version of the Kim Deal song "Into The White" does not sound particularly inspired by anything other than novelty, and the jazz/dub fusion on "Where Is My Mind?" already feels dated in spite of being quite pretty.
"Cactus" is the obvious highlight of the album for me, building on the skeletal arrangement of the original with looped backing vocals, a menacing bass chug, and occasional horn stabs. It captures the basic essence of the song, but feels even more desperate in its yearning and masochistic desire. The arrangement evokes a sense of vertigo and delirium, stomach churning neuroses and sweltering heat. It's the closest anything from this record comes to besting the original Pixies recording, and hints at a promising new direction for Black when he resumes his solo career after the current Pixies reunion.
There is an mp3 of cactus on this site but I'm not clever enough as to how to post it here so here's the link for you
http://www.newflux.blogspot.com/ |
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kingphilbert
= Cult of Ray =
USA
356 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 10:46:48
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Awesome. I have been trying so hard to hear anything off of this release and I don't have all the fancy file sharing programs you windows user have to look for them. I really can't wait for this album. Is it still planned to be 2 discs though?
"I mix twinkie's and ding-dong's all the time. In Europe, they call it a Dinkie!" |
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jonathan
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
114 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 10:56:23
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I'm amazed the name Surfer Rosa has been registered so recently to have only made one post!
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Treat yourself - www.blackmarias.com - the best new band in the world. |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 15:03:34
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Do names become available again after being unused for a certain period of time?
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo. |
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jonathan
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
114 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 23:59:31
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I wouldn't have thought so (maybe there's an underscore in there I guess). By the way, really don't like the reworking of Cactus. God how I miss good old fashioned rock 'n' roll as played by Frank, Rich, Dave, Dave and Scott.
_________________________________________________________________
Treat yourself - www.blackmarias.com - the best new band in the world. |
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axel
- FB Fan -
Belgium
101 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 00:50:00
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| me neither. This sounds a bit like a failed experiment to me. If this is the best song of that record, I don't think I'm gonna like it a lot. But I'm gonna buy it anyway. |
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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 00:57:58
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I've been registered for ages - lurking on the board most of the time - the suits at work keep on giving me too much work to post all the time - and no there is no underscore there.
I agree it's not best version of cactus but I like many of you am fascinated by anything Charles/Frank does. |
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The Holiday Son
= Quote Accumulator =
France
2010 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 03:13:54
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No, Cactus is far from being the best FBF song (one of the worst actually).
You'd better look for Caribou, Wave or Into the white... |
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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 03:33:38
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Love love love Cactus done by Pixies - at the Brixton show (04/06) was one that truly stood out for me personally. Just not so sure of this version.
And though both Caribou and Monkey Gone to Heaven (yes, I know controversial, but there you go!) are not my favourite Pixies tracks and very keen to hear the new versions. |
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the thing
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 04:33:19
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The Two Pale Boys stuff is interesting - I've always been keen on "UK Surf" versions of tracks (Gouge, Wave etc), and this takes it a good stage further. Not sure if it bears up to repeat listens, but awesome on first hearing (apparently that's part of the Pale Boys ethos, that a record should be best the first 3 times you hear it, or somesuch)
I only wish that all the songs weren't at the same pace, as I think the Pale Boys bring a lot thats interesting to the tracks, but as a whole the 10 or so tracks get boring listened to as a whole. I can imagine them making amazing b-sides or remixes, but the just dont work as a collective. Oh yeah, and they managed to suck all the joy out of Velouria, which takes a special kind of effort.
 How does lemur fur, reflect the sea? Someone should do tests |
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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 04:44:45
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| Me too on the UK surf stuff - find it all quite refreshing in a Sunday morning kinda lazy way. Can see how a whole album would be a bit much - though that will no doubt not stop me from buying it! |
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Bartholomew
= Cult of Ray =
USA
344 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 08:09:46
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| Considering the usual quality of Frank tunes the song sounds like a bad joke. Maybe part of the delay in releasing the FBF record, is Frank having second thoughts. That's alright, we don't want re-hash anyhoo. Bring on Honeycomb! |
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Conrad
- FB Fan -
Iceland
89 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 08:41:45
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This music does not appeal to me.
You had me at "Los Angeles"
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 09:14:36
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I love Holiday Son with the horns
maybe better than the original!
the other songs
I'm not sure
it's weird!
my dad (who's 51 and went to the pixies with me tuesday) says that he likes the pale boys version even better than the originals!
he's a david thomas/pere ubu-fan
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf" |
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mun chien andalusia
= Quote Accumulator =
Italy
2139 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 10:42:12
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hmmm... someone suggested that the "two pale boys" stuff was leaked just to cover up the real deal, the brand new pixies album that is. it makes sense but even if this is not the case and fbf eventually hits the stores remember that fb himself said in this forum that it will be a weird record destinated to uber fans only. nothing really new, nothing really amazing, just a release for collectionists. i didn't listen to those 10 tracks much because and i didn't like much what i listened but i will buy it anyway.
 join the cult of errol\and you can have a beer\without having to quit smoking
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 20:13:58
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Whoa, that absolutely ruled.
I thought that version of "Cactus" was really cool. And more proof of how little I have in common with so many on this board. I hope no one's having second thoughts about releasing this.
And Frank's "uber fans" comment was in the reference to the b-sides collections (the thread Frank started is still on the top page of this board), not FBF. |
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fumanbru
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1462 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 12:42:40
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i've said this before- i think it's pretty fuckin cool! i was lucky enough to get 10 tracks of fbf and can't wait till it comes out so i can support the artists. some people have said it's a bit of a novelty but i've been listening to it for about 5 months and still very much enjoy it. the songs really bring out frank's vocals.
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/ and I got a free t-shirt with this dude on it." |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 12:59:47
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"Cactus" is the only track I've heard (and the only one I will hear until it's all officially released), but if it's representative of the rest I think FBF could be pretty popular.
But then I have weird tastes and maybe I'm out of touch.
I wonder if this "Cactus" was recorded live in the studio. I know the Two Pale Boys are capable of doing all kinds of odd, expansive things live and I think there are machines that let you instantly "sample" and then echo/loop a sound that just happened (ie. Frank's vocal loops in the song, which sound spontaneously placed to me).
I'm excited. Yee-ha.
Also I'm surprised no one's yet taken issue that that blog dork writing 'the Kim Deal song "Into The White". |
Edited by - Jason on 07/10/2004 13:10:04 |
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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 01:10:25
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| The blog dork has been suitably chastised already - (check the comments section on the post.) And hey I'm relieved I'm not the only one here who's *only* heard cactus. |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 09:13:03
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I don't think this song works at all. I would prefer that he create new work to rehashing of old stuff in an irrelevant manner. Sure experimentation needs to happen to stay dynamic, but everything you do doesn't need to be recorded and sold. I've often felt that FB had a difficult time separating the wheat from the chaff.
If this were Frank Black, I would not be a fan. But the same goes for Bam Thwok. I am just NOT digging the loss of vision and energy.
 RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
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Monsieur
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1688 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 12:15:51
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quote:
Originally posted by apl4eris
I've often felt that FB had a difficult time separating the wheat from the chaff.
I think exactly the same. If you take only the good songs, than his musical career is probably one of the most productive I've ever seen. If you take only his bad songs, you can easily make a couple of really shitty albums.
Art is mainly about choice and removing stuff. During the Pixies period, he seemed to understand this very clearly. No solos, short straight-to-the-point songs... It is less the case now.
I don't think his lack of commercial success comes from the fact his music is too sophisticated. Perhaps he should sometimes respect his fans a little more. |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 13:44:19
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| It's an 'interesting' piece of work yet I certainly wouldn't listen to it for pleasure :( |
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langdonboom
= Cult of Ray =
USA
260 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 13:46:24
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Hmmm, I can't disagree more. If FB can't separate the "wheat from the chaff" then neither can I. I find even his 'weakest' songs to have life, authenticity, and a genuine energy that much modern music lacks. For this alone, I think any concentration on simple formal or technical considerations of his songwriting is sorta missing the boat. I don't think Art is "mainly" about choice and removing stuff as much as it is the vision of the artist being expressed - sure, content is always contained in something making it what it is, but for me FB's bread and butter is his heart and soul. Even when its a 4/4 rock song he rises above. And I think somewhere in there is the reason his commercial success isn't what you might expect it to be (though I think it says more about the music-industry and music-buying populace than about FB himself).
Alienation confers freedom. Obscurity will keep you pure. Pray that you won’t be discovered young, so that you won’t be tempted to sell out early, or won’t be seduced by celebrity.
--THE PATH OF THE ARTIST |
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Monsieur
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1688 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 12:05:35
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Come on, langdonboom, do you truly think that a song like Dance War is above "modern music"? I prefer Kylie Minogue to Dance War.
Michelangelo, when asked about his statue of David, said "I took a block of marble and removed everything that was not David". What about Charles removing what is not Frank? |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 12:30:39
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| I like "Dance War". |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 12:58:25
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that's exactly the problem jason!
Lot's of people hate Dance War
and then some people like it
for an artist it's almost impossible to decide what's great
and what's less great
it's even harder to think about what the crowd would like
and I guess Frank just don't care about it anyway
('you don't have to buy any of my records')
about the two pale boys stuff
some people like that better
and don't forget that it will be on an album
with pixies demos on it
it's not a real album or stuff
just some weird compilation
Frank being a fan of David Thomas/Pere Ubu
obviously enjoyed the session
and I believe you can hear that too
"I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf" |
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langdonboom
= Cult of Ray =
USA
260 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 13:20:54
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I like dance war, too.
Let's say that's his worst song. Its still got loads more soul than whatever you'll hear on the radio, including Kylie!! Even the idea of a Dance War speaks to this very issue.
So this just confirms what I'm saying. Its the MAN'S SOUL that is in operation here. Not his musical skills per se. Or his choice of musical genre, or intstrumentation, that I'm really talking about. That's what makes him special in my opinion.
And writing a rock song is not the same thing as carving into marble, to say the least. Vastly different asethetic criteria.
Alienation confers freedom. Obscurity will keep you pure. Pray that you won’t be discovered young, so that you won’t be tempted to sell out early, or won’t be seduced by celebrity.
--THE PATH OF THE ARTIST |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 18:32:44
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quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman
about the two pale boys stuff
some people like that better
and don't forget that it will be on an album
with pixies demos on it
it's not a real album or stuff
just some weird compilation
Yeah, it seems to be a pretty informal sorta thing. And it's not like the FBF project happened because Frank couldn't come up with new songs. Ya'll heard of HONEYCOMB, right?
Maybe he didn't feel the old demos held up on their own so he wanted to spice it up with some new recordings (but keeping with the Pixies theme) to make it more worth the money. I probably wouldn't buy old demos (just like I didn't buy that Purple Tape thing from a few years ago). But with these brand new takes thrown in, I will buy it.
And between Frank and the Two Pale Boys there's probably lots of mutual respect (they played on Show Me Your Tears) and, because of the unique way they work, they'd certainly bring a fresh take to the old material and thus a collaboration happens.
MAYBE that was the thought process. I'm only speculating.
Frank's the best. Excluding the odd pushy autograph seeker, I think Frank respects his audience just fine. We get something new nearly every year. Not many musicians do that. |
Edited by - Jason on 07/13/2004 18:41:03 |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 23:53:07
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amen, jason
"I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf" |
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the thing
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2004 : 02:11:27
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quote:
(they played on Show Me Your Tears)
Didn't know that Jason - which tracks in particular?
How does lemur fur, reflect the sea? Someone should do tests |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2004 : 09:31:24
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Probably only Scott Boutier or Puppaduck (aka Ben Mumphrey?) could answer that.
I believe that echo park guy mentioned Keith Moline playing on "Manitoba", but I'm not 100% sure. |
Edited by - Jason on 07/14/2004 09:32:21 |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2004 : 09:38:16
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if that "cactus" is typical of the rest of the stuff on that FBF album i hope it never sees the light of day...
t'would be a shame....
hope its a big frank joke... just to tease us |
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n/a
deleted
4109 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2004 : 11:26:02
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I can´t find anything, can anyone explain me better what is this all about? I just came from hollidays and read this, can´t understand where I can find this stuff!!
... I´m learning!... |
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theFILLshow
- FB Fan -
Canada
65 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2004 : 18:49:06
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I've got 10 songs that were done with the pale boys. I found "the Holiday Song" is well done, while some others like "Caribou" just plain out bore me.
_____
http://ww.hotncold.vzz.com
I'm a man of, constant sorrow.. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2004 : 08:20:37
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| There was a little thing on Irish TV channel RTE's teletext the other day, on the entertainment page, about Frank Black Francis and Honeycomb(seems the success of the Pixies tours have raised FB's profile a little, too-his own futeure projects are getting mention everywhere). I hav'nt heard any of the 'reworkings' with Two Pale Boys, and it's gonna be interesting to hear FB's new versions. Is'nt the first CD of FBF going to contain pre-Pixies demos? |
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look what I found today! Yay
