Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I don't get it
Lots of musical ideas all smashed together to see what sticks
Hellllllllll yeah, the sort of album that makes me want to write more albums. It’s weird and engaging, emotive and loud. Chord and key changes that just keep coming at you. Lyrics that stay in your ear, in your mind. A great album, Frank Black really is a standout artist. 4.8/5.0 Best Song: Freedom Rock
Good stuff, he has always been such a weird and important force in music, this album really is the best of what he can do. It maybe could be a couple of song shorter? But generally its a great listen. Best song: Headache
6/10
It’s a long time since I’ve heard this. Pretty much what you’d expect from the main song writer of the Pixies but can’t help but feel there’s something missing from the sound and perhaps an indication that major contributions came from other members of his old band. Still if you like the Pixies you’re probably going to like this
Really great double album. Second half not quite as strong as the first maybe, but still has tracks like White Noise Maker buried in there, sounding like the Pixies all over again. I hear a bit of The Fall from time to time too, but with some tighter tunes. 4.5*
Headache is sooo good
I had somehow managed to never listen to any of Frank Black’s solo offering but within the first few seconds I fell in love with this. I’m already looking forward to another listen and to exploring more of his back catalogue.
Most of it was terrible, there were some songs that sounded like the black keys. Smooth and cool, but the rest? Chaotic brainrot
A tight 30 maybe 40 would have really benefitted this bloated album. Started strong but just didn’t keep up.
Half of the songs on here sounded like a comedy rock group's impression of Britpop before it ever came out, and the rest was so bland and generic it left absolutely no impression on me whatsoever. Average as fuck to the point of mediocrity.
This was already obnoxious as fuck and annoying to listen to, but when I saw it had another ten or so tracks to go, I knew this was going to be difficult. There's no reason for this album to be as long as it is. For every moment where I thought 'this sounds neat' there are five more moments where I think 'do I have the willpower to tape a knife to a wall and run at it really fast again and again until I bleed out?'
classic sound, so ehghties
'Well, it isn't so great / Since you learned karate / Chop-chop-chop-chop-chop.' Why I'd be surprised that Black Francis/Frank Black could pull it off as a solo act doesn't quite figure since the Pixies are a generationally great band, but boy does he make it happen on his second solo release. Kookier & yet more sensible than anything he did w/ the Pixies, he at times sounds like C. Beefheart meets Lou Reed meets America, at others like a far more impressive Knopfler, especially on 'Calistan.' But mostly this is just a really fucking good collection of pop-rock songs: whacky b/c that's what it can mean to be happy, to be upbeat, to be optimistic, to be in a good-for-you mood. 'I'm Sir Rockaby / And rockin' I am.' Rockin' he is, & rockin' is right.
You can take lad out of the Pixies, but you can't take Pixies out of Frank Black. As hypnotic, chaotic and random as any of their records, this stands the test with many of them. Frank is clearly having a whale of a time. You might too. One thing though: 22 songs? Maybe a third off and this would have got an extra star.
Some of this is fine, but a lot of it sounds like an uninspired cover band. The vocals feel lazy and end up dragging down tracks that might’ve worked with stronger delivery. It also feels unnecessarily long—22 tracks stretching over an hour is a bit much, and it really starts to wear you down.
MILF (MAN I LOVE FRANCIS)
bon album mais l'intérêt de l'avoir placé dans cette liste j'en suis moins sûr, ça ressemble trop à ce qu'il pouvait faire chez les pixies
I was dreading listening to this but it shocked me a bit in a good way.
Very forgettable
While it isn't a Pixies album it still has the same charm in spots. It also has some flair reminiscent of Elvis Costello in spots and a touch of almost Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet in others. I quite enjoyed the majority of the tracks and will probably listen to it again. Also, just fantastic album art and title. Frank, you fuckin' charmer you.
Favorite tracks: Thalassocracy, (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain, The Vanishing Spies, Headache Has such a great first half, but definitely runs out of steam and does not need to be an hour long for what it provides. It is Frank Black just after the Pixies' prime though, so it can't be too bad.
Jeg sprang hurtigt over så kan ikke give det en ærlig rating - meget alternativ rock
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Takes what the Pixies did and makes it just a little bit more musical which, for me, really works. Slightly overstays its welcome and not all the songs are my favorites, but overall a great listen. Fave tracks: - (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain - Calistan - The Vanishing Spies - Speedy Marie - Headache - Sir Rockaby - Freedom Rock - Two Reelers - I Could Stay Here Forever - The Hostess with the Mostest - Big Red - Space is Gonna do me Good - White Noise Maker - Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band - Pie in the Sky
22 tracks in an hour - it’s a wild ride! Some really stand out, but overall it’s a good album. Favourite track: Calistan
Double albums are hard for me. Probably some good songs here, but a lot of it I found to be boringly competent mid tempo rock. Perhaps this is what wowie Zowie would sound like minus the weed. Could probably be a great single record, but I didn’t finish the back half.
It’s okay. No real standout songs but the playing is good. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
favorites: calistan; headache; ole mulholland;
I typed a really long comment about this album, then lost it when I clicked on the wrong button. I can't be arsed to attempt to recreate the comment, so here's a summary... I was expecting it to be fucking awful based on The Pixies albums I'd had to endure. It wasn't awful, in fact, I enjoyed swathes of it. Knock me down with a feather!
3.5
Fun, Clever, and Witty. They Might Be Giants meets the Pixies.
This is a group of talented musicians having fun together. Every song is solid. I like that the styles vary and yet they all still blend well enough into a album. At the same time, none of them stick out to me as something I need to hear ever again.
Some okay songs but way too long for me. Some of the tracks for very tedious
Rock solid rock and roll. I don't know enough music to understand why but there's something I really like about the rhythm section on this.
Some of the songs I was like this is a masterpiece album and on others I was fighting not to hit the next track button so an album with seemingly all 5 star and 1 star tracks I guess I end up in the middle at 3.
Neat
It's okay. I enjoy the Pixies and this was good, but definitely not stand out. I've had a rash of albums that I don't feel really need to be on this list and this is why. There are three Pixies albums and now this?
I never listened to this. One of my college roommates had Frank's first solo album and it was OK but didn't make me want to check out any more. The Breeders won me in the Pixies divorce. This is OK. It grew on me as it went on. "Freedom Rock" sounds familiar. "Two Reelers" was cool.
Headache
I do not understand how this made it onto the list. Didn’t make my ears bleed but was just meh.
I always avoided listening to this one for some reason but it rips. Much different from the Pixies, the band is much tighter and the songs are structurally pretty straight forward. Love seeing what a music omnivore Frank is/was. He influece is infinite.
Never liked the Pixies, except for Here Comes Your Man. Don't know why, should be totally my cup of tea. A new record to me, except for Headache, which I remember getting played a lot on late-night radio a lot at the time, and is definitely a catchy little treat. The record is clearly an exercise in trying stuff out, with mixed results. The outcome is a perfectly decent set of off-kilter indie rock tunes with a handful of gems scattered throughout. Plus, a few duds - ill-advised reggae is always grating. Also, too long.
Headache was a recovered memory from my hey day of watching 120 Minutes, and that's a great song. The rest was just too much Frank. But not enough for Frank as I see he put out 13 more solo albums out over the next 15 years or so. Whoa man. Not the same without Kim Deal. Speaking of which I'm going to see the Breeders next week which seems like it will be a lot more fun than seeing a Frank Black concert.
Fantastic album. I am ashamed to admit that I was a huge HUGE Pixies fan in the late 80s and wore out Doolittle, Surfer Rosa, Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde CDs. Absolutely loved this band. And then....Frank Black went solo and I just lost a little touch and lost a little interest. I left college and started working. And almost like a good friend who we stop connecting with, the friendship slowly disappears. So when this one popped up yesterday I approached this with some excitement, some fond memories but also a little...regret maybe? For having strayed and given up. Anyway, once I gave it a spin and it started rolling I immediately regretted losing touch. This album really hits in all the right ways. It is solid, yes long, but chock a block full of great tunes. Probably about a 4.3 for me - very solid!
I thought I'd be neutral about it, but the more I listened to it, the more I realized that for me it is sounds like a below-average album.
It's a bit samey, but I generally like it. This is such a bland review and rating on my part, but hey, the album made me do it.
F yeah, what a fucking album.
This album is CHAOTIC. I was surprised I didn't hate it considering it had involvement from Pere Ubu, who still made the worst album I've ever heard. This album didn't blow me away, but it was strong. It was long and was pretty repetitive, but solid. When isolated, his voice isn't the best. Actual rating...2.5 Liked Songs: "Whatever Happened to Pong?" , "(I Want to live on An) Abstract Plain" , "The Vanishing Spies" , "Speedy Marie" , "Freedom Rock" , "Fiddle Riddle" , "I Could Stay Here Forever" , "The Hostess with the Mostest" , "Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band" , "Bad, Wicked World" , "Pie in the Sky"
3.5
Uneven, but that’s part of Black Francis’ charm.
I enjoyed this. Listened a few times. Really need to spend some time on the Pixies and Frank Black. 3.75
Some really cool sounds (others not so much). 22 songs is just a lot.
Super
It’s not exactly Doolittle but it does have that quirky somewhat absurdist Pixies feel to it. Not sure it’s notable enough for this list but it was enjoyable enough. 2.8
3.8 I prefer the songwriting output of Frank Black during the Catholics phase but solid collection.
I didn't have any expectations on this album and... I've truly enjoyed it, and so so much. It has some great songs, and, overall, it's a very varied and funny album to listen to. It has songs that I didn't like that much, but, considering how many there are in this record, it's amazing to find so much great stuff. So, well, I'm very surprised.
Can’t believe I’ve never listened to this as a big Pixies fan. Great stuff all around!
good!
Mostly forgettable album (this has been happening a lot in this exercise so far). Not bad, but not something I need to hear again outside of 1-2 tracks. Whatever
A bit chaotic, random mix of styles and structures. At least a quarter of the 22 (!) tracks sound like demos that add nothing to the album
Interessante
Ok!
Good album! Never listened to Frank black but I enjoyed it!
Feels like he's searching for a new sound. Ends up sounding generic most of the time.
Very middle of the road.
(77/100)
2.5
Very average, too long
Te lang, weinig inhoud, zegt me allemaal niet veel.
Very enjoyable. Much more mainstream than expected - I like the Pixies and this is similar, but enough different to give it an edge.
Really good, absolutely up to par with the pixies, packed with wild, weird tuneful freakouts
Frank Black just knows how to write a good tune. There's loads of great songs on here, and a good array of instruments and styles. I love his energy. I’d always been daunted by dipping into his solo career outside of a few tracks, and I don’t know why. This is excellent and consistent across the whole thing pretty much, which is saying something given the number of tracks. It IS long though. I think it would be more digestible if it were shorter. 4.5 rounded down.
Sometimes I wonder how genuinely **unprejudiced** I am when I listen to all these albums. *Uninhibited* might actually be a better word, because you can't really be unprejudiced when you are, in fact, prejudiced. It isn't a switch in your head that you can simply turn on and off. Those deeper instincts are there, and we all have to deal with them. Some people manage to behave as though that deeper layer doesn't exist, and that does them credit. These days, unfortunately, we're seeing more and more people simply give in to their prejudices and turn them up to eleven. The brown human sludge is flooding the gutters of the streets in the Netherlands and, frankly, much of the Western world. But that doesn't have much to do with music (although...). When I listen to an album like Aretha Franklin's and, despite finding it irritating and spending much of the review hacking it to pieces, still give it a perfectly respectable score because it's a classic and its undeniable quality demands it, the question of how open-minded I really am inevitably arises. And I asked myself the same question before starting this album. This time, however, it has absolutely nothing to do with skin colour. Frank Black is, despite the name, every bit as white as I am, and more importantly, his music is about as white as music gets. My prejudice has everything to do with the band that made him famous: the Pixies. The Pixies are one of *those* bands. A former good friend of mine would already start bouncing at the sound of a "P", hoping that "ixies" would follow. Their fans remind me somewhat of Pink Floyd fans: they behave as though there is genuinely nothing greater to be found on this earth. As though the second coming has already happened, in the form of a little band led by bassist Kim Deal and guitarist/singer Frank Black, also known as Black Francis but actually—hold on to your hats—Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV. Sometimes you can understand why someone chooses a stage name. Anyway, Pixies fans tend to be *very* into the Pixies. I am not. Although on paper they should be exactly my kind of band, right down to the Hüsker Dü influence, they simply don't do it for me. I find the music exhausting and strangely uninvolving, and the two CDs—three albums—I own only get played when the random generator orders me to. And then along comes Frank Black's second solo album, with **22 songs spread over more than an hour**. Joepie. Yes. *Joepie.* Hooray! I can apparently judge music without prejudice after all. I have proved it. I am a civilised human being. Because this is a terrific album. It fits perfectly into the musical climate of the time and sits comfortably alongside Guided by Voices, Sebadoh, Pavement and, naturally, the by-then-defunct Hüsker Dü—much more comfortably, in fact, than the Pixies themselves. This is rattling guitar pop, rock, whatever you want to call it. Less punky than the Pixies, with the *pop savviness* that GBV also possessed if you could see through all the lo-fi sonic grime. I wouldn't actually call this lo-fi. It sounds more like a collection of half-finished ideas: someone has walked into the studio with a pile of good songs, recorded them more or less convincingly, and then decided, without too much further thought, that they had an album. And with this sort of charming mess, the occasional dud is practically mandatory. A failed song here, a one-minute eruption of noise that goes nowhere there, followed by another wonderfully poppy little tune. Some songs are almost *too* poppy, but remain just on the right side of acceptable: *Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band* and the big hit—ahum—*Headache*. Black's singing on that one, and on the equally strong *(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain*, is spectacularly out of tune at times. And yet I find his voice much more pleasant here than with the Pixies. Other highlights include *Freedom Rock*, which is surprisingly more musically complex than most of the album, and *Fazer Eyes*. And I have to pay tribute to the magnificent title of the opener, *Whatever Happened to Pong?* I haven't listened to the lyrics. I much prefer imagining that, in 1994, this was a wistful meditation on the days when a computer game consisted of two lines and a dot. A game that could nevertheless keep you entertained for an entire afternoon. This was a **genuinely delightful surprise**. I started the first listen with gritted teeth and very quickly found myself thinking: *Hang on...* And there's something wonderfully circular about the whole thing. As I said, I hear this album as part of the same broad movement as GBV, Sebadoh and Pavement. But those bands—especially the latter two—were themselves unmistakably influenced by the Pixies. A hall of mirrors. It reminds me of the joke Stephen Colbert once made when interviewing my great heroes Rush. He asked whether they had ever played a song so long that, by the end, they had been influenced by themselves at the beginning of the song. **Well, Frank Black managed something rather similar here.**
What even is this album art? I love it and hate it at the same time. As far as album content goes, this album is a fairly decent mid 90s album. Kinda reminds me of Marcy Playground. I wonder if they took some influence from this one.
okay, more rock this time around. another guy i haven't heard of til now. this is a guy who knows he was one of the class favorites in high school, and his creative personality oozes with the music he writes. this is a guy that understands the true fundamentals of rock music, the instrumentation is simple but that's what makes it pretty perfect. it's so straightforward when it comes to how it's composed and yet a lot of the songs are just so clever and engaging. some of the wacky style variations and the crispy korg piano get me hooked.
Probably would not listen to this again: too American. It was interesting to listen to but I didn't finish it.
I feel like it look too long to convey what it wanted, but I did like the first song so 3/10
2.5 revisit
one of my absolute favorite 90s albums. let's hear how it held up for me. six songs into this twenty-two song epic and, yep, still love it. "speedy marie" is still my favorite track. there are sixteen songs remaining to change my mind "sir rockaby" is also still a fav. man and then "freedom rock". it's just bangers one after the other "ole mulholland" starting out like a new order song. love it.
Ok. Nothing stood out.
6/10
This album could've been an EP. Overall just kinda long and not my taste. Headache goes crazy though.
this album really fucks around, reaches a lot of corners of the alt rock sphere. worst thing i can say about it is that it doesn't spend a lot of time developing most of its wacky ideas, and at the same time it runs a little long with a decent amount of fluff. but there's enough pretty dope nuggets of music scattered around that the whole thing was pretty enjoyable. soft 4
Rating: 5/10 Some songs are good, some are annoying, as a whole package it leads to a pretty alright geeky 90’s alt rock album and there’s many other options of artists similar to solo Frank Black that I would prefer to listen to. The length and track list weren’t too bloated considering it has 22 songs but only 63 minutes long, not the worst average double album that one has to sit through.
Slightly enjoyable, a little interesting, but nothing that makes me hungry for more. I would listen to it again but I'm thinking I'll forget this album ever existed pretty quickly 6.5/10
This was a hard one to score for me. There’s enough songs I enjoyed to give it three but on the flip side it dragged on way too long. I was genuinely bored by the end.
Not bad
Not that good
Pixies without the name.
Starts of really annoying reaching into the second track. The rest is so basic... I don't know why this album is on this list at all.
I HATE this album cover and title and lyrics and tones. Total crap.
Can't say it was bad, can't say I cared to much listening to it. May have caught me on the wrong day or just been a genre mismatch to my preference. It's decent.
I listened to so much music inspired by Frank Black and in the same vain. I was a big fan of a lot of stuff put out by Sonic Unyon Records around the time Frank Black started working with them. All this to say I checked in with his music back then and like this album, I was already satisfied with what I had for this style of music. Solid song crafting, just doesn't pop for me. That being said Headache was my favorite track.
Better than I hoped. Over 18,000 votes when I got to it, and a perfectly even 3.0 rating with a beautiful bell curve across the spectrum, and I'm not inclined to wreck it because I think it's spot on.
I loved the cover art and album name. I also really liked about a dozen songs on this album. Unfortunately that still leaves a full album's worth of material I wasn't fond of. Regardless the good outweighs the extraneous. I wish I had gotten a Pixies album before getting this one.
Pretty decent rock, but it kind of overstayed its welcome after a while.
More pixies adjacent stuff? Yes please, though curiously it is less experimental than the band. Considering who we're dealing with I expected the opposite.
Aside from Lyle Workman's guitar playing on some of the tracks (and I'm not going to listen to this again to remind myself which ones), this burbles below the crest of mediocrity.
Never heard of this dude before and he is a instant add to my playlist. Amazing album with all songs differnt sounding yet integrated perfectly the album order was perfect the transitions are golden.
Today we enter the They Might Be Giants extended universe despite encountering doolittle before. Yeah, Frank is a tmbg fan and john linnell played on his first solo album. Roughly 90% of indie artists are tmbg fans or fans of tmbg fans. They are probably the most well known niche band. just like the members of the band joked, “(being the most successful indie rock band in the united states is) like being the world’s tallest midget”. anyway to prove this I should gather some random data and do a one sample proportion Z-test on this cause I just got back from my ap stat class. the problem is that his pixies stuff are kinda peak and this is just kinda weak. 3/5 P.S. what do you mean that tmbg announced their new album today. That’s a surprise innit
I’m honestly floored by how much of that classic Pixies DNA is preserved here while being pushed into weird, brilliant new directions. It feels like a fever dream of 90s indie rock, bursting with frantic energy, surf-rock guitars, and those signature off-kilter lyrics that jump from California aqueducts to classic sci-fi. While it’s a massive 22-track haul, the sheer density of ideas is what makes it special... it’s an album where even the shortest tracks like "Whatever Happened to Pong?" or the melodic heights of "Headache" feel essential. It’s easily the high point of his solo career and a mandatory listen for anyone who wants to hear a creative genius totally unleashed.
Heb niet op de lyrics gelet maar "here i am in my bucket today" zit in mn hoofd geworteld😔🙏
Ja love dit wel. Ik voelde me een beetje de alternatieve oudere broer uit een 90s tiener komedie. Voor de rest niet echt bij me gebleven, geen standouts. Dus dat laat de rating wel zakken
Uninteresting and repetitive. This album is like all the worst habits of 90s alternative rock and poprock mashed into one. Some of the lyrics really live up to the title of the album, being just so unbelievably simplistic and stupid. I do think there are some interesting musical bits to the album, but unfortunately they're just wholly overshadowed by the mediocrity that surrounds it.
zeker een 90s album. niet Slecht of zo maar beetje inwisselbaar en vrij samey door t album heen. Freedom Rock wel lowlight. 'how can u free mehhh' accuraat voor de luisterervaring okay u know what dit is wel gewoon Slecht. wat de fuck is Olé Mulholland (daarna afgehaakt)
ik ben best wel een pixies fan, maar solo is frank black toch echt een uitdaging
Starts with a bang. Exciting guitar and sounding like an alternative rock Weezer. However it starts to get bogged down and samey with less rock and more pop. Also it's way too long?? Could have been good.
I have an endless appetite for Frank Black’s weirdness, so I don’t mind that this is a double album. I appreciate the way it takes Los Angeles/Hollywood/California as its backdrop without letting it dominate the album… “Calistan” and “Ole Mulholland” in particular make you think about the crazy and beautiful Golden State. “Pixies go to the beach” is an apt descriptor, though it doesn’t quite reach the transcendent madness of the best Pixies albums. “Used to be sixteen lanes / Used to be Nuevo Spain / Used to be Juan Wayne / Used to be Mexico / Used to be Navajo / Used to be yippy-ay-i-I don’t know”
There were a few songs I did like from this one, but I would’ve expected to like more from an album that’s an hour long with 22 songs. The singer reminds me of Lou Reed, and the style at times was a bit like The Kinks. I think I liked most things about the album except for the songs themselves. Some just went nowhere and others fell flat.
4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 17
Patiently listened to the whole thing, hoping I would like a song or two. One started and I was like, yes! this is the one! But the album was over and it was by the flaming lips. 2.5
I was ready for some overly self-indulgent milestone-band-frontman solo album schlock, but I was immediately excited for it just from the opening track. Just some great alt-rock all round on this record, with no particular song or songs I can point to as a weak link, it just suffers from its length. There really is no need for this to be a double LP. I could see myself giving this 5 stars if it were more concise, but here we are. Fav Track: 1 - Whatever Happened To Pong? Best Three Track Run: Just pick any three and it'll be good
Some interesting songs, some I did not enjoy at all.
Few good, few not.
again in the middle, didnt get to listen to it all. Its possible the bit I didnt hear was the better bit
First track made me say aloud: what on earth is this?! Kinda liked it. Not bad this. Not life changing nor mind blowing, but decent enough.
Pretty average rock imo. Mostly back ground noise for me. The teenager of the year looks a little old.
I enjoyed almost every track on this, which isn't too much of a surprise given my love for the pixies. However there was not a single standout track on here. Nothing I heard and said I need to come back to this. If there was one or two song like that on this album, it would be a 4, but instead it gets a 3.
He cool. Songs are all over the place. Like Franky Black but him and Kim Deal together is magic. This album is classic though and raw. If you want a fun Frank black album this is great. Him workshopping pixie songs. https://youtu.be/1wAjHLJlszo?si=N-g0TcaiehTU1Ouy
teenager of the year with an...old guy. Im intrigued. design and font choices look like something id lay out in cs2 for the velvet velvet in 2002. all over the place in the best ways. hints of ween. its too long, like so many records put out in the 90s. just because a compact disc has the space for 22 tracks doesnt...doesnt mean it needs to be. highlights track 3 sounds like kurt vile if he took his vitamins. SIR ROCK A BABY has some rad lil organ and sings about jim-jams franks sonic shape shifting continues on TWO REELERS with droning iggy pop vocals
Meh
Nicht mein Geschmack.
Nicht sher störend, aber ich werd's wohl nie wieder hören...
3.5
OK, Frank.
Has the same vibe as welcome to the black parade
Dosta lejm. Ne mogu dati više od 1/5, 1/10
Liked the individual songs, interesting lyrics, almost 4 stars
A really good jam album. Some tunes on here I enjoyed a lot, but after a while it all kinda blended together. That’s the thing with long albums like this, you gotta switch it up at some point.
Heard the first two songs and wanted to stop listening immediately. Almost gave up and turned the album off. Quite glad i powered through those and didnt stop, because the rest of it ended up being much better! Sounded like a group of guys in their own garage band at times… also there were waaaaayyy too many songs on this album, 22 is insane!!! 5/10 but I rounded and idk why
This was a good album. It just feels a little overstuffed. I’m sure there is a 5:5 album in here if you cut 15-20 minutes of material. A lot poppier than his work with Pixies. Favorite songs were Abstract Plain, Calistan, Headache, Freedom Rock, Two Reelers, and Psace Is Gonna Do Me Good.
What the hell? Seine Stimme ist spannend, aber ist gar nicht so meine Musikrichtung. Gibt mir 2000er Teeniefilm Malcome Mittendrin vibes. Viele Songs hörten sich ähnlich an.
good times all around. If you have lots of critters to look at under the scope all day this is a good soundtrack to do it to.
Bloated and one note
absolutely terrible album. i made myself listen to all but the last 2 songs. it definitely should not be on this list. waste of time
This benefits from not being directly compared only to the highs of The Pixies. It’s a little bit Pixies, some Pavement, some New Pornographers, and something all its own. Vary 1994.
I was already a Pixies fan and thoroughly enjoyed Frank’s first solo record. I purchased the CD upon release. I have listened to this a few times in the past 30 years. This time, like the prior listens, I find some new angle upon which to enjoy this record. I Wanna Live on an Abstract Plane has Frank’s terrific falsetto and a catchy chorus. Calistan could be a Pixies outtake. I can hear Kim Deal’s voice on certain parts that would be awesome to see performed by that original Pixies lineup. Headache is a classic song - Frank’s vocal is perfect in both tone and performance. Honestly, the song sounds like something Pavement would have released but with Frank’s vocals. In hindsight, this may be the best song on any of Frank’s non-Pixies work. If the record has any issues, there are a couple of mid-tempo songs that just make the record a little long. So, with that in mind, there are several very strong tunes, a few middle tier songs and a couple of skips. (Sir Rockabye immediately comes to mind) Overall a solid effort. With a little editing for length, this would be outstanding. In my opinion, Headache alone makes the album top shelf! 4/5
This took me a few songs to get into it, but once I was in, I was in. Really enjoyed this, although it felt a touch long. A really solid 3.5 stars.
It's a fine mix of post punk. He tries a little to hard on a few, but still listenable. You can hear some of the influences (The Cars, etc.) and somewhat of a desperation to be different. It woks on some, but not as much on others. 3.
Headache was a highlight.
Sympa, mais difficile de passer après Iron Maiden !
Some of the shorter songs felt unfinished. I liked most of the normal-length songs! Highlights: Calistan, Speedy Marie & Fiddle Riddle
A couple days ago I listened to 1.5 hours of https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQp61e94VE, and it was magnitudes more enjoyable than this album's 3rd part. Rest of it was ok though
"Sir Rockaby" was the first track that caught my attention. I see now that it featured Joey Santiago on lead guitar. Nothing else here really grabbed me.
I don't begrudge this album its place on the list. My only real complaint about it is that it is a little too long, but there are a number of interesting tracks. Favorite track(s): "Headache," "White Noise Maker," "(I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain"
I was big into this record and Frank Black's follow ups when it came out. Also Breeders. I liked the style of recording. I believe they were mostly cut live. They had a 2 track running at rehearsals, and dialed in, so could just run the set over and over, and the best take became the track. Or so I have heard.
didn't love this, not my genre/era I suppose
Dude makes 70s music 20 years later. Brings nothing new, nothing interesting. 5/10
I doubt anyone has ever enjoyed this record as much as Frank Black enjoyed making it. Not Weezer. Not Nada Surf. Not Matchbox 20. Not Eels. Not Pavement. Not Band of Horses. Not Silversun Pickups. Not Cloud Nothings. Not… I think I’ve played with at least six bands with names inspired by tracks and lyrics on this record (though all of them on the first half; the second half of the record proves only how easy Frank Black finds the whole enterprise of indie rock). And just like it was with Pixies when I was a young ‘un, what I love most about this album took a couple of spins to get to growing on me: “Thalassocracy”, “(I want to live on an) Abstract Plain” – maybe the best showcase of Black’s effortless glissando I’ve yet heard – and “Headache” are total jams that each deserve to be played loud and fast. Teenager of the Year is a record that starts full of fitful piss and febrile vinegar, starts to mellow as it gets to know itself then lasts way too long. As far as descriptions of the experience of being a teenager go – faultless. Unfortunately, though, I’m not reviewing the potency of an analogy. The pimply profligacy is lamentable.
Ziemlich lang, aber angenehm anzuhören. 3 1/2.
I love the Pixies (and the Breeders) but I thought this album was only okay.
Not an enjoyable album. 4/10 3/5
Good for when you have a headache
Really good, poppy, gritty at times, lyrically complex, really good.
Kind of a whacky ecclectic album. Vocally not the strongest but musically very nice. 3/5
Sprawling. Nothing I like as much as the Pixies but could absolutely be a grower.
Big fan of Pixies' Doolittle and not so much anything else, this came out a few years after that. Guitar and bass work is sorely missed from Pixies, what remains is quite enjoyable though. (Although I do see Joey Santiago played on a few)
Nothing offensive about this but nothing all that special either. Nothing that makes me want to come back to this with any urgency. 2.5
Vocalista dos Pixies, e cm gostei mt do bossanova tava c esperanças altas, no entanto não gostei tanto como o album dos Pixies. Não foi mau tho, médio diria, 3*
Awful. Terrible. Literally the worst thing I've ever had the displeasure to be exposed to. Sounds like a bunch of crap songs Pulp decided were too shit to continue working on. Wish I could give this a zero.
Some grunge, ska, punk influences on this alternative 90s rock record. It's simply an okay album. The mood is certainly that of the 90s, so it can get kind of boring at times, but it's not terrible to listen to, just something I wouldn't revisit intentionally.
This was a really fun album to listen to. Learning that he was the original vocalist and started this more punk, ska, psychobilly influential solo project after leaving the Pixies in the 90s. With out knowing, one of his songs helped mold my taste with it being in of my favorite video games, Tony Hawk - American wasteland - Los Angeles. Frank Black is an artist that I will be returning to actively listen to more of. Stand out tracks: Whatever Happened to Pong? Thalassocracy (I Want To Live On An) Abstract Pain Two Reelers Fazer Eyes Space Is Gonna Do Me Good
Yeah not my usual style but found some I liked
Bien, pero no Pixies
Overall: 6/10 Honestly, as a huge fan of the Pixies and the Breeders, I found this to be a bit lame? The whole album sort of feels like leftovers, and other than a few standout tracks, I didn't really feel like it was Black Francis's best work. Still, I enjoyed having more Pixies-esque music to listen to, so I can't complain too much. Fav Song: Olé Mulholland
Really fun album with a lot of variety. Really dig the punkier songs. The album is very long, but all of the songs are short. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
lots of cool ideas that he decided not to do any work on before recording. if he had polished these it couldve been five stars
As a verified original Pixies aficionado idk how I never listened to this before. More fool me!
Album Review 038 Teenager Of The Year by Frank Black (1994) Rating 3/5 I hadn’t listened to TOTY for at least two or three years before the 1001 generator dealt me it for album #038. Immediate memories were that it had a couple of standout tracks, wasn’t as good as his first solo album or anything the Pixies had released up to that point, and that could be 20mins shorter and no less good. And after listening again??? Few artists write songs like Frank Black and there’s not a bad one across the 63 minutes of TOTY. Yeah, it’s not as good as early Pixies but it is different enough to have its own character.
Getting Teenager of the Year on New Year’s Eve made me feel like I’d won an award, even though I’m nearly forty and I was a pretty lousy teen. A little long, sure, but I’m all for this. I’ll return to these tracks again, for sure.
Extremely hard to get through to the end. Don't understand its presence here. Sorry
Very long and not a whole lot of variation, which would be fine if I liked the base formula. Unfortunately im not the biggest pixies fan to begin with (hoping that will change in the future). Yeah i mean okay, i love his vocals and theres some great guitar work but eh, bit of a nothing album for me. Grade: 3B Top tracks: The Hostess with the Mostest.
Seemed like there was some filler, the second half wasn’t as interesting as the first half.
I’ve never been hugely in to the Pixies. I’ve tried many times. I’ve seen them live and nothing. People whose opinion I respect told me how much they liked them. Nothing. I enjoyed this album but I can’t say it’s something I will come back to. I’m glad I listened to it but that’s where it ends
No idea who this guy is/was and hate the album cover and it’s way too long and some of the songs are trash. Other than that I liked his sound - kind of Wilco’ish at times - and thought it could be okay.
Decent tracks nothing stands out
Day 61. Best tracks: (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain, The Vanishing Spies, Speedy Marie, Frank Black throws caution to the wind and unleashes every idea he has, no matter their state of readiness. "Headache" is perhaps the most unheralded song of the 90s (plus an equally brilliant music video). "Freedom Rock" sounds like every good Muse song before changing into something akin to something to a reggae-infused Clash song. This album's Side A is a smorgesboard of alt rock. “What we need is more silly men.” Maybe not true now, but still a hell of a lyric.
This album is often described as the high point of Frank Black’s post Pixies career. Sadly that bar isn’t very high.
For as much as I love the Pixies, I really should’ve listened to this a lot sooner. I’ve tried a couple times in the past but never made it more than a song or two. Giving the full album a go now, I feel that the first two songs are the worst and it picks up a lot and remains great until the end. Not quite as good as the Pixies best but still leagues ahead of the band’s worst stuff
Interesting and fun
Back to back yuck.
It's technically really good. I got bored. Sorry frank.
Avant gard jazz punk, not sure about this one
Boring
As much alt rock as I listened to in the 90's it's pretty amazing that I never heard of this until now. Good stuff. Favorite track: Thalassocracy
Good to see Frans Bauer made it onto this list. Fine album, bit long but pretty enjoyable. The songs don't really rise above what the Pixies did though. It's all good, but it doesn't really feel great to me. Just a bit CD of alternative rock songs.
Defining sound of the era
yo Mr. White, I think I heard your name in here somewhere
Complicated and bright. Just like teenage Frank
Nothing without Pixies
Meh, I don’t love it. Never was a big Pixies fan either so there you go.
Very unique sound. I can see jamming this on a regular basis. I definitely hear some of the randomness I associate with the Pixies.
Average as hell. There's some good slop on here, but ultimately I just feel like Black Francis needed to be pulled back by a full band at times. (Early) Pixies is great but I have never been into his solo work.
Nothing about this grabs me the way the likes of Doolittle does. It’s just lacking in something. And no need for a double album, a bit of pruning would have made this much better
This slaps and I've never heard of it before. Just what this website is good for. The songs are missing some sort of hit factor or hook, but I did listen to this album all weekend and it reminds me of some of my absolute favourite artists.
This felt bloated. Most of the songs felt like they lasted longer than they actually were. Maybe pulling out the bottom 8 songs would have made this one better to me.
90s punk/alt rock - never heard of them before this but enjoyed it! Great energy, a bit of variety. Some of it was a bit shouty/talky instead of singy, which was only meh.
A very weird album
Weird, didn't like this.
I don't like him with this kind of early 90s rock.
Mostly not totally terrible, but I really don't understand starting an album with the to worst, and least representative songs on it.
Good fun!!
this was so fun!! i think this guy played supercrawl the first time i went ...? in 2011 /////>>???
Not really actively listened to this as a whole album before, very good, probably a 4.5 so bumping to ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was better than I expected. The first few songs sound quite Pixies like but after that it's a lot more varied. Headache is a brilliant single and there's plenty of other good tracks. If anything the length and number of ideas count against this album a bit as it's a lot to take in on a single listen. I liked it though
This is a blast; bit of a mess and overlong but always interesting. Not as good as the Pixies but not much is.
Not bad!
I play some pachinko, I plaaay Parcheesi.
Interesting, yet he is nowhere near as good solo compared to pixie catalogue.
ok
More artists need someone to tell them "hey maybe 23 songs is too many for one album, maybe split it into 2 with separate release dates?" cause man this thing is bloated. Some good stuff here and there but nothing really memorable and I think the length has something to do with that. Split it into two and do a sort of release like SOAD did with Mezmerize and Hypnotize and I think you've got two decent albums instead of one that feels like a slog.
Pretty solid! SInger from the Pixies. Enjoyed this one - despite it being really long.
Frank black was always the highlight of the Pixies. This still holds true!
After listening to this intently, I think I need to check out the Pixies. The songwriting was very good. I'm not completely into the vocals but we'll see. However....this album is much too long. I'm a purist in that 45 mins is the perfectly album length unless you have a convincing double album - this could have shaved a few tracks.
not bad stuff
Nah
Vielseitig, verrückt und gut. Noch nie davon gehört gehabt aber auf so "versteckte Juwele" hatte ich bei der 1001Alben-Übung gehofft.
Fun and upbeat but not terribly noteworthy. Something for everyone with a very safe alt rock/pop sound and plenty of fun performances, but lacks a true statement track or moment that would make me want to come back for more. Not bad, but a little long for how little stands out
i eat dissonance for breakfast Teenager of the Year is better than the last two Pixies album (before the break-up) and better than any Pixies album (since the reunion) while not as good as the first two Pixies albums Teenager of the Year stands with Pixies best work.
Whatever Happened to Pong? 3.6 Thalassocracy 3.6 (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain 3.5 Calistan 3.3 The Vanishing Spies 3.4 Speedy Marie 3.4 Headache 3 Sir Rockaby 3.2 Freedom Rock 3.4 Two Reelers 3.3 Fiddle Riddle 3.5 Ole Mulholland 3.3 Fazer Eyes 3.4 I Could Stay Here Forever 3.3 The Hoistess with the Mostest 3.5 Superabound 3.4 Big Red 3 Space Is Gonna Do Me Good 3.1 White Noise Maker 3.3 Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band 3.4 Bad, Wicked World 3 Pie in the Sky 3.2 Score: 3.322727273
There’s a good album in there. If you cut 45%.
This did not need to be a double album. There are some great tracks on this album (Freedom Rock / Headache to name a couple) but there are plenty of filler and a few bum notes (the reggae track). I like the general vibe although I don't think his vocals are strong enough to carry some of the tracks. Could easily be a 4/5 star album if was just 12 tracks/ 30 min blast.
Teenager of the Year I wasn’t really digging the first couple of tracks, they felt quite generic alt rock, missing some of the melodic skill of the Pixies, but Abstract Plain is great, an excellent melody and nice strings and piano, and thereafter it settles into a nice groove. Although not every song is a winner, he is clearly a great songwriter, always doing something interesting for the genre and there are some great tracks on here; Calistan, the pop-punky Speedy Marie, Headache, the superb guitars and organ of Sir Rockaby, the dense and heavy footed Two Reelers, the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed-ish Ole Mulholland, the excellent surf-bubblegum pop of I Could Stay Here Forever, the bouncy Superabound, the late West Coast late 60s-ish vibe of Big Red, White Noise Maker, the rockabilly Pure Denizen of the Citizen. However it is a lot of information at an hour and 22 tracks, and although none of the songs hang around too long, it does feel a bit like overkill by the time we hit the track 12 and 13 mark, with another 10 or so to come. Perhaps a bit reductive but at 10-12 tracks this could have been a real corker, rather than a slightly boated very good album. I enjoyed this a lot, although I’m not quite sure it gets into the fours, so I’ll go high 3 - I like it, I’ll come back to it, but the mood might not strike that often. ⚫⚫⚫ Playlist submission: Abstract Plain
Great start to this album, 'Whatever Happened to Pong?'. Sweet 50s harmonies, big riff with surf tones. Then into the haphazard, garage-rock section, with no let up. Blistering. The album continues to be a runaway T-Bird, veering all over the road at speed, and yet intent on keeping the pace to its destination* (*metaphor). The run of the first eight or so tracks is ridiculously good. It's not all rambunctious guitar rock, he carries off the lighter moments with aplomb, such as 'Sir Rockaby', and Joey Santiago's lead on this and others is exemplary. 'Superabound' another corker and lead guitar (not Santiago) perfection. Whether rock or not, there's always that off-kilter pop-edge (such as 'The Vanishing Spies'), which is playing back the Nirvana-sound that The Pixies had helped create. The 50s reverb of Gene Vincent type ballads crops up many times, like on the fantastic 'Speedy Marie'. This is such a marvelous outpouring of fantastic songs, derivative and original all at the same time, an alternative take on classic forms of rock - it must be top marks.
Glad to give this a listen. Some old Pixies in there, but otherwise a basic alternative/garage band album. A few cuts were worthy of downloading but the rest were average an forgetable.
a bit above dookie
Don’t come after me…but I think I liked this more than The Pixies? It’s a tad long, but I really enjoyed this sound and some of these songs were genuinely fantastic and almost refreshing. Best Track: Headache
Kinda rocks tbh
Day 107 Had never heard this album before despite Pixies albums being in regular rotation. Honestly didn’t find it anything special and could definitely have lost a good third of the tracks on here for a lot tighter album. 5/10 Highlights Calistan Headache
man, what a forgetful fucking album brother. idk who this fella is or if he's important but i can tell you he's good at making stuff that's "okay enough" to sit through before putting on something impactful. 2/5
While I love The Pixies and like his previous album, I didn’t particularly care too much for this one.
I always thought this was so much later, but it was 1994. I am a huge Pixies fan, and this was great.
Better than expected
This is really good. I like everything he does.
Favorite tracks: Headache, I Could Stay Here Forever, Superabound. Love Frank Black, loved this. Might have gone on a little too long for a weekday listen, but man I dig his style. Headache ripsssss.
Much prefer his first solo album to this one.
Considering this is a alternative rock album, this should be right in my alley. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy it nearly as much during my listen... At first! As I continued on with the album (in which there's a lot of songs!), the more I vibe with it. Overall it was great! It has enough variety to not feel like it drags on.
Enjoyed this
Not terrible, but also not that good.
Not very interesting. It's not bad, but it's not great either. I'm not sure I understand why this album is in here.
Black Francis reminds me of our dutch national hero Frans Bauer: https://www.wablieft.be/sites/default/files/styles/max_size/public/media/images/6%20Frans%20Bauer%20copy%20universal%20music%20I%20DeGreef.png?itok=fC-uYtPQ Very high intensity album that lasts more then an hour, overall the album is very strong! The bassline on "Freedom Rock" really stood out to me, very fast, dirty and heavy. The mix of slower songs and out of nowhere a speedy rock song is great. Why does "Big Red" have a score below an 8.0, in my opinion it's one of the most fun songs of the album. Overall an 8.5/10.
Not a Pixies fan and not keen on this. I just don't like Frank Blacks voice.
It's no as good as Pixies stuff but it's alright here and there
Слушал тихо, фоном. Не напрягало. 6 из 10.
Surprisingly good
why is everything going on all at once in every single song
I liked it as much as any Pixies album I've ever listened to. The first handful of songs were especially good and very different from each other. I think it does go on a little long, feels like it should be a sub-40 minute sub-12 song album.
Really speedy album with a familiar voice. Not bad but nothing I would go out looking for or choose to play daily either.
Cool stuff! Punky, rickin', energy!
The sound was unmistakable. A subconscious tic. A soft, sharp inhalation followed by a gentle clearing of her throat. This only ever preceded an expression of doubt and fear.
It was ok.
Far too many songs but Headache is a an absolute banger.
Didn't love it, didn’t hate it. Enjoyed a few of the tunes on first listen, happy to give it another listen later in the week and see if it grows on me.
Liked the song Speedy Marie.
This album is too complicated to review in one listen. There is stuff I like. and there is stuff I probably don't like. And there is stuff that I don't like that i will probably like if I listen a couple of times.
I've resisted getting into the Pixies for some reason. Not sure why. Every time I've listened to one of their albums it just hasn't stuck with me, and I think to some extent they started to fall into that category of, "I'm just going to decide I don't really like this band mainly because everyone keeps saying I should like them." So Frank Black sort of fell into that same category. But I like this album! A little long.
At 22 songs and 62 minutes, this feels like too much of a good thing. I enjoy Frank Black, but leave us wanting more, you know? (That said, closing song "Pie in the Sky" may be my favorite.) There's a lot to enjoy on here, but it starts to blur together. And I've always found Black's music—solo and in the Pixies—a little too detached emotionally to really grab me. It still works and is fun, but never really goes beyond that for me.
Correcto
Falls under 'not necessarily memorable' upon first listen, but I still really enjoyed it?
I’d have probably loved this if I’d heard it back when it was released. Now, it was an ok listen. Nothing about it particularly blew me away. And 22 songs is a LOT.
I listened to this album the first time through on shuffle, so I feel like I did not get a good feel for what the album sounds like. I do not find this album to be as interesting as I find The Pixies albums, but overall it was still a good one. It feels a bit random to me that we have a Frank Black album on the list. It's not like the album did wonderful on the charts or had some other impact on culture/music. I also probably could have done without a double album. It seems like there is a really strong single album in here somewhere. I enjoyed this album. It's probably not revolutionary compared to other albums in the book. Some of my favorite tracks were: (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain Calistan Speedy Marie Headache Sir Rockaby Fiddle Riddle Ole Muholland I Could Stay Here Forever Big Red Pie in the Sky
I kind of liked his voice. Some of the songs weren't too bad. And some were kinda bad!
Not bad Frank, 22 songs is a lot though
Didn't know what to expect from the cover... it wasn't that. Why was it a double album, just noise, that was done much better before
Weirdly this almost is more accessible than the pixies at times?
Got boring
Not much to say about it, just felt very generic overall.
Co to w ogóle było? Za długie, miałkie i z kilkoma chwytliwymi kawałkami. Pozbawione sensu, polotu, wagi. Nie rozumiem co ta płyta robi na tej liście. Tak, da się ją słuchać i nawet uszy nie krwawią, ale sam bezsens tego tworu sprawia, że daję mu 4.5/10 równane w dół.
it’s like a bootleg pixies album by the pixies guy
Pas mal, mériterait une réécoute pour voir si certains morceaux peuvent ajouter à ma playlist
On paper this is a tough sell for me: ❌not a grunge fan ❌don't enjoy the Pixie's music ❌double album. Leave people wanting more! ✔️best album cover But this album zipped through, and held my attention much more that I expected it to. Not in love with it, but it was more varied in style than I had anticipated. Also, I find it hilarious that this album with *this* cover was released a month after Hole's Live Through This, given their history. What a weird coincidence
Nothing horrible, but really nothing that made me pay attention either, or anything that I would particularly want to pay attention to if I were to listen to this again. The combination of the album’s length and the short songs made the whole experience feel disjointed and unfinished to me.
Frank Black's best solo LP and, in many ways, while it is not really as original as much of The Pixies' celebrated output, it is certainly more upbeat and accessible. While loud and edgy on the surface, a warm acoustic heart beats beneath throughout. Black never loses sight of the importance of melodies and the abundance of enthusiastically deployed solid, occasionally slightly offbeat, hooks is what elevates it above the bulk of his post-Pixies, post-grunge peers from the mid-90s. Catchy and clever in all the right places, the singles in particular shine among a clutch of straight-to-the-point alternative pop confections. Maybe just a tad too sprawling and unfocused to be a true classic, particularly towards the end, there is still much to love here.
Solo Black Francis is kinda like new Pixies music. It’s not bad, it’s just not as good as that other band. The one with Kim Deal. Anyway, this is ok.
Headache is his greatest non pixies song. Harmonica on Pong rocks.
slightly less my style, and didn't like his voice at all (oops)
A little bit too loud and chaotic
I could not even make it 30 seconds into the first track of this drivel.
Was very skeptical about this album. Had never heard of Frank Black and the cover does not look very appealing. However, enjoyed listening and the music is enjoyable, very upbeat and very 90’s rock. Pleasantly surprised.
It was alright. I couldn’t pick out anything that made this rise above all the other alternative acts at the time. 3/5
Meh...I love the Pixies. But this was just so mid. After about 5 songs I was looking at college football articles and responding to comments, in the background this album, doing nothing (bad or good) to draw me away from that. Was it bad? No. But was it so good at any point that I dropped what I was doing to re-listen to any song. Nope. So, meh. 2.6 stars to be generous will be 3 stars.
Had some great songs but also felt like some filler
It was fun to listen to but it not draw me in and I probably won't got to it again.
Ummm, vaguely interesting. There's probably something about it that I just didn't get; it seemed like kinda middling punk. Quality work, for sure, but doesn't seem super special.
Chiant à la longue
He might have been crowned Teenager Of The Year," but this definitely isn't winning Album Of the Year. 3/5
Rigtig fedt album der ikke føles så lang som den er, den er dog banger-wise lidt top-heavy. De sidste 3-4 numre begyndte jeg at tjekke hvor lang tid der var tilbage
Fedt lyt, varieret nok til at det ikke rigtig gjorde noget at den var så lang. Mindede mig om The Fall, måske bare fordi vi lige har hørt The Fall
Nice sound - blurry genre, but it was interesting and luckily didn't feel too long. Big 3 !
I didn't really find this interesting at all
It was ok.
Enjoyable, but not much more.
Doesn't have Los Angeles on it but Francis is cool
i think this is what the grandparents of the 90s were worried about, right before everything else.
sitting through two 1 stars where one was only noise and angry screams might make this sound way better than if i had heard this first. His voice can be a bit anoying at parts but for the most part it is well written but way too long i think
I like this one. High 3 stars. Not amazing but pretty good.
Solid stuff. A tad overlong but he had plenty of ideas and most of them worked. This will get a re-listen down the road.
Solid, fun record but I couldn't quite get super into it on this day. I haven't listened to so much Frank black solo, but it sounds very clearly like his songwriting style carries through from pixies. The raw pinkish energy, the lyrical weirdness, frantic but somehow hooky melodies. The presentation seems pixies too. There's just a small bit of soul missing from pixies for me. There's something about the production that I don't like. It sounds very 90s somehow. The guitar sounds for example feel too clean somehow (even though distorted from pedals/amps) and kind of thin? The album is also a little long for my usual tastes without so much variation or any clear development arc.
Way too long, more misses than hits.