Dog in the Sand
[Amazon]
Mr. Black has jumped in the way back one
for this one, bypassing the Pixies
and everything else related to it. He's gone back top the day
of The Rolling Stones and
brought it back to the present, even uttering the line "show
me the way to come / zugzwang got me in a way / under my opposing
thumb" in the song "Robert Onion." An ode to
The Stones? Who knows. The sound is rootsy, bluesy pop that
is sparse in parts and features piano/organ flourishes in others,
but is all pretty basic in its structure and presentation. While
it's certainly not going to blow anybody away, there are some
wonderful moments, like the emotional "The Swimmer"
that could certainly make it into a mixed tape or the heart
and mind of a sentimentalist like me. |
Frank Black
[Amazon]
The first solo effort from former Pixies
leadman, Black Francis, finds him trolling through similar neighborhoods
and sounds as the band's swansong, Trompe Le Monde.
The fact that he starts off the album with an ode to my hometown,
Los Angeles, does my heart proud, and he nails it, with a great
mixture of old and new, loud and soft. I miss the great background
vocals of Kim Deal, but Black's bravado and enthusiasm brings
a whole new feel to the table. As with most musical arcs and
solo albums, Black has mellowed with age, but hasn't necessarily
gotten less dirty. This is a very decent solo debut and points
to good things in the future, but Black has to be careful, as
his sound can almost seem like a caricature of himself at times.
That's the worry with any wacky character who develops an alias
for himself, but if he continues down the road of storytelling
rock 'n roll he's established here, things will be cool. |
Show Me Your Tears
[Amazon]
This thing feels more like an album than
Dog In the Sand. The mood is the same throughout--and
that mood is sad. It's all about leaving and drinking and heartbreak.
With titles like "Horrible Day," "When Will Happiness Find Me
Again," and "This Old Heartache" what would one expect? Of course
it's not all somber and gloomy like you'd think, but defiantly
upbeat and bordering on bluesy country. Do we miss the old Black
Francis? Of course we do, but we could do worse than this
new age country troubadour. |
Teenager of the Year
[Amazon]
Despite the creepy cover, you can tell after
the first two tracks that this is going to be a special album.
One album into his solo career and Black has already hit his
stride. The guy ain't hip. He's the geeky music lover's poster
child, but we all love the geeks. He's the guy at the record
store with a Cheap Trick shirt on, and the first pressing of
the Mothership Connection by Parliament
(you know the guy I'm talking about). His music has a kind of
spacey, country rock twang to it. It's a nice step away from
the Pixies, and an introduction to
the goofy world of Frank Black--a world that eventually had
inhabitants like Weezer and Stephen
Malkmus. There are some great, memorable tunes on here--ones
that even rival some Pixies tracks. This is, by far, Black's
best solo effort, and despite being a tad too long, can be listened
to start to finish multiple times without the slightest hesitation. |
Musical Connections:
Black Francis
Pixies
|
Booze
& Grub
Hipster
Movie Reviews
Hipster
Book Reviews