Teenager Of The Year

Why…

Liked it a lot, gonna listen again.

There's some good stuff here, but just because a CD can hold more than an hour of music doesn't mean it has to. Might have been stronger if someone had taken Frank aside and insisted they cut 20 minutes.

3.3

Listens: 2.5 Standout Tracks: Headache, Freedom Rock Goofy fucking album cover combined with obscure artist name (Frank Black == Black Francis) made me extremely skeptical. After a few listens I can say that this is just middle of the road. The alternative/grunge rock scene is well on its way by 1994 and so there are plenty of other acts I could listen to instead of this. It's hard to stand out. The album suffers from being far too long for most of the tracks to have any impact on the listener.

dense double album here. good mix of songs, but this is all Frank Black 100%. solid top to bottom

I enjoyed listening to this album and it led to a day of listening to punk from the era. Good times and a good representation of the era.

Description littérale de mid

Guitar that tears through walls and songs that get you up and moving

The beginning for me was like „that could be a huge let down”, but it wasn’t! I’ll be back to this record.

Гипертрофированно раздутый и не особо интересный сольный альбом вокалиста The Pixies. Но все не так плохо, хотя конечно и очень далеко от хорошего

That was a lot of very jangly loudness and shouting.

I don't know that this is essential, or even Frank Black's best album, but it is thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless. For the uninitiated, Frank Black (or Black Francis, depending on the era) is best known as a load bearing member of Pixies. To get the biggest "problem" out of the way, this list has *at least* two Pixies albums, on which is the bulk of Frank Black's best material. It makes the inclusion of this just feel sort of bizarre. It's also a little long for thr kind of album that it is, and there are some inessential songs here. But I would say that, approximately, the first, third, and fourth quarters of this album are really good. It feels like Frank is experimenting with any idea a little too weird or uncharacteristic to be on a Pixies album. But it gives these songs a lot of range, from really odd textural experiments, to straight punk moments, to effective, but ultra straight forward alt rock songs: even an odd moment of reggae on Fiddle Riddle. Teenager Of The Year ends up an album with an identity of it's own, even if this identity isn't quite as compelling as that of Pixies. Some of my favorites here are the first three songs, Two Reelers, Olé Mulholland (which is the song here that probably feels the most "Pixies"), and The Hostess With The Mostest. My only other comment is that I could do with a little more delivery that reaches the manic, fevered energy of his performances in Pixies. But he is still compelling, and it *is* kind of neat to hear him in a different mode for much of this. Like I said, the result is compelling, and very enjoyable, just maybe not essential.

I don’t think this album is anything special either. One star...

fav songs: sir rockaby boring, messy, filler 20/100

Not terrible but nothing stands out.

I once had an interview with Frank Black, such a great guy. A bit shy. We talked about getting divorced and favourite Bob Dylan albums. How can you not like the man and his albums?

boring rock music

Another long, loud, incoherent, nondescript British album. Pass.

Obviously Frank Black has a lot of my love and respect as a member of Pixies, who I love deeply. Frank Black on his own though, yeah I don’t know. 22 tracks is a whole lot of tracks, especially when they’re not that varied so they blend together, and you’re sort of feeling you could have been done halfway but there’s a daunting list of more songs to go through. It’s also, for as much as I enjoy Frank Blank’s penchant to play with pop in form and spirit and all that, I inevitably miss the additional layers you got from a band project rather than a solo one. Basically it’s a miss for me, but it’s fine, I’m still excited for more Pixies to come round.

I can’t sit through this. Buts are good, but in parts I just want to shut it off.

This was a very interesting album. I could certainly sense the influence of early grunge and hard rock.

After weeks of not discovering anything I like from this list, I was blown away by this.

While I can say that this album doesn't have any bad song, and certainly does have some great moments, it has too much material. I really liked the energetic and close to punk side of this album. Songs such as the intro "What Ever Happened to Pong", "Freedom Rock", "Two Reelers" and some others are super fun to listen to. What is not so fun is the other mid to slow tempo alternative rock tracks that don't do anything that I think is interesting nor impacting, making them feel more like filler. At least Frank Black's voice is very unique and nice, and he can compose some catchy melodies, but is not like he can make every song memorable. Besides, there are also some weird moments that are worth pointing out, yet not anything that made my experience better. Some of these moments are mostly strange sounding instruments inside some songs, but there is also the Dub inspired "Fiddle Riddle", which I believe it may be one of the weakest spots. So when I said "worth pointing out", what I tried to say is that there is some experimentation, nothing more. Either way, I think the project as a whole is decent. The last bunch of songs being frenetic leave a nice aftertaste that saved the LP from getting tedious and getting a bad score from me.

Listen again

Wait this is awesome

This album is very fast paced and has some fun licks; the drummer is completely locked in and this could be really fun workout music. However, none of it feels memorable enough to make me want to listen to more music by Frank Black.

A fun listen. Classic Frank Black chaotic rock and roll.

Album Cover: 1/5 Best Track: Headache Frank Black of the Pixies. Heard this album a few times and it's fine. Maybe someday, I'll get into it further. 3.5/5

I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t that. 90s covers and music is an absolute black box. Great stuff though. A bit long.

The epitome of a 3 start album. Consistently ok to good. Nothing offensive but nothing stand out

The definition of a completely average album. Nothing that’s overly offensive or bad, but a real lack of differentiation or exceptional qualities too. I thought musically it was pretty cool in spots, but there was a real lack of quality or memorable songwriting. Not something you’re gonna turn off necessarily, but I don’t feel like I’ll remember a single track tomorrow.

Not worthy of this list. When I listen to Frank Black - solo or Pixies - I hear a talented musician who can't get over himself enough to make the great music he is capable of making. At least the Pixies offset or obscured his worst tendencies - insincere/sarcastic, overly referential, and generally too much from the thinking brain and not enough from the feeling brain. A crime against the muses. Musical cowardice, if I were feeling mean. I am reminded of a friend who once described another musicians' playing as having a yellow streak running down its back. The kindest thing I can say is that I would be genuinely interested to read Frank Black's own review of this album rather than listen to it. It's also at least twenty minutes too long. I couldn't even finish it, I got so annoyed with the Citizens Band song. (In a crow's caw) Fuck off! Fuck off! Put differently, He also sounds a bit like an ahole who needs a hug. But I don't want to hug an ahole. Or at least not this ahole. This album makes me want to wear a t-shirt that says I'd rather be hugging Beethoven.

Nice to get a Frank black solo album, and one that's apparently considered his best solo effort. I happen to own a much later Frank Black album that I've enjoyed over the years, "Fast Man Raider Man", and I was kind of hoping this one would have a similar mellow vibe, but this is definitely more active and eclectic and retains a lot of his Pixies-era riffs and style. I'm not entirely sure it needs to be an hour long, but I enjoy his music much more than a number of other 60-minute-plus albums we've gotten in the collection, so it's definitely not a hardship. My favorites are probably the ones that evoke the Pixies--"Callistan", "The vanishing spies", his single "Headache" (with a great video)--as well as the mellow "Sir Rockaby" and "Fiddle Riddle". I also enjoyed the overall quirkiness of the album, down to the Jonah-Hill-impression photo on the album cover (and the album title apparently was a real award that 1970s Frank Black/Black Francis/Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV received in high school from the Westport (MA) Kiwanis Club). (Start with "Fiddle Riddle")

Headache's a good tune and the rest sort of meanders by--this album is okay.

An up and down 90 rock album

Cool album, but it ran a little long

Putting out 2 records within a year of his old band going on hiatus, no one could ever accuse the former Pixies frontman of being lazy. Clocking in over an hour and containing 22 tracks, there is no reason for this thing to be as long as it is. There is brilliance scattered throughout, with Frank Black getting a chance to show off a more melodic style of songwriting than what you can expect to hear on a Pixies record. He embraces unique chord changes and synthesiser to complete his sound. There's a really great record in here if he was willing to trim the fat. Instead it just sounds like Frank just threw every idea he had onto the record.

*Solid 90s indie rock with unique vocals

So many matchless tracks. Not many songs i like better than Calistan. Tonally it's a little all over the place, but 4.5.

Frank Black can do no wrong in my eyes.

Dude sure knows his way around a tune. I don't know why I don't listen to this one more.

Not sure why this was included, other than his time in The Pixies, but it’s pretty good. Decent amount of variety on this album but doubtful I would listen to it again.

a compilation of men banging their instruments and screaming

Finally listening to this for the first time. Thanks, list! I say this as someone that had listened to the Pixies' first 4 albums + EP over and over again. If anything, it confirms how much of the brains and heart of Pixies was with Frank Black/Black Francis. The first side of this album is like a more rocking version of the band overall, with really melodic to aggressive guitar riffs. At first I thought Joey Santiago was on most of these - which would be cheating, I suppose - but it's actually mainly Lyle Workman, who's done a lot of interesting work, from Jellyfish to Rundgren to Sting and a basically every soundtrack for Judd Apatow's films. This makes sense, seeing as Black has quite a lot of diverse influences, which would be the bane of later albums. Here, it shines in a fun, weird, playful way. I'm impressed how every song is quite different here, from soft rock ballads to angry rockers. He really used this to showcase his vocal talents, from poppy singer to crooner to screamer. I would say that it starts to run out of gas a bit by "Olé Mulholland" and sound more like Pixies B-sides. I'll give it 4 to 4.5 for the first side, 3 for the second half, so 3.5 overall.

Wild!

I like this album more than I thought I would, but it is an odd one. I don't know where it falls in the Pixies/Post Pixies/Alt timeline, but I feel like you're getting a post Pixies recording epilogue with a dash of quirky enthusiasm.

Huh. I listened to this one on my own about 3 days ago. I love this record. It’s not a front-to-back masterpiece, but that’s only because Frank Black isn’t the best at self-editing (as evidenced by this record’s hour+ runtime; at least 15-20 minutes of this record could have been trimmed off and it would’ve tightened up the whole thing). But it still rules and I listen to it somewhat regularly. 8.5/10

Actually enjoyed this

Not bad! First few songs were very mid but it got better!

Est-ce que Robert Dimery sait qu'il existe autre chose que du rock, comme musique, dans le monde ? Non parce que je commence à croire qu'il a fait les fonds de tiroir pour compléter sa liste et qu'il n'avait rien de plus original que ça. Depuis le début, la très grande majorité des albums que j'ai trouvé osef de la liste sont les albums de rock. Et celui-ci vient gonfler cette liste. Déjà, en voyant la pochette ce matin, je me suis dit que ça avait l'air quand même sacrément nul. Et en plus, le truc dure plus d'une heure, ça craint non ? Mais bref, je me suis mis l'album et au début, je me suis dit que c'était vraiment pas mal, finalement. Mais pas assez pour tenir une heure. En regardant un peu les avis sur Rate Your Music, je vois que les gens ont plutôt l'air de trouver ça cool, certains l'adorent, même. Et ils parlent de l'énergie, du côté loufoque des paroles, ce genre de choses... mais moi, rien de ce que j'ai entendu ne m'a vraiment parlé. Et quand je vais sur Wikipédia, pour essayer de capter quelques infos et comprendre pourquoi cet album figure ici, je n'ai aucune explication. C'est apparemment l'un des albums les plus populaires de Frank Black, qui est un membre des Pixies (je connais de nom, seulement), mais guère plus. Je ne comprends pas pourquoi ça a été inclut dans la liste et je trouve que cet album n'a strictement rien de spécial. C'est du rock alternatif de base, vaguement foufou, mais pas assez pour retenir mon attention. Et ça commence à devenir pompant, les albums osef, j'en ai eu beaucoup, ces dernières semaines.

Perfectly serviceable for miscreants and misanthropes, the dastardly and deranged, the ill-humored and delirious. I currently identify as a deranged, delirious misanthrope.

It was OK. I caught wind that the legendary Kylee Fernholz has been reading our reviews and now my mind is at a total loss for what to put here. High 2

This one is pretty good in general, just too damn long. There's plenty of listenable tracks, and probably even an album's worth of them, and then it just keeps going.

interessanter Rock Sound und Lieder die einen gut mitziehen. Kannte den Typen vorher gar nicht

Was für ein Durcheinander. Gefühlt alle Genres in einem Album. Gut und schlecht gleichzeitig

Gut, aber zu lang. Dafür nur 3 Sterne

some cool groovy stuff on this, and some of it i just found a bit boring, found myself counting down the songs in the second half, maybe i'll listen again at some point idk

Pretty good. This kind of rock not really my thing

admittedly havent listened to the whole album yet but i can say with full confidence my next washing up session is gonna be groovirini

Quite the romp.

Interesting mixture of genres. Would have benefited being slightly shorter though as it did outstay its welcome a little bit. The album cover was mildly amusing though.

As a fan of Pixies, unsurprisingly, I thought this was largely great, hooky, catchy, and slightly off-kilter. The problem though is the length of the album and quantity of tracks - this could easily have been two superb shorter albums but in one sitting, it just feels too much and outstays its welcome. Probably could have been two 9/10 albums, but by cramming all in one, it feels like an overall 8/10.

Love the Pixies, this is missing something. Still had a lot of the quirk, and lots of very similar sounds... but it just doesn't hit as hard as the best Pixies album. Plus, wayyyyy too long. Headache is an all-timer, though.

Never heard this before, pretty fun!

I did not particularly enjoy this.

Not quite a 1/5 but did not enjoy it that much

Initially I liked it. Felt like solid grunge-adjacent stuff, but punkier. As the album went on I got impatient. I’m giving it a 3 because there were some good parts of go back to, but it overall felt a lil imbalanced.

Yea ok, not running it back

My name is Chip and I’m different

3.5/5

Dużo dużo dużo piosenek ale wsm spoko

Songs were short, simple but fun and very interesting. Would listen to more.

It was a unique album and different vibe than the Pixies which I appreciated.

Pleasantly surprised with this one. I see double album and usually cringe but I'm digging this. It has a J Mascis/Dinosaur Jr. thing going on that appeals to me. A little long but solid all the way through.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

some nice melodies

While it’s not The Pixies it’s still got a similar favor while being its own thing.

It was fun but just not my thing.

Almost The Pixies. 6/10

This took more than one listen. Dismissive perhaps but initial reaction was mid, mid-90s indie music…we already have/had a lot of that. Repeat listens help me appreciate it more but not enough to put into loved it category. SNS. 3/5

Headache is good

The cover looks like Tony Soprano saying "boi"

Good album

Really fun the whole time even though it's way too many songs - energy stays high and he manages to keep things interesting with unexpected rhythms and chord changes even though it's basically 22 two minutes songs with similar style. Hard to separate this from the Pixies narrative though it feels like a divorced dad making a hateful dinner at times. But damn dad can cook.

Some classic early 90s alternative. I've heard enough.

Liked this a lot actually

FB/BF’s trajectory has similarities to Steve Malkmus’: both were the main songwriters of beloved bands that made noise into pop, both went on to put out solo/new-band albums that feel like MOR-versions of what captured their audiences, and both have fallen back to the reunion nostalgia circuit to some extent. Maybe they pinned down the parts that everyone said they loved and burnished out the messy bits that engendered surprise and giddiness. I am more MOR with age. This record has not been indispensable over our hiatus, but I’ve returned to it out of fondness rather than duty over multiple days. Solid set of songs here, Black’s ambient weirdness present and incorrect. “(I Want To Live On An) Abstract Plain” is a fine title to a fine concept beneath a fine song. It’s not alone: the album’s frontloaded with more trad post-Pixies tunes, but the mixed bag that follows is never less than peculiar. “Calistan” is radio fodder in the best sense. “Fiddle Riddle” is a bad song that I don’t skip. “Headache” is perfect filler for a road trip mixtape. “Ole Mulholland” could have patented indie disco if it didn’t treat its inventions like a joke. Francis B was working stuff out, and this might be the Platonic ideal of an indie-Mark Knopfler album. Welcome back Simon! Hope you’re feeling more Power Pop than MOR!

Ignored by me in 1994, this is equal parts Trompe Le Monde-level throwaways and quirky Stooges-ish riffings. Not bad, too long.

Oh, this tricked me into going in with an open mind. I hate The Pixies. But I didn't recognise the name. My optimism lasted about 20 seconds. Then I began to dislike the odd chord progressions, the overly jolly basslines combined with everything else trying to sound edgy and mean. And then I looked him up. AARGHHH. Look, I don't know why I hate this guy's music, okay? I like indie, I like rock, I like grunge. My contemporaries generally rate him. Even David Bowie liked The Pixies. It really seems to be just my ears' personal response. They're like, nope, wrong chords, nothing remotely appealing here, make it stop. I listened. I did not enjoy it.

Not bad had a little bit of a pixies thing at some points

Had a negative bias going in. Not sure why. Maybe because I’d heard some solo Frank Black or Black Francis in the past and it just wasn’t as good as Pixies so I just wrote it off. I don’t know. Regardless, I endeavored to give it a fair shake. Glad I did. This is a really good record. Of course a lot of it has a Pixies vibe (especially the first few tracks), but it also stands on its own. Black plays with some other genres, even a little reggae on Fiddle Riddle, and some poppier tunes too. The album is long but it held my attention and I even listened a second time. Just good indy rock with Black’s signature vocals.

demasiadas canciones y casi todas iguales es un 2.8. con menos canciones tal vez un 3.5

Every song was just okay, not great or bad.

absolut null

I love the Pixies but going to have to say I think this sounds like some random collection of Pixies b-sides or demos that didn't quite make the cut. It's far too long at about 22 songs over 70 odd minutes and a bit of a mess. I'd have included Frank Black's double album instead, one disc is early acoustic Pixies demos and one is Pixies' classics radically reinterpreted. That's an album to listen to but thus one is 3 stars.

There are some good songs here but why is it sooooooo long? Frank Black/Black Francis was the main songwriter in the Pixies, so he doesn’t even have the George Harrison excuse of previously being sidelined by his bandmates. Basically, there’s a great 12-track album in here fighting to get out.

I liked this at first, and it started somewhere between 3.5 and 4. However, I lost interest as it went (it’s another long album). I hadn’t heard of Frank Black; apparently he was involved with The Pixies, and I can see similarities between them. I really do think this had a lot of potential, but there’s plenty of excess that should’ve been trimmed, and the whole thing suffers for it. Favorites: Whatever Happened to Pong?; Freedom Rock 3

didn't mind this. probably wouldn't listen again

Couldn’t finish it pretty mid , may retry

Maximalist indie with a lot going on but I couldn't help feeling Frank's vocal was the weak link. Also despite everything, I didn't find much to latch on to

Honestly, just a fine alt rock record from Black Francis here. Feel like I prefer the stuff he did with Pixies. Might just be me, but we already have too many Pixies albums on the list (I'd cut Bossanova). Don't think we need a solo Black Francis album, even if it is good. I'd rather have seen an album from The Breeders (Pod or Last Splash) than this.

This album was a year long

its a 2.5/5 sorry frank, sir rockaby is really good! Very few of the songs ended in a place where I felt much from them. There are a ton of moments that were great but they're scattered into songs that cherish them for far too short. I just dont think I get this album, sorry for yuckin yalls yum. It feels like a half-baked Ween album.

I've never really been a fan and an over long double album full of things nobody needs to hear only confirms my prejudice.

Teenage me would have been obsessed.

This was 100% completely fine

Well, that was not Pixies, but it was pretty good. The only problem was, nothing really stood out. Maybe I will revisit this album someday.

what can i say, i really just prefer him in the pixies. not like this is bad, its pretty inconsistent and definitely bloated tho. favorite tracks: (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain, Headache, Two Reelers, Olé Mulholland, Fazer Eyes, Superabound, Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band

My favorites are "Whatever Happened to Pong?", "Freedom Rock", "Two Reelers", "Big Red", "Space is Gonna do me Good", and "Pie in the Sky" ❤️❤️❤️ SO GOOD!!!💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

This was a pleasant surprise. It definitely wasn't the Pixies, but it was its own thing, so that's pretty cool. This album didn't need to be 18 songs long....8 would have been more than enough. "Abstract Plain" had a great bass line that made the whole song better. "Pong" was a bizarre way to start everything off, but it had a nice hook to it. "Sir Rockaby, "Superabound" and "Big Red" also really stuck with me. The rest of the tracks didn't really stand out from each other.

Alrigth wtf is this bullshit again. One of the worst cover ive ever seen with one of the weirdest name for an album Ive ever read. And ofc its an hour long album. "HeY lOoK aT uS wE mAkE wEiRd MuSiC" This shit sucks. But you just dont get it !!11!111!1 Its not suposed to be good its supposed be fun !!!1!11!1! Yeah im having a ton fun listening to basically a teenage band jam session with the most annoying vocalist known to earth. All the """"""""fun""""""""" wears out prety quickly. The songs starts to sound the same and it gets incressingly more annoying with each passing second. Hitler/5 (ITS ASS)

Some great songs. 3.5

What amazing songwriting on this thing! I had heard the name "Frank Black" but never thought much of it... until now. This album is amazing. Every song feels like it has been meticulously crafted. The musicianship is on point, and fitting to each composition. There were countless times when I caught myself thinking "oh that was really cool that they just did that right there". The whole album is like that. It's a rare occurrence that you get the trifecta of expert level musicianship, songwriting, and lyricism all at the same time. Even after one listen I can tell that this is going to be one of my long lasting favorites.

Overall I'd still rather listen to Surfer Rosa or Doolittle but by the end I didn't hate it I guess.

Borderline Unlistenable.

Had its moments, kinda meander-y

Grew into this after initially dismissing it, Actually thought it was pretty good and brand new to me

2026.06.29.

7/10

Okay, we've got another solo album from a band member on our hands today. Here we have Teenager of the Year, the second solo album from Pixies frontman Frank Black. I like me some Pixies every now and then. Granted, I still haven't gotten the band's "masterpiece," Doolittle, but I liked Surfer Rosa and Bossanova a good deal, so my opinion of the Pixies is rather positive. Is my opinion of Frank's solo stuff just as positive? No, but it's certainly not negative. I like this album, but it does have some flaws. I might as well address the biggest ones right now. This thing is too long and the pacing isn't great. I don't think this needed to be 22 songs and I enjoyed the first few songs on the album considerably more than the last few. I was ready for the album to end by the time I was reaching the final few songs on the album. But, the music behind the album is actually quite good. I mean, nothing on here is even close to the best Pixies songs quality-wise, but there's some nice songs here. "Headache" is pretty good. Frank's voice works on some songs, but I'm not huge on his delivery for some others. The writing has its moments, but isn't particularly interesting for much of the album. The music is all good though. Overall, Teenager of the Year is a good project that I would recommend to big Pixies fans, but it's not really an essential listen for anyone outside of that demographic. It's still a good time though. High 3/5. 100 albums remain!

The cover to this album always bothered me. Today I learned Frank Black is the lead singer of the pixies, cool! This was pretty cool and definitely ahead of its time. There were some sounds in here I would have expected to hear in the late 90s, not in 94.

It’s still good, still Pixies-y, but holy, 22 songs is a lot. Solid record if the track list was cut in half.

I really like this album, 4.

I had this album when I was younger. Now, it’s just way too long to keep my attention. I’m more of a fan of his work with The Pixies.

There are some great Pixies songs. Generally, I feel I am “on the side” of Kim Deal and The Breeders. I listen to that one Breeders album a lot more than any Pixies stuff. Frank Black seems like an odd fellow. And sometimes that oddness is channeled into eccentric greatness and sometimes it just seems to be an odd man trying to do a very normal bland song and succeeding. And such it is here. There’s some interesting moments, but overall it’s just okay.

This is another very hard album for me to rate. It has so many really great songs, and I honestly wasn't expecting that, but it's also way too long and not cohesive, which makes it feel bloated - or just like a compilation - which is how I had to approach it, in the end, to make it make any sense to rate. I settled on a 4 due to the fact that I still find it so impressive that Frank Black can just put out 22 songs of this caliber that may have been more under The Pixies but still are, in their current state, better and more creative than so many songs by other rock bands/artists.

Until I got the connection link to "The Pixies" I thought I've never heard of this guy before. Musically almost my jam, but the vocals are not always my favour. Weak three stars for the teenager of the year. 2,5

I quite enjoyed this though it wasn’t universally brilliant. Maybe another one of those albums that would have benefited from being 30% shorter.

Surprisingly fun and versatile good work Frank

ugh

This album was a surprise. Never heard of Frank Black, so, naturally I wasn't expecting much. There wasn't one cut I didn't like. This one would be worth adding to the collection.

Love the Pixies but have never listened to any of Frank Black's solo work. This was... fine. Was kind of missing the grit that makes the Pixies the Pixies.

ok

This is an alternative album from the mid-90's. It's not terribly interesting. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a

Another one I missed out on and now must listen to repeatedly to make up for lost time.

2.5 - mid city

This man was part of the Pixies?

A very typical Frank Black record. Not bad but after a while it overstays its welcome.

This album list changed how I felt about The Pixies, but I really didn’t like this as much as I’d hoped

muitas bangers

Thoroughly enjoyed this. The opening more frenetic tracks kinda reminded me of something Mike Patton might do. Some of the more Pixiesh tracks such as “…Abstract Plain” felt as though Kim Deal was missing. The whole thing was a bit long and some tracks in the middle lost me a bit, but overall it’s a cool record.

Never heard this before but damn fine!

Быт отвердевшего рокера. Изначальное описание - спокойный и трезвый мерелин Мэнсон научил Кобейна вокалу - показалось чересчур интересным моему другу, а данная рецензия должна описывать противоположное или хотя бы более сдержанное мнение. Назвать этот альбом скучным сложно в любом случае ростки драйва и движения есть, но ощущение что тучный человек хочет танцевать и устает после 3-4 движений. Весь альбом пропитан "инфантильными" семплами, ощущение плюшевости и может быть старых диснеевских мультиков не будет покидать на протяжении всего альбома. Это может понравится но не в таком исполнении и подаче. Мне не хватило как будто всего. Рецензия короткая получилась но зато точная и четкая,ровно так как я хотел описать данный альбом оценка 4,5/10.

This is not a disciplined masterpiece. It is too long, too restless, too packed with ideas, and occasionally too pleased with its own weirdness. It is also one of the best post-band identity records ever made because the excess is where the life is.

Nothing against Frank it just wasn’t a vibe

Low-key really liked it- will return later with favs and such, im busy!

Hadn’t heard of Frank before. Not sure I’ll be seeking out the rest of his work.

Never have been a great fan of The Pixies, and this hasn't altered my view.

The wrong side of the alternative line

Like the bastard offspring of Lou Reed and The Fall. Knocked my socks off from the get go, even though it's quite a lot to swallow. Sadly, the wife's socks remained very firmly on so it's a headphone listening day for me. An on-rotation-of-the-best-bits 4*

In this project I am stuck in mid season. And this was just there in the mid range, at times interesting and mostly okay.

As an album, this is too many songs. I prefer it broken down into 4 EPs of 5 or 6 songs each. I think the album starts off pretty good with some rock'n songs. I loose interest in the middle. They aren't horrible but they don't especially grab me. Then it gets good again at the end. I like Pixies and I like Frank Black. As a Pixies fan it's hard not to compare it so I try not to do that. As a solo artist, he still has good songwriting and I like his lyrics. The guitar work is pretty cool and I like what he's done with keys.

There's a lot going on with this album but I thought it was pretty cool and creative and a rockin' good time.

Terrible album cover but good album

I can barely handle The Pixies as it is, and now I have to listen to same old stuff. Why even go solo?

i like it. perhaps a bit too long, but maybe not. the variety is good. interesting from the perspective that you can really here what the other members of the pixies were bringing to the band - it wasn’t just francis.

He had so many good ideas on this album but most of them felt unfinished. If he fully fleshed out some of these he would've had enough material for two good albums instead of one half-baked and bloated album.

Excellent energy. Never even heard if them before. Thinking the Cramps meets Ramones at the start. Will be back for more.

Fun! But too long.

pa nije mi ovo uopće bilo loše. razmjerno raznovrsno i zabavno, ali trunku predugo, mjestimice jednostavno isuviše generično. sve u svemu, baš za neku trojkastu trojčicu

it's like the Pixies but without the good bits

I like this a lot more than the other Pixie albums that I have received on this list. I think that this is 20 minutes too long but the variety and musicianship save it.

Always want to like this album more than I do....

Definitely pixies adjacent and palpable. Not bad at all. Lots of charm and hugely relistenable for now. But this album is the equivalent of an olympic sport. Once every four years everyone claims to know about shot put. But inbetween its all about baseball (the pixies).

In typical Frank Black fashion, this album is bloated and self indulgent. The first 10 song or so are great, but then it just goes on and on for way too long.

Interesting. I enjoyed it. It’s a bit sprawling and eccentric but there’s some good stuff there.

Started out promisingly enough with some jagged, chaotic energy to the playing for the first couple of tracks, however I quickly lost interest in what followed and it's far too long.

Fine enough rock this does not need to be an hour

There are some good songs, but as a whole it's all over the place in terms of quality. He took every little idea that popped into his head and made a song of it, if there was any sort of filter in place this could've been a lot better

not really a lot to say about this other than it is a lot like listening to the Pixies... all over the place quality wise and as different as every song is at some point they all sound the same. The only problem is this doesn't have the charm that the Pixies as a creative group somehow crammed into their mess. This isn't bad but I don't really ever want to hear it again either. I would 2.49 star this if it were possible.

I'm a fan of the Pixies but I've never listened to Frank Black's solo work. Quite enjoyed it.

6.5 / 10

Meh

I kinda gave up on Frank Black before his solo albums, so I never listened to them, and I didn’t expect much when this came up. It was better than I expected. He’s a great rock singer, and the songs are good. Just lacks the wildness and weirdness of the great Pixies stuff. 3.5/5

2 zvjezdice za ove 22 bezvezne pjesme, mislim da je fer. Ne razumijem poentu ni Pixies ni njega samog, možda mi treba vremena a možda je samo bezveze.

Now why would you make me listen to a solo album of the one guy in Pixies who kills the vibe of their music for me. The music itself on this album is just nothingburger 90s alt rock, not the worst thing I've heard. But there are way too many songs, the album had no business being over an hour long. For that alone I'm giving it a 1/5 because it pissed me off

I don't want to be mean, but it sounds so late 90's rock. Not bad tho 3/5

Not my thing really

A pixies lover, but this album had passed me by. Really enjoyed it, he can still write a catchy tune, and it has the sound I've always enjoyed. I added I want to live, and White Noise maker onto my playlist

Liked the opener.

Por momentos insoportable, por momentos bien. 2/5

Sounds like a lot of alt rock form the era, nothing special.

3.5

I expected a level of quality from Frank Black, which this did deliver. However, I'm not sure it was the wisest move to make an album of quite samey power pop into a double album. It's all pretty good but it does lose its flavour after 45mins or so.

This one was always featured in the BMG catalog. 3.5

Much too long, but some gems on here.

I'm aware of Frank Black, and recognize this album cover, but I don't think I recognize any of these tracks by title, and this is my first time listening to this album. Yeah, this is some really enjoyable 90s garage rock. I think I'll add this to my listen of albums to listen to again.

Well, I really like this. Double albums are hard. This one had a lot of variety but still maintained a level of quality across all songs. I really only know one Pixies album, Doolittle, and Nothing by Frank Black alone. That was happily surprising and will definitely listen again.

What? This album, Tenacious D, and Jumanji? This guy is everywhere. Ok, different Black. Strong album. Nothing that really spoke to me, but good stuff.

i think this is above average for me but it feels a little too long and a lot of the lyrics are just completely inaudible because they're either drowned out by the instrumentation or are really distorted

90’s Rock ⭐️(I Want To Live On) Abstract Pain

Thoughts I had while listening to this: 1) it's very loud; 2) it's very Nirvana-y; 3) shouldn't this be over by now?; 4) do I...like this? Yes, I think I do. Probably because I like the Pixies. I knew some of these songs, but never listened to the whole damn thing. Anyway....this is a roundabout way to say it's messy but I like it.

I was prepared to dislike this album, but ended up tapping along to most every song.

Everything about this record is fine without being great. Right from the first few tracks I knew that this was going to be bang average, and it's left me baffled as to how it made the 1001 best albums of all time list. The music is completely lacking of any edge or intrigue, and as a result by the time you hit the second half of the album it becomes extremely boring. 4/10.

og chud rock for certified introverts

2.68

Never been a fan. Spending 1h on this was not nice. In all fairness, the music is not bad, it's just boring after a while. 2.5

It’s good. It’s fine. It’s alright.

A total slog. The enjoyable bits (few and far between) were drowned out by the sheer length of this album.

Well apparently the other members of the Pixies are important, especially to the songwriting process.

Pretty good - 3.5

Álbum estupendo de rock alternativo. Frank Black traz elementos variados e continua definindo o gênero. TRI x HBB Kai.

Not bad

I bought this when it came out never warmed up to it.

It's kind of a hodgepodge. I really like the Pixies, and some songs really scratched that itch. It just doesn't have quite the same energy though. It feels less dialed in and cohesive. It's also just way too long of an album. The songs are very short and there's a lot to like in them, but after a while it started to wear thin and got samey.

I pretty much love this version of Frank. Catchy, poppy even, laid back when it should be but never sentimentalizing or predictable. Leads when you ought to have a lead to wake things up. This is smart.

Makes me run through all my teenage emotions, the ennui, despair, self-loathing. Happy it ain’t but I was always a fan of FB.

This could have run out of gas (double albums do that sometimes), but Black brings the goods and produces a consistently solid record. His strange but impressive vocal range matches his sometimes strange musical inclinations, but that's part of what keeps this going. Liked it more than any Pixies album I've heard, so that's something.

There's a lot to take in here, and I didn't fully have the time or the attention span for it. Still, there was a lot to like. This is another album where I'm unsure why I never checked it out before—especially since I dig the Pixies. It gets to be a bit much, since every song is loaded to the gills with kooky slacker irony and droll wit, but at the same time, I didn't hear any duds. So, I guess if you're into this kind of thing, the fact that there's a lot of it isn't a bad thing. It's just a lot to absorb in one listening session and be able to form a coherent take. I dig this more than the final two Pixies albums, so that's cool. I guess I go with a 4, though I could see that rising or falling upon further listens.

Completely unfamiliar with Frank Black. I really liked this. 3.8

Need a to listen to again, but moving swiftly on for now

So far, this is my favorite album I’ve gotten. Long as hell tho. Good 90s alt

Songwriting chops are top notch. Lots of fun ideas, both musically and in terms of concepts for lyrics. Overall, a very good record, though I prefer some of his other solo work and all of the early Pixies records.

Mer Hassan-rock! Här har vi en amerikansk alternativrockare som gärna vill va tuff och rocka. Singeln "Headache" är faktiskt riktigt bra och många låtar ch melodier är betydligt bättre och roligare än föregående LH, men han lyckas misshandla dom å det grövsta med gap, hårdsrocksdist och oklädsam attityd. Marginellt bättre än Pixies

Här finns några guldkorn som Headache, Abstract plain och Sir Rockaby. Alla med väldigt snygga melodier. Men här finns också mycket som bara pågår. Väldigt lång skiva. I alla fall räknat i antal låtar.

Det blir rätt trist när Mr Black maler på i över en timme. Headache är förstås bra och det finns partier i flera låtar som låter helt okej. Samtidigt också en hel del dynga. Vad är Fiddle riddle? Borde det inte finnas någon sort körkortsprov innan du får lova att lägga ett baktaktskomp? En sån här uselhet kan ju nästan leda till vållande av annans död. En tvåa svagare än Norrlands alkoholfri. Nej förresten. Vid närmare eftertanke måste ettan måste trots allt fram.

Ordinär college-rock. Jag tröttnar efter 10 låtar. På tok för långt. Svag tvåa.

A pleasant listen

I was a huge fan of 90s alternative when I was a teenager in the 90s. I like some aspects of this album but not all of them. I love the instrumentals of this a lot. It's what I love about alternative. The vocals are just okay. And the album is really long and the tracks really start blending together. If they took the best half of the tracks and it was half as long, I would probably rate it higher.

This is kind of space out and kind of cool at the same time. Not sure I absolulely love this, but it's definitely good. Probably worth another listen. 4/5.

Definitely his best solo album. But still uneven

I struggled hard to get through this one..

Well, now I know who had all the talent in the Pixies

1994 was the greatest year in music. There are probably 1001 albums from that year that could be on this list This is my favorite album mentioning Parcheesi and now would probably benefit from being shorter but back then, you were getting more bang for your buck with a 22 song album. Not as great as the classic Pixies, but this is was the last great think Frank Black did. Cult of Ray disappointed and its been downhill from there.

I think I've heard a few tracks on this here and there, otherwise not too familiar with the solo career of Black Francis (or rather, Frank Black). Despite the fact that this album runs for over an hour and features some variety, there weren't many strong standouts. You do hear remnants of the Pixies which is nice at times, but still few and far inbetween. "Headache" was really the only highlight.

Sounds so muck like Pixies, yeah cool album, liked it

Not for me, too much whatever it is

Not for me this one

Loved the bratty, playful nature of it with the surfer punk vibes.

Some of this album was really good, but again very long. I think a few tracks could be left off, but if you're a true Pixies fan you'll probably love all of it

good loud sound

Too long and it's definitely one dimensional compared to pixies

Headache is a great song. I had completely forgotten about that one. I remember enjoying the music video for it back in the day.

I’ve always loved this one since high school. It does lag a bit in places, I pretty much always skip Fiddle Riddle, but the majority is stuff I love.

Pixies are one of my favorite bands. I really enjoyed this and am disappointed I had never listened to it before.

Released in May 1994, *Teenager of the Year* is Frank Black's second solo album following the dissolution of the Pixies. What began as an unfocused project born from writer's block evolved into one of the most sprawling, idiosyncratic, and ultimately beloved records of the 1990s alternative rock era. ## The Backstory: An Accidental Masterpiece The album's creation is almost as legendary as the music itself. According to Black, he and his collaborators—core band members Eric Drew Feldman (keyboards/bass/production), Nick Vincent (drums), and guitarist Lyle Workman, with occasional contributions from Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago—kept generating instrumental tracks while Black struggled with lyrics. Producers Feldman and Al Clay, watching the budget drain, wrote their own sci-fi parody lyrics to one piece to horrify Black into action. It worked: Black finally found his motivation and finished the songs rapidly . The result is a 22-track, hour-long album that feels like "browsing a cool book collection"—eclectic, overstuffed, and endlessly rewarding . --- ## Lyrics: The Mind of a Cultural Omnivore Black's lyrics on *Teenager of the Year* are a kaleidoscope of obsessions, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous: **Lowbrow Culture & Nostalgia** - **"Whatever Happened to Pong?"** opens the album with furious punk energy and harmonica, treating the primitive video game with the same intensity Black once reserved for surrealist cinema . - **"Two Reelers"** is a violent punk thrash about the rise and fall of The Three Stooges, celebrating "the freedom of being ridiculous" at a time when alternative rock had grown dour and self-serious . **California as Character** - **"Calistan"** is arguably the album's centerpiece—a song existing simultaneously in past, present, and future Los Angeles. Black cruises through streets that "used to be dirt," imagining a future where California is renamed "Calistan" and the narrator reminisces about "the valley of tar that once was L.A." . - **"Ole Mulholland"** salutes William Mulholland, the early 1900s superintendent who built the Los Angeles Aqueduct, transforming a "sleepy monster in the sand" into a metropolis . **Sci-Fi & Existential Escape** The album doubles down on Black's reputation as "rock's weird sci-fi UFO futuristic dude" : - **"The Vanishing Spies"** mourns the lost Russian space probe Phobos 2. - **"Big Red"** imagines terraforming Mars, complete with bees for pollination, because "we fucked it all up anyway" on Earth. - **"Space is Gonna Do Me Good"** treats interplanetary relocation like choosing a retirement home in Florida. - **"Fiddle Riddle"** adopts reggae rhythms to tell of humanity's extinction from Earth's perspective: "Once stood a man on my face / Gobbled him up 'cause my taste / Leaves nothing to waste" . **Emotional Directness** Amid the weirdness, Black delivers genuine vulnerability: - **"Speedy Marie"** is a straightforward love song to his girlfriend, complete with an acrostic spelling her name in the last two verses . - **"Headache"** distills modern malaise into pop perfection: "Well, I found you / Maybe you can help me / And I can help you." The "you" remains deliberately ambiguous—a person, a project, an idea . --- ## Music & Production: Restless and Refined The sonic palette is extraordinarily diverse. While Black's 1993 self-titled debut established his solo template, *Teenager of the Year* explodes it: **Genre Hopping** The album careens between punk blasts ("Whatever Happened to Pong?", "Thalassocracy"), indie pop ("Calistan", "Speedy Marie"), reggae experiments ("Fiddle Riddle"), country-tinged lullabies ("Sir Rockaby"), synth-pop ("White Noise Maker"), surf-rock, doo-wop, and Dylan-esque enigmas ("Superabound", "Headache") . **The Pixies DNA vs. Solo Evolution** The rhythm section maintains some Pixies propulsion, but Lyle Workman's guitar work differs from Joey Santiago's signature style. Eric Drew Feldman emerges as a "co-conspirator rather than a supporting player," adding spacey synthesizers that connect to his work with Captain Beefheart and Pere Ubu . The result is music that "digs deeper into traditional rock & roll than would be possible with a 'punk' band," with explicit nods to Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan . **Production Approach** Unlike the Steve Albini-engineered violence of *Surfer Rosa*, the production here is polished and expansive—befitting the CD-era budget boom that allowed cult artists to indulge in posh L.A. studios . The sound is "grounded" rather than "manic," letting things breathe instead of summoning "nuclear energy out of every note" . Yet it retains bite: the opening one-two punch of "Whatever Happened to Pong?" and "Thalassocracy" hits like "a twin-barrel explosion" . --- ## Themes: Escape, Identity, and the Weight of Modernity **Escape as Organizing Principle** Nearly every song grapples with getting away—from "Abstract Plain" (where the narrator flees to a destination so undefined it changes daily) to "White Noise Maker" (using synthesized nature sounds to shut out the world) to the Mars colonization fantasies. As one critic notes, "We've fucked up the planet, made it noisy, stupid, corrupt and polluted. We've got to get away, even if it's just in our minds" . **The Teenager as Metaphor** The title references an actual accolade Black earned as a youth, and the album embodies teenage restlessness—trying on different personalities and styles, uncertain which will stick . This explains the stylistic whiplash: it's an artist "trying on different styles to see which one stuck best as a solo artist" . **Silliness as Rebellion** In 1994, when grunge dominated with flannel-clad angst, Black aligned himself with They Might Be Giants and celebrated Larry, Curly, and Moe. "What we need is more silly men," he declares, positioning absurdity as a political act against alternative rock's "decidedly dour aura" . --- ## Influence & Legacy **Critical Reappraisal** Initially greeted with a "curiously icy reception"—critics seemed eager to punish Black for leaving the Pixies—the album has undergone a dramatic reassessment. Black himself noted, "I don't think that in general, I make records that are immediately likable... You just need to listen to it a few times before you can feel the wavelength of it" . Decades later, it's "rightfully recognized as one of the great rock albums of the 1990s" , earning spots on Rolling Stone's top alternative albums of 1994 and Pitchfork's top 100 albums of the '90s . **Cultural Impact** The album's influence radiates outward: - **Geordie Greep** (Black Midi) has cited the opening track as an inspiration . - The album's kitchen-sink approach prefigured later solo projects by band frontmen stretching beyond their original templates (comparisons have been made to Jeff Tweedy's work) . - It remains a touchstone for indie artists embracing eclecticism and cultural obsessions without irony. **The 30th Anniversary** In 2024-2025, Black toured the album in its entirety, including a celebrated Paris show (where "Headache" had been an unexpected hit). The 30th anniversary vinyl reissue on gold double-LP at 45rpm confirmed its status as a physical artifact worth celebrating . --- ## Pros & Cons ### **Pros** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Sheer Volume of Ideas** | 22 tracks that rarely overstay their welcome; over half run under three minutes yet pack full arrangements and quick solos | | **Genre Diversity** | Reggae, country, synth-pop, punk, surf-rock, and Dylan-esque folk coexist without feeling forced | | **Lyricism** | Black's cultural references—Three Stooges, Pong, LA water history, Russian space probes—create a unique worldview that's intellectual without being pretentious | | **Pop Craft** | "Headache," "Calistan," and "Speedy Marie" prove Black could write accessible, emotionally resonant songs without sacrificing idiosyncrasy | | **Production Detail** | The arrangements reward repeated listens; new elements emerge with each spin | | **Historical Snapshot** | A perfect time capsule of mid-'90s concerns—shopping malls, record stores, CB radios, Mars optimism—rendered with personality | ### **Cons** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Excessive Length** | At 22 tracks and over an hour, it can feel exhausting. Many critics and listeners note it "drags on far too long" and could have benefited from trimming | | **Inconsistent Quality** | Not every experiment works. "Big Red" has been singled out as a weaker track, and some listeners find "Fiddle Riddle" or "Ole Mulholland" cullable | | **Fragmented Cohesion** | The stylistic whiplash, while intentional, can feel "all over the place" or "scattered" rather than coherently eclectic | | **Vocal Limitations** | Black's voice—rasping, unconventional—remains divisive. Some find it charismatic; others hear "a guy who can't sing but won't let that stop him" | | **Accessibility** | The density of references and rapid-fire shifts demand patience. It's "not immediately likable" and can puzzle first-time listeners | | **Pixies Comparison** | For some Pixies fans, it feels like "a fading carbon copy" lacking the "power or biting edge" of the original band | --- ## Verdict *Teenager of the Year* is a glorious mess—a double album's worth of ideas crammed into a single CD, reflecting both the excess of the '90s music industry and the uncompromising vision of an artist unleashed from band constraints. It's the sound of Frank Black refusing to be just "the guy from the Pixies," instead embracing every weird obsession that crossed his mind. While its length and inconsistency are legitimate flaws, they also contribute to its charm: this is an album that feels *lived-in*, like a cluttered apartment filled with fascinating artifacts. For listeners willing to meet it on its own terms, it remains, as one critic put it, "an inspiration"—proof that rock music can be smart, silly, sophisticated, and stupid all at once .

Pretty good

kind of annoying and messy in the beginning but it cleaned up. not sure what's so special here though Would I listen again: kind of Deserves to be on this list: no 3.4

It's a shame the singer of this album is the singer of this album. I think this would be phenomenal with a different set of vocal chords. This feels very 90s era background music to alternative grunge coming of age movies.

This sounds very much like it was released in 1994. Crazy grunge harmonica?? "I'll play some pachinko, I play parcheezy" killed me I'm vibing but it's very much like I'm listening to whyte music "Two Reelers" gave me anxiety "Fiddle Riddle" felt like a hate crime Your favorite garage band can't nail a sub genre The longer the album goes on, I feel like I'm actually listening to a film soundtrack but I also don't know what that movie would be.

Blends a lot of genres without being overcomplicated. Very "90s". The lyrics are all over the place which is both good and bad. Just makes it weird. Can't rate this high because as an album it's not good. Too many forgettable songs and not enough memorable songs.

Solid but not mind blowing

All his songs sound like the second half of a really good album to me

Nice

It is totally fine, but his voice doesn’t do it for me.

The former Black Francis proves what was always hidden under the noise of the Pixies. As much as I'll always prefer Doolittle, here the pop hooks are front and center while the rock is faster and heavier. If it were a single album instead of the double album it became, it would absolutely be a classic. Not that there's anything truly awful on the back half, it's just not quite up to the incredible quality of those first nine tracks.

Totally fine

- I expected to be annoyed by this album based on the album cover, and I was! - very long and not very vibey - there were a few fun instrumentals - probably won’t listen again

I appreciate that some people enjoy this album but I am just not there. The instrumental work is shoved to the background so we can listen to fairly unpleasant melodies. Guitar is nice when they use it though Highlights: "Sir Rockaby", "Freedom Rock", "Olé Mulholland"

Favorite Track: Space is Gonna so me Good

Great album cover. Starts off loud and a bit weird for first 3 songs on the album (listener preference sweet spot). First songs are short and sweet and noisy. “Calistan”is a nice unexpected change of pace after first 3 songs, and continues in this different vein with “Vanishing Spies.” Songs are then typically 3 to 4 minutes and less punky. Frank starts off croony on “Superabound”—and kicks into Frank punky / clangy poppier music. “Big Red” includes a bluesy sound, which I like. Album ends with short, sweet, loud songs. Good mix of sound yet cohesive album. Current fave on album is “Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band.”

3/10

Black needed the Pixies but his solo album isn't awful. It just makes you want the chemistry of the band all together as Black does highlight his talent but also what is missing from this music.

Strong opening but lost me quickly after. Dilly and Dally’d. But won me over by the end. Loved the punk rock stuff and was so so on the rest. 6/10

Another 3-leaning-4-star album

I was not in the mood for this.

Very nice. Reminds me Meat Loaf. I don't know why.

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🤴🌹⬜ Production (2025 Remaster): 📈👂😖 Music: ⏳📏😐 Rating: 👑👑/5

Veldig bra album. Likte variasjonen og kretiviteten

There is a lot of interesting stuff here that needs more than 24 hours to process - I'll have to revisit for sure

great record, great sound, great all.

Not very interesting

4.9

Sorprendida completamente, quizá como CD me gustaría tenerlo

Don't have much to say about this one.

fine

Its maybe not as great as Pixies (one of my favorite bands) but retains a lot of their oddbal charm, songwriting, and sound. "(I Want to Live) On An Abstract Plain" is a highlight. Hes an instantly recognizable artist/writer and I enjoy it, but its a little long/bloated.

I've heard of Frank Black because he was in the Pixies (where he called himself Black Francis) but that's about it. Not familiar with his solo work or anything else. After listening 3 times ... Wow - the first song about Pong is horrible. Not a good start. 2nd song - "Thalassocracy" - just a bad. "Headache" - kinda reminds me of the band World Party (in a good way). Was the title for "Freedom Rock" inspired by the old TV commercial from the 80s for the Freedom Rock compilation album with the 2 stoners? "Hey man, is that Freedom Rock? Well turn it up man!" That commercial is more entertaining than this song. This album is way too long. There are 22 songs and pretty much all of them are just as forgettable as the one before. Only song I ended up "liking" is Headache and being honest it's just an "ok" song - it's not a great song by any stretch. I almost liked "Fiddle Riddle" because the music was different but upon subsequent listens the lyrics just seem stupid to me. I tried to get into this - but could not. Just seemed like a bunch of throwaway songs to me. Just to compare to other stuff around this same time ... Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream from the year before (1993) is light years ahead of this in terms of quality music. Even Cracker - Kerosene Hat (also the year before, 1993) is SO MUCH better than this - it's not even close. Same with what Pearl Jam were doing with Vs and Vitalogy, Green Day - Dookie, Soundgarden - Superunknown. Liked songs on Spotify: 1/22 Rating: 1/5

After The Pixies had officially split in 1991 after the band's fourth album Trompe le Monde and the permenant leave of bassist Kim Deal, Black Francis, or in this case Black Frank, wasted no time working on carving out a nice solo discography for himself. I am not going to say nothing notable ever came out of Frank's solo discography, but it isn't nearly on the same level as anything The Pixies ever did during their hayday. This project overloads anyone looking for more of that Black Frank writing with an album full of 22 different Alt Rock songs to feed upon. It sucks that for as much as this album has quantity, there really isn't a lot of quality here. A lot of the songs here feel very same-y and it doesn't help that Frank wants to stick in his specific lane and perfect the sound instead of experimenting more like he really should have. Even for a diehard Pixies fan like myself, this album was a lot to get through. I emplore any of you to not feel the burnout by the end of this project because I had to start and stop this thing multiple times to not get tired of it all. The runtime of 1 hour and 2 minutes isn't even necessarily that long but it feels so much longer due to the one-noted approach to this project. Maybe some of y'all will get a bigger kick out of Teenager of the Year than myself but I personality was expecting a lot more for the one solo Black Frank project that seems to get any sort of recognition.

Very cool.

Nul

Nope, Kinda feel like I'm playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. But a cheap knockoff version.

Didn’t do tons for me. I mean, it’s no pixies. All and all can only go 2.3.

Enjoyable, but overstayed its welcome a bit. I agree with other reviewers that there’s enough good stuff here to be a pretty great album, but it wanders a bit. 6/10 Pretty Good

me gustó el álbum, ninguna canciones decepciona es buen alt rock, algunos temas destacan pero no me acuerdo el nombre. la verdad me esperaba menos

Yep. Decent Finally some consistent days of decent music. All hope isn’t lost

Rock muy noventoso, me dio vibes a Elvis. Me gustó pero igual muy largo flaco ya está callate

Didn’t finish it. Too loudy. I don’t like people screaming thinking they are cool.

I'm very hit or miss with dissonant guitar rock, and my limited interactions with Frank Black have left me thinking of his music as loud, abrasive, boring, and unpleasant. This album was much better than that, and I even liked two of the songs. But I won't be listening to it again.

I actually enjoyed this more than I had expected. A few songs were familiar, but I haven't been a big consumer of Frank Black's solo work. This record confirmed that choice. It's nowhere near as great as the Pixies' stuff. But given how much I liked the Pixies, even being in the neighborhood is a good sign. I do feel like he really misses the other singers because Frank's voice on his own is not the greatest.

During the first song, I googled “Can listening to Frank Black cause self harm”. During the second song, I also put, “Is causing self harm justified while listening to Frank Black.” Then, the third song was pretty good, so I calmed down a bit. This was the definition of an experimental, banger or buns album. Overall, I’d give it a 2.5/5! 😟

👎🏻

Who voted for this idiot and his bullshit album? Hoping it’s an April Fools joke.

Kind of fun

(4/7) a lot of stuff on here. a few good, and the rest fairly average

En un inicio me aburrió un poco, sentí que estaba muy arriba y viendo la duración del álbum pensé "es demasiado tiempo para mantener esta energía". Sobre la mitad, a partir de Headache, empecé a disfrutar más el álbum. De todas formas sigo creyendo que no debería durar TANTO, siendo que en un punto puede volverse un poco repetitivo. Me gustó, no me encantó.

This sucks serious suckage.

It's almost as if this guy took a lot of inspiration from the 80s Collage Rock scene (especially this unknown band by the name of The Pixies)... Guess he will go down in history as a One Hit Wonder. *This is sarcasm

Man I love Frank Black’s solo work. I mean I also love the Pixies but I feel like sometimes the Pixies evolved their style too fast and didn’t linger enough in any one still to get all they can from it. Black’s solo work really works hard to distill great songs from all of the trappings of great Pixies songs - quiet loud quiet dynamics, chaotic sweet melodies, it’s all here wrapped in great songs. So I don’t know about notability and history and maybe you can skip this and listen to the core Pixies work but this is a great album for me.

3/5

A few too many songs. 3.5

There’s a lot of weird choices all over this album, and not in a good way. TLDNF

1.5?

It's an okay album. I'm not a fan of the vocals for the Pixies so I'm not surprised that I also don't care for the vocals here. Some songs are more approachable, other songs are unnecessary. Really don't think the album needed to be over an hour

Not bad alternative

Don't know what to make of this. Not bad but not very engaging either.

Likes: Energy reminiscent of Iggy Pop; fun and quirky vibe; atonal jams Dislikes: nothing in particular, just not my vibe Overall, it’s alright. Very listenable, but didn’t do much for me

Some decent tracks but it's just too long and feels like a bit of a slog in the middle.

Doesn’t really come close to his work with Pixies. Forgettable 90s alt rock.