FRANK BLACK

Frank Black is one of my all-time favourites.

The Frank Black and The Catholics self titled album of 1998 has some fantastic riffs, great harmonic lines, brilliant epic moments, emotion, truth, rock’n’roll — and the great Frank on genius vocal. In turn, each of the following could be in my head for days — each one is so honest and catchy.

01 – All my Ghosts (Eb);
02 – Back to Rome (E);
03 – Do You Feel Bad About it (G);
04 – Dog Gone (D);
05 – I Gotta Move (Eb);
06 – I Need Peace (C);
07 – King and Queen Of Siam (E);
08 – Six- Sixty-Six (G):
09 – Solid Gold (E);
10 – Steak n Sabre (D);
11 – Suffering (D);
12 – The Man Who Was Too Loud (F).

I know a lot of reviews that dislike this album, but for me, I cannot see why — even when taken with his other stuff.

Mind you, I adore “Teenager of the Year” — it’s earlier (1994) and nearer what The Pixies were doing.  The tracks were shorter and each one a thing of real beauty.  Taken as a whole album, this is a work of sheer magic.  There are so many idea per liner millimetre of master tape, that it is outstanding.

My girl and I went to see Frank Black live in Edinburgh a few years back, and it was a life highlight.  It truly was one of those nights.

Yet Frank is an ordinary, chubby bloke. I guess that absurdity adds to the mix. Ultimately Frank Black is about making music in the way that you always thought rock music ought to be made.  There is something essential about it, something energetic and live, something raw and powerful, something clever and witty, but in an off-the-cuff and spontaneous way.

[embedded video from YouTube]:

I would have to have Frank Black and The Pixies included in my “Desert Island Discs”; how could one live without a regular fix?

• www.blackfrancis.net
• www.frankblack.net
• www.myspace.com/frankblackisking
• www.last.fm/music/Frank+Black
• www.4ad.com/frankblack

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