Teenager Of The Year

Like the Pixies…some good stuff with a lot of mediocre.

Comes across as trying way too hard to be clever, like a college freshman taking his first Comp Lit class. Only works occasionally.

What are you doing to me random album generator? In the past week I've had two records, this and Crowded House, that I used to argue about with a now deceased pal. I didn't like either, especially Crowded House, while he loved both, especially Crowded House. Melancholic listens both because I miss those arguments. Of course time and the context has dulled my ire and I've enjoyed both, especially Frank Black ;)

I like Pixies, I do not like this nearly as much. Frank is much better in that band than he is here.

not mine

one of the nineties

18/10/2025

Rv

This album is chaotic, and I don’t like it. It was a very long hour.

Unfair, but this isn't a patch on the Pixies albums that preceded it. Lots of tracks, mostly absolutely fine but I think the dub ones should probably have been left in the studio as an experiment gone wrong. I can't really remember any of them except Headache.

Rather liked the snappy start but it settled into something pretty MOR for the alt rock world

He rhythm abstract house with abstract mouse. 5 star

3.4 2x good but nothing stood out

C'était bon, mais un peu long.

‘Teenager of the Year’ is better than its title and cover would suggest. Beneath its dodgy artwork is a varied and ambitious album that blends offbeat lyrics with often sharp and melodic songwriting. It’s an unpredictable listen that doesn’t always land but generally remains engaging — even if it would have benefited from being a bit shorter.

Not my style. Not enjoying it enough to listen to the whole thing.

Not my cuppa tea

point0.

Never been a fan of the Pixies, never likely to be, nor of Frank Black whose vocals do very little for me. The album itself is perfectly listenable 90s alt-rock and the first half of the album is decent enough. However, I struggle with unnecessarily long albums and at over an hour and 22 songs I found it tiresome. You need a good reason to go that long and if it's The Wall...fine, but Frank Black ain't Pink Floyd. Top Track = Speedy Marie

Never got into Frank Black's solo stuff to the same level as the Pixies. Did remind me of this amazing show from sixteen (!!!!) years ago https://www.stereogum.com/105231/pixies_weird_al_flea_tenacious_d_echoplex_la/photo

Appreciate the contributions to the genre.

Hmmmm. Hm hm hmmm. It oscillates between moments of imaginative creativity and moments of dull nothingness. “Abstract Plain” brings up the first instance of a recurring theme that Frank is really trying for a voice that sounds a bit like Tom Petty at times. “Sir Rockaby” was a much needed moment of more quiet instrumentation that I really enjoyed. “Freedom Rock” might be my pick on the album for an emotive vocal performance. “Two Reelers” flies off the handle and it’s quite a fun listen. Same can be said for “Ole Mullholland”. Every song not mentioned was just another passing rock song though, which got a bit hard to get through after a while. Unsure if this is a 2 star or 3 star album.

Is this what teenagers looked like in the 90s? Man, I'm young. Frank Black does pretty well with many of these songs, but other act as filler that can certainly be cut out of this 62-minute hulk. Influence from the Pixies is definitely present in the spikiness and high energy, though there are less occurrences of soft-loud and stop-start changes here. This causes a bit of monotony (though it's still energetic) as the album progresses. All of the best songs are near the start anyway, so you might as well ignore the latter half of the record if you're seeking out one cohesive piece of art. (Seriously - you can't tell me with a straight face that Big Red or Pie in the Sky add anything musically interesting compared to some of the earlier songs.) Ah. Co-produced by an ex-Pere Ubu member. That explains a lot. Many of the flaws, the drawbacks holding this back from being 4 or 5 stars, comes from a generation of experimentation and atonality that hit a near-objective dead end. Various musical elements are tacked on seemingly at random and without regard for the key, making it difficult to hear the sounds in a positive light. Songs like Superabound and Two Reelers are technically pretty good songs, but all the side synths, guitar licks that never repeat, musical ideas that are never revised... it kind of violates the "Chekhov's gun" of music. (Don't introduce musical elements that contribute nothing to the flow/movement/ plot of the record.) A lot of songs here either avoid doing this or hide it well, as in the excellent Thalassocracy, Headache, and (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain. 3/5 Key tracks: Thalassocracy, (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain, Headache, Freedom Rock

A lot of solid rock songs. For my ears not one uncomfortable sound. But the album doesn’t seem to be curated - he went all in. Less would be more here. Could be an interesting short album with a careful selection of songs and song fragments. Like this it’s nothing outstanding and never ending.

Ni puta idea de este señor. Es un sonido que no molesta, pero no es gran cosa. Suena débil para el estilo de la época.

Not my cup of tea back then, even less so nowadays, but still better than a lot of this grandiose list.

It was ok but quite long and forgettable

This is fantastic. Great energy and flow all the way through. I would have listened to this every day if I hadn't had my head in my ass in the 90s.

Look, The Pixies are great. They absolutely belong on the list. But does Frank Black solo? This list is rife with examples like this: Roxy Music, yes. Brian Eno, no. Talking Heads, yes. David Bryne, no. Et cetera. Do you have to be at the Rock Hall level of a solo career to make this project? No, but you have to have some kind of additional contribution. All that said, this is a totally decent rock album on its own. Nothing exceptional, but solid throughout. Could have been a few songs lighter. Influence 2. Quality 4. Hits 1. I'll give it a 3.

Decent.

*1994. 2nd solo album after leaving the Pixies. *A couple weird tracks to start, then it settled in and sounded like solid mid-1990's pop rock. *I liked it. RATING - 6.5/10

A heaping dose of post-Pixies alt rock, none of which raises quite to those heights, but the album is still full of exciting guitars, driving propulsive rhythms, and catchy melodies. Plus the odd alt-country twand. It doesn’t have the loud/quiet dynamics of the Pixies best songs, but that trick had been copied to death and diffused across the radio by the mid 90s anyway. Lots of short songs, mostly built out of the signature of combo of clean and dirty guitars and surf, punk, and classic rock roots, but with added pianos and synths to flesh out the arrangements and more of a power pop indie orientation (and in one cringey case, reggae). Drags on a bit, would be best curated down to 16 tracks/45 minutes.

Found this weird for sure. Not sure if I’m not a fan of the first couple songs or if it just takes me those couple songs to get used to the version of weird this one is. Once I’m past those two I really like it. Definitely something I would listen to again. Fav song: Space is Gonna do me Good - there were a lot I liked so not sure if this is the favourite but it’s the one standing out to me atm Least fav: Whatever Happened to Pong?

This albums not and. I quite like his voice but it was a bit long and some of the lyrics are iffy. I like that it’s a lot of short songs actually Specific rating - 3.3 Fav song - ole mulholland. Least fav- two reelers

Frank Black has a polished quality that Pixies (and his front man alter ego Black Francis) doesn't and that really suits the poppier songs on this album but it makes the songs where he's trying to be more punk sound a bit too empty. It is a lot of songs- but I never got bored. Favourite song: I Could Stay Here Forever Least: Freedom Rock

This album is... competent? But nothing outstanding. Probably would have loved it if I discovered it as a 10 YO. Instead, I found The Offspring.

I had never heard of Frank Black or his album Teenager of the Year before today, and honestly, I could have happily kept it that way. The album is long, meandering, and often dull. There are a couple of moments worth noting—“Freedom Rock” stands out as a genuinely strong track, and “Headache” is well-titled, as that’s exactly what I was left with after sitting through the rest. I can’t quite understand how this record made the list, and it’s not one I’ll be revisiting anytime soon. Favourite track: Freedom Rock Least favourite track: Pretty much the rest of the album Album artwork: A terrible cover that does nothing to improve things.

Perhaps not as good as the best Pixies material, but pretty damn good nonetheless. 4/5

i love this guy's work with Pixies, but haven't listened to his solo work yet Whatever Happened to Pong? - 3/5 Thalassocracy - 4/5 (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain - 5/5 Calistan - 5/5 The Vanishing Spies - 5/5 Speedy Marie - 5/5 Headache - 3/5 Sir Rockaby - 4/5 Freedom Rock - 5/5 Two Reelers - 5/5 Fiddle Riddle - 4/5 Olé Mulholland - 5/5 Fazer Eyes - 4/5 I Could Stay Here Forever - 5/5 The Hostess With the Mostest - 3/5 Superabound - 5/5 Big Red - 4/5 Space Is Gonna Do Me Good - 4/5 White Noise Maker - 5/5 Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band - 4/5 Bad, Wicked World - 3/5 Pie in the Sky - 4/5 Average score: 4.3/5 (rounding down) i'll be honest, this took me a while to find the time to sit through this from beginning to end, which already had my mood soured. this album is pretty damn long thankfully, there are quite a few gems within this release, and i'm glad i could enjoy the majority of this. even the tracks that started with odd and even disorienting chords (like White Noise Maker) ended up being quite refreshing in my opinion my only real gripe is that the length of this album is a little overindulgent. if at least 1/4 of the tracks were cut, this would be among my fav albums off this list

I’m one who thinks the 90s produced the best music in history. Not this. It’s fine, even pretty decent, but it sounds 90s in the worst possible way. I don’t know how to explain that, but I just don’t think it aged very well. Again, it’s a totally ok album — but it isn’t greatness.

Some nice guitar and cool songs but also many that sucked.

I found this album very bland with nothing that really stood out. I listened to it again, and it grew on me somewhat, but not enough to recommend it.

No!, first track is awful, it gets better but not enough for me to listen twice

I wanted to love this so bad. I was ready to love it because the run of the first couple of songs is just so good (it's 22 songs and over an hour long), but it really needed to be edited down to half the length and the second half does not have the energy of the first. First half is perfect '90s indie rock songwriting with most songs under three minutes long and the second half the songs stretch closer to five minutes and I just do not want to hear Frank Black write a reggae song and... yeah this could've been so good. Another victim of the CD era. No album needs to be longer than 40 minutes!

Pretty fun, a little weird sometimes tho

Fun album, but no way I’d go back to it over Doolittle or surfer rosa.

I love Pixies. Not sure you could class this as ‘an album you must hear before you die’ when Surfer Rosa, Doolittle and Bossanova exist. A couple of songs like Abstract Plain and Headache are Pixies standard songs but there’s definitely a fair bit of filler here. With a bit of quality control this could have been a great 13-song album instead of a middling 22-song one

About halfway through and I think I got the point about 15 minutes ago.

The first half of this record is damn near perfect. I don’t know why it needed to be so jam packed with songs though. This could have been broken up into two albums. The latter half is not as impressive, but it’s by no means bad.

This is cool- I love the pixies but never listened to Frank’s solo albums except for a few odd tracks here and there. The immediate difference to me is the drumming. Significantly busier and more accomplished than David Lovering of the pixies. Otherwise musically this is Frank’s old bag of tricks (odd time signatures, bizarre key and chord changes) pushed to the limits and applied to other genres. And I know brevity is part of Frank’s “thing” but there are riffs and ideas here that deserve to be explored but we only get to hear them for 10-15 seconds at best. This is a very solid THEEE STARS

Good

Alright, but went on for too long

Frank was rank

A bad day to have ears.

why would you ever listen to this instead of Weezer?

Big fan of basically anything Pixies or Frank Black related

Looks like the sort of person who would name the album this.

This album was clearly named by a paedophile

goed... een van de betere solo's van Frank.. vergeleken met Pixies is het heel wat minder, vergeleken met heel wat platen van tegenwoordig is het een meesterwerk

I had no idea who this was before today. I will now forget this album.

This album is so cool. A bit messy, yes, but the originality makes that okay in my book. Sure, a couple of songs could've been cut, but I think the length and disarray actually add to the overall energy. Albums don't always need to be clean and concise, especially when they're made by someone with the skill of Frank Black (more commonly known as Black Francis). This really was just an hour of unfiltered musical self-expression. Albums like this one are rare, and I really enjoyed my listen. I'm sure this will be an album I'll return to, and even with its flaws, it's one of my recent favorites.

Pas pire !

"I'm not black like Barry White, no, I am white like Frank Black is" ~ Bloodhound Gang. I never knew who Frank Black was outside of hearing his name in that one random lyric. Now I do. The music is just there. It's nothing groundbreaking, and it doesn't try to be unique or get your attention in any substantial way. It just exists. It's not terrible music, but it's not good either. I think 2 stars is appropriate here. "Headache" will go on the playlist as the only viable song from this album to do so.

No, I don't think that was very good. Not terrible. It was fine as background music while I worked, but I found nothing of interest here.

62 minutes? Who the fuck thought that was a good idea? Not very punk is it? Just because you have CD technology it doesn’t mean you have to use the full data does it? This is more or less OK. Sort of. It feels a little indulgent at times and doesn’t really hang together. I suspect that’s primarily the length: a producer who could make some decisions could probably trim this by 20 minutes and I suspect it would be a better album. Certainly tripe like Fiddle Riddle could be cut and the world would be a better place. The best thing I heard whilst playing this was the new Idlewild single. I forgot that I’d added it to the queue and was thinking “oh, this has picked up” when I realised it wasn’t actually what I was supposed to be listening to. This isn’t offensive, but there’s just too much of it and it isn’t interesting enough. And it’s a mess in places. Ultimately, this is only on this list because he used to be in Pixies. I was wondering about three stars, but it’s too boring for that and not bad enough for one.

Too long and gets more annoying as it progresses. There was one good track on it, but I forgot its name.

Downbeat indie pop alternative, godd songwriting and great vocals in an oversatureated genre.

The problem here is restraint. The thing just doesn’t know when to end. A double album trapped in a single disc. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Thalassocracy - I Could Stay Here Forever - Space Is Gonna Do Me Good

Bij de opening denk ik, 'o nee, gaat dit zo twee cd's door?', maar uiteindelijk is het best een aangenaam geheel. Die Lou Reed-achtige stem en het begin jaren 90 grungegeluid gaan op elk nummer wel goed samen. Weinig uitschieters naar boven, maar ook weinig naar beneden.

got some highs I like a lot Will I listen to again: 99%

Alternative Rock album, which leads by a good force of rock but only fragments of each song feel interesting.

Really fun! Feels like he's throwing a lot of stuff at the wall, and while a lot of it doesn't stick, it's generally pretty listenable. Fav tracks - The Vanishing Spies, Speedy Marie, Headache Added to Library - Speedy Marie, Headache

FIddle Riddle als random reggae nummer? En daarvoor een soort punkrock nummer? Frank laat zich in elk geval niet in 1 hokje duwen. "Its not just a phase mom!!!!" Maar mijn god, wat een lange zit weer. Het hele album duur ff ruim een uur maar voelt veel langer door het veranderen van genre en het grote aantal nummers(22) En eerlijk? zo goed is Frank dan toch niet. Veel is een beetje mwah, en ik kan me niet helemaal duidelijk krijgen waarom dit een album is dat ik absoluut heb moeten luisteren voor ik dood ga. Misschien gezien de diversiteit? Oh wacht, het is de frontman van een bekende punkrock band. Aaaaaah, ja dan is dit natuurlijk automatisch een must listen... Nope, niet voor mij, het begon geinig, maar het heeft matige Reggae nummers en niet genoeg leuke poprock nummers om het naar een 3 te halen, dit is onder gemiddeld en zeker niet ruim een uur leuk. FAVO: Headache, Freedom Rock

No es mi tipo. No está mal pero no he disfrutado el disco

I have been very aware of this album for a long time. I dont think I ever heard any of it before. It's wild that I can only picture the the guy on the cover singing the songs. I just learned right now that he was in the Pixies band. Good wild short songs. I will give it multiple listens because I am barely getting in the groove and mood of the song and it changes. So far 5.6

Overall fun, enjoyable alt rock but not super stand-out memorable (doesn’t seem vital enough to be on this list) and a lot of the best tracks get washed away in a sea of too many. Though there is some kind of interesting nugget in every song, even if a brief riff, sound, melody, or lyric. The best tracks are when Frank Black does what he does best, chaotically fronting a spastic and dynamic band - balancing melody and smoothness with mayhem and intensity (though it can’t touch Pixies in this regard, though you can see the clear relation). But even with some songwriting diversity, a lot feels like it’s treading the same path which makes only the best or most unique songs stand out. It kind of feels like the GBV approach of throw it at the wall and see what sticks. But with longer songs and better production, that approach may work as well. I could also change my mind if I got to know these songs better eventually.

pretty good! pretty good. rounding down because we already had the Pixies, and rounding up to 4 would make me further regret some of the others I rounded down

Absolutely rules. It’s so impressive when a person from a great creatively-shared can also do something this good on their own. It won’t be on the list, but decades later, the Kim Deal record rocks too.

Blind spot in the 90s rock cannon for me. not too shabby. fav tracks: "Freedom Rock", "Space is Gonna do me Good"

I'm sure if I had listened to this at a certain point in my life that it might have gripped me but today it's just mostly bleh.

Quite liked it. Strong rock album.

A fun indie rock album with good riffs and vocals, a shorter track list would do the album service though.

Different group.

Confession time, big Pixies fan (well original run)… pretty much ignored Frank’s solo career, it was too eclectic for me back in the day and the first few songs of this make for a jarring listen… however it eventually settles into itself despite it genre hopping around and with repeated listens, you start to see the genius of his songwriting in sharper clarity. Still not the same has the hey day of his most famous band, but pretty good stuff.

pavement lite but its just toooo long

Brilliant. I imagine a lot of listeners who aren't familiar with Frank Black or the Pixies will judge this by the cover and allow their bias to run amok. But whether you are or aren't familiar with his style, this is a damn fine record that gets even better with time.

Not as good as Pixies but a few bamgers

I liked some of it but couldn’t finish, way too long

It's aight. A few good songs here and there.

Highly underwhelming

First track in I was quite sceptical, but this album really grew on me as it went on! Prior to the suggestion I didn't know anything about Frank Black or his past with Pixies, but I can definitely see the progression to his solo stuff.

Great rock albums can shine so bright because there is a plethora of mediocricy throughout the genre. This album is a great example of the latter.

This is ok

Ну не знаю, доволі дефолтний сольний альбом від лідера піксіз. Одна пісня сподобалась, а так загалом фоново.

The album is far better than the cover, so that's a good start. It is too long, but there are plenty of good tracks here. Obviously, there's a lot of The Pixies sound to be found, but I found quite a bit of The Velvet Underground, too. It's well worth a listen, just slightly bloated.

Awesome album! Had never heard of it before and enjoyed it quite a bit! Great 90s rock

Frank is great at times, but can’t sustain an entire album. Kim carried the extra load with the Pixies

This was OK, not bad, not great. I think this album would have benefited from being shorter and culling some of the chaff. I'm feeling 2.5/5 but I'll round up.

Good 90s indie music. Enjoyable but not especially creative.

Very solid album. It’s essentially the Pixies without the rest of the band, which is not a bad then when you’re a Pixies fan. Ole Mullholland was a fun song

I think this is good but for some reason I was really annoyed it didn’t end sooner than it did

Some enjoyable tracks, but the cumulative effect wasn't great.

Kind of a hot mess

Good but long. Albums shouldn't overstay their welcome.

Pixies were my favorite band in college and their early albums are still among my favorites. While Kim Deal went on to more great things with The Breeders, The Amps, and her first solo album this year at age 63, Frank Black’s post-Pixies solo albums are poor. This is not worthy of a place on this list.

Headache

this is an amazing album! the lyrics are good, a little punk, a little pop, a little rock. i really liked this album

Very strong first half but it kinda simmers out. I love pretty much all the songwriting here, it’s very creative. Just wish it carried the energy throughout the whole album. And yeah we do need more silly men.

A slightly meandering album with some great songs.

I wasn't sure what this was - a bit Springsteen maybe but not as tired? I quite enjoyed it

Competent straightforward rock.

Eh it was ok, just sounded like Pixies...

What can I say? Love his solo work, love the Pixies, without him my taste in music might not have developed to where it is now. This album is always a classic and I'll never shy away from giving it a good relisten.

too long and too same-y

It was alright, the album cover didn’t match the content. I enjoyed it

3.25 first half better than the last

Sounds like Pixies demos. Indie Meh.

Proof that Pixies were not a one man band.

not bad, but mediocre picks: headache, abstract pain the picks sum up the album lol

Not really my style of music but it has a sort of charm to it that really made me listen through the whole thing in one sitting. A lot of the tracks where a bit to noisy for me and had a lot of stuff going on or they just felt a bit aggressive which was not the mood I felt like listening to at the moment.

A sprawling double album exploring a range of musical styles from ska to punk to pop to indie rock. It’s a record that shares both the rewards and downsides of other noteworthy double albums in rock history such as The White Album, Exile On Main Street, London Calling, and Tusk - and that is an unfocused quality where the music veers all over the road and one can make the tired argument that it would benefit from single disc consolidation. But that unfocused nature is part of its unique charm, and this record does indeed angle for inclusion with those other greats listed above - warts and all. A terrific double album just short of a masterpiece.

J - 4/5 Best Track - "Ole Mulholland"

Boring, generic rock. Didn’t finish the album. Wouldn’t listen again

Interesting, lots of tracks. Varied genres. Creative.

Day571 - i was into this right away. if i’ve learned anything from this project it’s that the pixies and black francis/frank black are amazing and should be in the rock and roll hall of fame

This album started off way too punky for my taste, but it changed a bit in tone as it went on to my personal liking.

Solid work that occasionally reaches near the highs of The Pixies but overall is mostly rather be listening to them. It’s a bit overstuffed as well at over an hour.

Some of the Pixies edge and rawness here, but it lacks the band's complimentary artistic contributions that keep Frank from being too one notey.

Enjoyable

I don't think this guy is a teenager

Too long. Lost interest. I like the Pixies, but I didn’t like this.

Oh hell no, awful

Not something I’d listen to again, but it was ok

Just ok

Pixies-esque sound

Surprisingly melodic and varied. First couple songs maybe punk influenced, but Abstract Plain is alternative then Calistan is a moody, midtempo piece with a groovy bassline and backing piano. Nice. We stay melodic for the next couple tracks, building to Headache which was a radio single. I don't know it but it's catchy enough to get me nodding my head. Freedom Rock has my favorite riffing so far and then Two Reelers is some of the heaviest stuff on the record. Fiddle Riddle is a quirky dub inspired track, bass and keys doing the heavy lifting, and Ole Mulholland has another killer riff and great basslines. We keep going through several more solid songs, chunky bass and guitars in the forefront. There's maybe a bit of a lull in the back half, but White Noise Maker is a good one, chugging along with catchy hooks and the nice thick guitar tone. In the end, this is a fun romp, only length and consistency keep me from going higher. 22 songs is a LOT.

What you get if you take the most braindead hardcore music and then distill all the hardcore from it? First two songs The rest is unremarkable

droning

This album got better as is settled after a few songs.

Never quite as good as the Pixies were at their height, but closer to what they were towards the end of the group. There are a few bright spots here and there, but overall it's only slightly above average at best.

It wasnt bad, but a bit all over the place. Sometimes punk, sometimes had a country twang.

I'll admit I went through a 'judged it by it's cover' thing here, and that's not to say I thought I'd hate it and I loved it, more that I thought it'd be worse than it was. The pleasure of that surprise had melted away by the end of the overly long run time.

jaja, ja. weiss nicht recht was ich nach dem weekend schreiben soll, ich habe wohl am freitag zuwenig gut zugehört.

Ein Album das beim zweiten hören vielseitig wirkt. Trotzdem frage ich mich was er eigentlich damit erreichen wollte.

Another ‘why is this on here album’ I guess

Love this album, great vibes listening to it. Shows the range of "Frank" different from his Pixies career.

Good album.

La verdad me sorprendió, esperaba escuchar una re poronga y me gustó como para fajarlo de fondo, para un juego de play viejo viejo

Me gustó, no esperaba mucho pero me dio un sonido nostálgico de algo que podría escuchar en mtv y años más tardes en Debar. Un sólido 3 porque me entretuvo.

Me gustó pero es la primera vez que tal vez no le termine de dar bolilla al disco, me lo guarde para escucharlo nuevamente. Un rocksito con onda alter que va bien de fondo para jugar algo o estar haciendo cosas en lac asa

Pensé que iba a ser un disco de un Yankee Country cantando a un águila y termino siendo como un enganchado de punk-rock/pop-punk. Definitivamente una banda de sonido de un juego de Play 1

This one took me a couple of listens and it's actually a very impressive solo album. I've always liked the FB style and he always puts cool intricate details in every song--none of them feel tacked on. I still think 5 or 6 songs could be jettisoned here, but probably from the middle. The start and end are very strong. Going 4, but could get to 4.5 for me.

I've already heard Headache and it's sooo good. It's the best thing on here but there's plenty of other strong material. It's a bit too long but the songs are mostly short two and half minute efforts or under so there's another good song just around the corner if the current one doesn't click with you.

I should listen to this again.

Favorite Track: Fiddle Riddle

For being an hour long, it was surprisingly well paced.

very much a “pixies” ass album. Which of course you would expect from the leader of the pixies. Some loud punky songs, some great pop songs. Some weird songs. Overall a good album. This is where half stars would come in handy. It’s better than an 3, but I wouldn’t put it ant an 4. Over an hour always seems a bit long doing this though!

Another pixies/Frank Black record! This must be one of the most popular artists in the book - next to Bowie. Gave the record away years ago. Better than his Pixies stuff, but still not great.

Black Francis is better than frank black

4.75

In a nutshell: thoroughly unremarkable. This is more of a sidestep from Frank's work with the Pixies than a leap forward. Not a unique sound. The first word that came to mind was Morrissey for some reason. Points for short songs, but should have kept the album under 40 minutes. Overall: 3/10 Overall: 3/10

Not better than any Pixies album, none of the songs really stood out to me

There is a part of me that has flicker of nostalgia for loud, screamy, slightly obnoxious punk sounds. And this album sort of took me back to that feeling of walking into a shitty grange haul, garage rock blaring, with sweaty smelly boys flailing around. And for that reason I kind of get it. Would I listen to this now on the regular? Probably not. But I can see how, at that time, it may have captured a certain kind of messy youthful energy worthy of exploring…

I think there is a magic when you get certain people together to play music. The Pixies are evidence of this. There is a gestalt quality to the ingredients of Francis/Deal/Santiago/Lovering that I don't think really happens in any other configuration. I've mostly disregarded Frank Black's solo work. I remember seeing a video for "Hold Onto Your Ego" on 120 Minutes in the 90s and being pretty underwhelmed. Chalk it up to a boring first impression. I have listened to enough of his solo work since to gain an a more complete impression, but then again, nothing I've heard has really left that impression or felt iconic enough to stick. That said, Black Francis is clearly an extremely integral part of the Pixies. Listening to this you can really hear how much he shapes the Pixies sound. But this is a Frank Black record and it's supposed to be distinct: I get it.  This album is fun, but it would benefit from some trimming. A lot of these songs feel super short and half-complete, and others are clearly b-sides. I think it could be so much punchier if it were a little shorter.  Highlights: "Thalassocracy", "Calistan", and "Two Reelers" (which feels like two different songs). Perhaps everyone knows "Headache" as the big single, but it doesn't really hit me the same way. I do love how he pronounces "Los Angeles" with a hard g in the bridge on "Olé Mulholland" the way my grandfather used to. Like a lot of the alternative rock from the 90s, I hear a lot of Lou Reed influence going on here in the vocal phrasings. Overall, this sounds so much like an artifact of its 1994 time and place, especially "Freedom Rock", which I immediately put on my 90s Alt Parking Lot playlist.

Ultimately this record is just boring. Which. Well it shouldn't be.

Fun alt-rock/grunge vibes. Solid album, 3-3.5 stars.

This was a weird album. He plays with discord like it's his favorite toy. There were a couple of songs that were boppy for me, but as a whole, I could never listen to this album or any song on it and not miss anything in my life.

A easy album by the Pixies front man. Kind of drags on long, nothing stands out, though I could see myself enjoying it more with future listens

Am okay album, I liked Speedy Marie the most

I'm pretty so-so on the Pixies aside from the big hits, and I definitely didn't know about this solo album, so I was surprised by how much I liked this. It seems more approachable than the Pixies, and it left me wanted to explore the Pixies universe more.

No songs that I would consider certified bangers. But the album holds a solid quality for an hour+. That's something to be commended, even if I won't be carrying any of these songs through life with me.

Meh! It's OK, but nothing special.

Couldn't finish the album

enjoyed it

ACTUALLY LOVED THIS

My kind of thing - quite fun

i dont like this guy's style of singing at the start it's ok.......... nothing to note would prefer to not to listen to this stuff again is not my cup of tea.........

J'ai tellement écouté cet album. Sir Rockaby, Freedom Rock. Reste que mon album préféré de cette période de Frank Black est The Cult of Ray. Je souhaite à Frank de jouer un jour de la musique avec des extra-terrestres.

Au cover, je pensais que c'était un album joke genre Bowling for Soup meets Lonely Island. J'ai découvert quelque chose de quintessence punk, super éclectique et très intéressant. Le genre d'affaire que Iggy Pop, Lou Reed ou David Bowie auraient aimé faire. Fiddle riddle très expérimental, la suite d'accords du refrain est très cool. Big Red décidément rock, la voix dans le refrain me fait penser à Band of Horses je sais pas pourquoi Très long et dense comme album, ça se digère pas en 24h. A y revenir.

De l’excellent rock alternatif. C’est catchy, punché. Il m’aurait fallu plus qu’une écoute par contre. … je crois pas contre avoir préféré Bossanova des pixies. Et 22 chansons c’est un brin trop long.

Schmissig, aber hat nicht die Klasse der ersten Pixies-Alben

This is #day327 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… apparently, three Pixies albums on this list aren't enough. I mean, if I feel like listening to Pixies, I'll go ahead and put on some Pixies, not this. A couple of good tunes here and there, otherwise an inessential record. Crazily long to boot. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day328.

its like punk rock without the edge. Its not anything I would go out of my way to listen to. Too warbly in a lot of places, also the vocals are just annoying for most of it. I think a lot of my displeasure comes from just disliking the genre itself, so I cant hold that against it. Calistan really blows though.

Not for me!

Pleasant surprise, really good 4/5

Insanely long album of decent songs that largely sound indistinguishable from one another in their alt country sensibilities. Having said that, it was a nice left turn from his usual gig with The Pixies, but none of the songs appealed to me. The album cover seems like a joke about Hole's LIVE THROUGH THIS which had been released just 1 month earlier than TEENAGER OF THE YEAR.

This is a really impressive effort It's too long But everything has a certain quality You think you have an idea of where the melody is going and then he changes it up The Vanishing Spies is the highlight, happy, lovely solo, just good vibes Fiddle Riddle has a nice ska feel Speedy Marie is good. I prefer this to a few of the pixies albums, but 22 songs is overkill. Very good though 4

Lo escuchare mas veces

Very mediocre music, but at least now I know who the Bloodhound Gang are referring to in the roof is on fire song

I've never actively listened to Frank Black before but this album cover was buried somewhere deep in my memories. Pretty good overall

Not for me

I can’t stand Frank Black.

Too much Peter, Paul and Mary. Not enough Hüsker Dü.

Always been a big fan of the Pixies but this was my first time listening to Frank's solo music. It's not too bad but it definitely doesn't compare to his stuff with the band. It's funny to me that this album cover was released the same year as that one Hole album.. Favorite track: Calistan

Enjoyed, good 90s vibe, lots of humor, not too into itself. Didn’t save any songs but didn’t skip any either.

Not a fan of Alt Rock and most of the songs are very Alt Rock. But a few of the songs I actually liked. Couldn't stand most though.

Not unenjoyable

Pixie Less.

do grow up

Ok. Lots of noise.

I didn't care for this. It felt like dirty soCal inspired rebellious rock of the 90s that would have been considered as "counterculture" for its age. He didn't strike me as a particularly talented singer nor lyricist. The album as a whole felt difficult to follow conceptually, and I can understand why people thought of rock and roll music as "from the devil" because it was quite cacophonous at times.

I enjoyed this album listen! I feel like this was a good departure from The Pixies for Black while still having alternative rock elements that were very reminiscent of the Pixies iconic sound. I would definitely listen to this album again and recommend it for other folks to check out if they like the Pixies and want to listen to something similar!

Great alt-rock that has pop hooks at its heart and an occasional hardcore edge. Every song offers up something a little different. All of it is confident and assured. I would recommend this to anyone who likes their alt-rock with plenty of personality in addition to musical chops. Frank Black is a great performer. I listened to about half of this before learning he was the frontman for Pixies. This album has a similar mix of of melodicism and punk chaos that Pixies albums have. It’s a big, ambitious album though. The kind of double album you need to listen to a lot before you can fully absorb it all. But it made a great first impression on me!

Nice grungey alt rock album from the 1990's. It's an enjoyable listen, and it reminds me at times of other acts that are great- like "(I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain" sounds a little bit like Sonic Youth's great track "Incinerate". "Headache" sounds like a raw Beck song. Just learned that he's the singer of the Pixies. That makes sense! I kept listening and thinking "this voice sounds so familiar". Very cool! Unfortunately, I find that this album misses a lot of the big special moments that made bands from this era really special. I can sit and enjoy this record and next week I think it will be hard for me to remember any specific moments, or anything outside of what the overall sound was. It's a strong 3/5, mostly propped up by the first 7 songs. After that I think it falls off a bit.

did someone say... teenager??? oh this tickles my fancy alright

starting out strong – as a big Pixies fan, I guess I easily fall for what Black Francis has to offer. the middle however is drawn out – the album is too long and could have used some tougher editing. it also does sound a bit derivative and like it could be Pixies' b-sides at times. nevertheless, I do like it and there are some very enjoyable songs on this record, mostly at the beginning and the end. 3.5

Mediocre music with a sub par singer. So glad I had to listen to this before I died👎

I did kinda like this, but not saving anything from here, so 2. It's like a 2.4.

Not my jam

Ik ben het er niet altijd mee eens, maar in dit geval is dit album echt te lang om in één dag echt te hebben doorgrond, dus mijn mening kan zeker nog veranderen na verdere luisterbeurten. Anyways, het album klinkt een beetje als een wat cleanere versie van een Pixies album, ansich niks mis mee. Je ziet dit wel vaker bij bands binnen dit genre (Pavement, Dinosaur Jr.), wanneer de zanger van een band solo gaat (Malkmus, Mascis respectievelijk) en voor mij is het resultaat dan vaak hetzelfde; wellwritten songs met een goede zanger (dat Frank een goede stem heeft staat buiten kijf), maar ondertussen zou ik liever naar het betere werk van de bands luisteren. Ik denk dat ik dit album wel nog vaker ga aanzetten, omdat het af en toe best een ruig randje leek te hebben en het klonk wel lekker, maar (o.a. door de lengte & gelimiteerde tijd) ik zou niet direct een specifiek nummer kunnen noemen waar dat echt lekker naar voren komt. Het album komt op een lange lijst te staan met 'nog te luisteren, maar zonder urgentie' en als ik er dan weer een keer voor ga zitten, zal het me hoogstwaarschijnlijk positief verrassen. Voor nu vond ik het een beetje te langdradig met weinig meteen opvallende nummers.

Kwa stem soms net een soort Neil Young + J Mascis. Veel pit, variatie in tempo en intensiteit + allemaal lekker melodisch. Wel heeel veel tracks goddamn, maar toch aangenaam verrast. Beste: Abstract Pain / The Vanishing Spies / Speedy Marie / Headache / Bad, Wicked World Minste: Olé Mulholland Albumhoes: Great (ik zie wel steeds Frans Bauer als ik snel kijk.) 4/5

Ik vond het wel een grappig albumpje voor een keertje luisteren, maar veeeeel te lang en ik had niet direct dat een aantal nummers echt bij zijn gebleven, vandaar ook deze korte review.

Ik had hier nooit van gehoord en moest even inkomen maar daarna kon ik het wel waarderen.

Hier en daar kwam er een nummer voorbij dat wat meer m'n aandacht pakte zoals Fazer Eyes, maar voor mij staat er echt veel te veel filler op dit album. Het is al niet helemaal mijn stijl maar als het een strak 10 nummer album was geweest had ik het misschien 3 ipv 2 sterren gegeven.

Had het lastig bij deze rating! Kende heel de artiest niet, maar hier mn belangrijkste takes: - awful album cover. Frans Bauer met een eigen interpretatie van paus cosplay. Doe maar niet - Lang album, maar ik bleef toch geboeid. Heb m zelfs een tweede keer opgezet toen die af was (niet in 1 sessie) - voelt alsof deze plaat veel zeroes bands heeft beïnvloed. Dacht aan Franz Ferdinand, the Strokes, Kaiser Chiefs. Maar ook recenter aan Carseat Headrest wat hier best aan lijkt te grenzen - veel nummers hebben best originele riffs en stukjes die gewoon erg cool zijn

Brings me back. I was there maaaan.

This is Black Francis after the (temporary) split of the Pixies. It’s so tempting to keep spotting influences (MC5, Stooges etc etc) and miss that this record is a thing unto itself. It’s got attitude, of course, but it’s got great inventiveness and even playfulness. It might be an embarrassment to punk purism but there’s no denying that the man can write a catchy tune. The presence of Pixies co-conspirator Joey Santiago on guitar is a huge help too. Great record.

Even better than his self titled, which I also love! Solo Frank Black is great

I've always like Frank Black's non-Pixies works more. Teenager of the Year highlights his outstanding work. 4/5

Wow! Really liked this. Gives me more of an appreciation for the Pixies too. Wayyyy too long for what it needed to be but thats ok Song: Two Reelers Rating: 7/10 (Good) Stars: 4/5

Big fan of the Pixies here. Great songwriting and musicianship on this one too.

Too long. Way too long. This is another one of those albums I'm not turning off, but I don't really care to listen to again. There are a few good to very good tracks, and a few that are annoying. Nothing great, nothing terrible.

I've heard of the Pixies, but I don't know a giant amount of their music and I wouldn't have been able to tell you that Frank Black is/was their front man. As a result, this ends up being another totally new album and artist for me, though this comes from an era of alternative rock that I love. First thing that struck me is that he is a pretty adept vocalist. It seems like he has toned down his voice a bit vs. what I think I remember of the Pixies, so kudos to him. There’s lots he can do with his voice, and he does a cool job of adjusting to the tone of the song. Interestingly, at certain points (e.g. I Could Stay Here Forever) he sounded like Julian Lennon to me. At others, he has a refined Bob Dylan feel (The Hostest with the Mostest). And then in other songs, he felt a like Mark Knopfler type of signer (e.g. Calistan). Bottom line is that I liked how he moved around his style. Beyond this, has a penchant for rhyming strange words with each other. I could see how people might find annoying, but I thought it really worked for this album. The album is only just over an hour, but with 22 songs, there’s a lot of variety on it. Some highlights for me were White Noise Maker, Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band, Headache and Calistan. A really solid album which I unexpectedly liked a lot.

#608. Well, it's not the Pixies, it it? 2/5: meh

This is absurd but I actually kind of liked it. It started getting old at around the halfway mark though.

Great thing about this site ... reveals artists I SHOULD have listened to but have yet to do so.

This was a weird one. It's kind of generic-sounding rock tracks with quirky lyrics. The vocals are kinda whiny. Not my favorite. There's some pretty solid guitar work throughout, but that's the only real positive I'm finding. It seems like an album full of self indulgent bullshit. The delivery of the lyrics was a real issue here. I just really don't like Black's vocal style. It's more talking at various speeds than singing. His pacing is weird and off-putting. I'd prefer to just hear the instrumental tracks without him to be honest. Standouts for me were "(I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain," "The Vanishing Spies" "Fiddle Riddle" made me actively angry. I really didn't get this one. It meanders all over the place. It's far too long. It's spectacularly standard. The best parts were the times when Black isn't even singing. 2/5 stars. Not the absolute worst but a far cry from the best.

Da hani chli z wenig nerve zum sottig Albe durezchaue. Ned min Teenager of the year. Zwei Fetti Teenie Pickel uf de Stirn

Das isch mal durchschnittsware. Biz weniger tracks und biz meh qualität negstmal bitte unbekannter Frank Black. Gämer aber doch 3 Years für dich, wills halt au nöd unhörbar isch

Great line- cigarette butt beach. My favorite parts were reminiscent of the Minutemen or the Velvet Underground, but they were mainly bits of songs. Headache and Space is Gonna Do Me Good stood out as enjoyable for the entire song.

I feel is Frank would’ve bill this down to a ~45 minute lp, it might have been absolutely amazing, but it dragged in several places. But I really enjoyed the record. I know the Pixies, might basically the hits but never was aware of Frank Black. This album came out when I was 11, and if 13 would’ve been aware of this record I would've been absolutely in love with it and probably would be giving it a 5/5, but I heard it 30 years later and there are parts that seemed dated. I’m glad I heard this, and believe it belongs on the list because of the mashup of punk, prog, art rock, alternative, ska, and a bunch of others melds so well from track to track. 7.4/10 74/1001

Not particularly memorable for me. Had to think for a moment if I'd even actually listened to it, which isn't really the point of this list is it.

None of the songs were bad, but none were exceptional, either. Quite a forgettable album. I can't see why it would be one of the 1089 most notable albums.

Nice variety of rock styles, all performed well and produced well. Longer album, but at no point was I thinking that it was too long.

Es imposible estar a la altura de cualquier disco de los Pixies. Me refiero, obviamente, a los Pixies hasta su primera disolución , tras el imprescindible Trompe le monde. Si bien hay quien considera este fenomenal disco el primero de Frank Black, basta con escuchar su verdadero debut (Frank Black) para entender que eso no es así. No ya porque falte Kim, sino porque los sonidos se van alejando del universo Pixies. Este segundo, Teenager of the year, es un disco obviado en su época que ha venido ganando reconocimiento con el tiempo. Tiene una virtud, se sostiene por sí mismo, y además el tiempo le sienta fenomenal. Como además no ha sido tan escuchado como cualquiera de la banda, pues siempre se agradece su reescucha. Presenta canciones buenas (Abstract Plain, Big red, Thalassocracy) , algunas muy buenas (Calistan, Two Reels) y otras que hubieran quedado mejor como caras B (Speedy Marie, Headache, Sir Rockaby, Freedom Rock...) y dejado un disco menos pesado y digerible. Otros discos suyos muy recomendables son el que hizo con The Catholics, Dog in the sand o Fast man Raider man. Sin embargo el 93 tuvo mejores cosas: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) de los Digable Planets. Además fue también el año de In Utero, Thirteen, Frosting on the beater, Siamese dream, Come on Feel the Lemonheads, Last splash, Gentlemen, Where You Been, los debuts de Björk, PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, The Cranberries, Counting Crows, Radiohead o Frank Black en solitario. Además de los últimos discos realmente buenos de algunos insignes grupos como fueron Zooropa, Songs of faith and devotion, Republic, Get a grip, dejando al margen bat out of hell... Incluso Are you gonna go my way, Cure for pain o Dream harder, New wave, Wild wood o One time, two times, three red light...

Crappy garage band of the year…

It has some great moments, a lot of weird moments, and some kind of annoying moments. Interesting album overall, but even after listening to it twice I’m not sure if it’s quite my thing.

okay album, like un finished tracks of Doolittle. 2.5

Cool album, nothing groundbreaking

Skemmtilegt að uppgötva þessa plötu. Hrátt og mikil tilraunastarfsemi hjá Charles. Allt öðruvísi sound en Pixies.

Mjög góð plata sem ég hafði ekki hlustað á áður. Vann mikið á, stutt skemmtileg lög. Mjög ólíkt Pixies.

Classic rock sound. I think this could have been in 4 territory but it’s too long and monotonous. If it were half the length with only the strongest songs it would have been more powerful.

Utterly forgettable. Yer man can't sing but he won't let that stop him from trying. Nice guitars I suppose. Drags on far too long

so. many. songs. whyyyyy! i didn’t make it through on my first listen as it was late and it wasn’t the best music for my tired head. trying to dive back in i feel fully unmotivated because i just don’t really love this. it’s okay. not bad. just not great to me. i liked a few songs. calistan (really liked this one!) headache freedom rock (also really liked this one a lot!) two reelers had a really nice end to it. olé mulholland - kind of a banger! superabound - there was a part that reminded me of bob dylan xD

Good album, could’ve died without hearing it

- It's ok ..... I don't think it's a release we all need to hear before we die unless you need a good example of the struggles of following up an extremely successful project with a solo effort. The writing is just not there ... it sounds like he had some ideas but really should have "spent a bit more time in the woodshed" before committing to a release .... unless he just didn't care and wanted to get this behind him. A weak 2.5 ...... -

It’s aesthetic light rock. Not that kind i like but it has it’s own cool vibe. It sounds like fusion of Bowie and Elton John (but with less music, too much declamations)

Rating: 7.5/10 Slow start but picks up after the fourth song. Sounds like Pixies but with cleaner vocals, very interesting songwriting structures and pretty damn catchy throughout.

It was fine. After a while it just all sounded the same.

Frank is new to me and getting acquainted was a pleasure - I don't like everything on this, but I like a lot of it - interesting vocalist; flashes of Neal Young, echoes of David Bowie, but mostly just Frank.

I didn't realize this was the singer from The Pixies side thing until halfway through. Was good

Funny that I get a Frank Black solo album before I get a Pixies album. This was alright. I really felt a lot of different influences throughout, some of which I really didn't expect. I don't really know why it needed to be an hour long; I think he could've cut some stuff out it would've been a better album for it. This really does feel all over the place in terms of sound and influence. Some tracks feel like frantic punk rock, with screeching vocals and a fuck you attitude. Others feel like he's trying to channel classic rock or something more straightforward. Others still feel almost folky in influence. And then also maybe some reggae? Oh and country? Sometimes an album feeling "all over the place" can mean it's scattered and isn't cohesive. I'd argue that this album is somewhere in the middle. It's like a meeting of two minds, each struggling for control and influence. A frantic aggressiveness fights a more calm, almost reflective voice. Sometimes they meet in the same song, sometimes they alternate tracks. But they're always fighting, back and forth. I wonder if this has anything to do with the title of the album. Teenagers are often just trying to find themselves, to figure out who they are. And they try on different personalities and styles until they do. Maybe that's what he was going for here - trying on different styles to see which one stuck best as a solo artist. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. Either way - four stars. Standout Tracks: Calistan, The Vanishing Spies, Speedy Marie, Headache, Sir Rockaby, Freedom Rock, Space is Gonna Do Me Good, Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band

Many of the songs feel like fragments, but there's a good force of rock driving throughout. This seems like a really creative guy who felt repressed by being in a band, so he's letting it all out in a solo project.

It's pretty good, however, as with most solo albums, it just makes me want to listen to a Pixies album. Plus, it is pretty long and doesn't have enough variation to keep it interesting.

It starts solid, but I dont get why this album needs to have 22 tracks in it. By the end I was so out of it, would be a great 10 track album, but it just didnt knew when or where to stop. You could listen to two great Pixies albums in the time you get to listen to this bloated album, that have some nice moments in it. The lyric about Pachinko is cheesy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG3WepgGiSk

This certainly did occur.

Better than The Pixies?… 😬 Would possibly make it to a 4 if it wasn’t over an hour long. 3.5 in my other app

There's some good songs but given all comments about it, it seems to be an album of it's time. Someone that was exposed to this in 94 should be much more excited than me. Like what happens when one listens to Hootie and the Blowfish at this day and age. Not for me. But not bad either.

Sounds a bit like the Pixies…. Googles, ah that’s why, cool

This is fine, if unremarkable. I couldn’t hum you a single note from it, but I didn’t dislike it.

That's not my taste in music, but ok.

Still souds like the Pixies. Album not good or bad eally. 2.5/5

I was not expecting to enjoy today’s album, but here we are. It’s not as punkish as The Pixies but you can definitely hear that flavor throughout. Granted, it’s also about 25 minutes too long.

This album is just way too long to be playing the same song over and over again. Early on in the listen I thought "This is OK. It fits right into the decade it was released in." As I continued to listen the songs began to meld together into one long irritating blur with the same high-pitched vocal and I definitely soured quickly. This is 150% a filler album for this list. It has no significance for anyone outside of a Pixies fan.

It’s not as good as Pixies is it. It’s amazing how there’s probably millions of albums to choose from and somehow we have at least two Pixies and one Frank Black album on the list. I love Doolittle but come on….

Not bad. Long way from surfer rosa.

Four stars for Headache. Three stars all around. Pixies>Frank Blank....except for post Deal Pixies in which case, Frank Wins despite himself. They should have just hung it up at that point rather than try to recreate that magic.

I had very few expectations when I saw the cover of this album, but it was a pleasant surprise. Ecclectic mix of decent songs. 3/5

Fav: Headache Least Fav: Sir Rockaby I think individually these are all great songs, but there’s not enough variety to justify it being a double album. Album length is all that’s stopping me giving this a 5, and I’m surprised that I like this more than his work as part of Pixies

This album stats relatively standard, then unfolds a certain charm with great hidden musical ideas under relatively standardized rock... only then to go back to sounding all a big standard... Yeah. Well. I might rate this album higher at some point but right now, I don't see it being better than average.

god this was a frustrating listen. When I saw the cover I immediately thought I was going to dislike it, but once I saw it was Frank Black of the Pixies fame I thought it might be interesting (though my enjoyment of the pixies is mixed). This album was a mess. Bloated to all hell, with 90% of the songs being entirely uninteresting. I was the 10% that experimented with more loud rock elements was extended. Unfortunately this one doesn't make it to a favorable rating for me. 1.4/5 -> 1/5

Decent listen.

Black Francis (a.k.a. Frank Black) showing his musical chops here. Not compelling enough for me to want a second listen.

Retro punk. Got some DK feel on the first 2 tracks. The rest is very frank black/pixies, which is a good thing

I liked some of the songs on this album. Wolf

Tallentes dude, but not my favorite …prob needs another listen

Loved this album. I now have a new album in my rotation

This one surprised me! I really enjoyed it! Album starts out guns a blazing..then takes a very nice turn and is quite different and dynamic throughout…Good listen! Need to go back and listen to more Pixies! Good stuff!

El letic and melodic. Definitely was suprised how much I enjoyed this 22 song collection.

What a talent Black Francis is!! The sheer volume and variety of songs is amazing. I think this album could have been broken out into two records. Great listen!

Very familiar with this one and always a fan of the Pixies and Frank Black's other projects. This is my favorite of his solo albums. But it's a shame that the Breeders are nowhere to be found in this list. At least I don't think they are. 4/5 Album 51/1001

Before listening to this the only frame of reference I had for frank black is a line from a bloodhound gang song. But I'm glad to know more. This dude has it. Super catchy but feels like it has alot to say. And an hour flew by. Very happy listening.

A lengthy selection of eclectic pieces, none of which particularly stood out to me. There were moments that reminded me of Primus and this is not a good thing. Minus one star for how unnecessarily long it was.

Teenager of the Year is sprawling, strange, and stuffed with ideas in the best way possible. Frank Black throws genre rules out the window, hopping between punk, surf rock, college radio pop, and spacey weirdness, all held together by his unmistakable voice and offbeat charm. It’s an album that feels like flipping through a brilliantly unhinged comic book, with standout tracks like Headache, I Want to Live on an Abstract Plain, and Thalassocracy showcasing both his pop instincts and his knack for the bizarre. It’s not always easy to follow.22 tracks is a lot, and not everything lands. but even the weaker moments have a certain eccentric appeal. The sheer range of styles and tones on display is impressive, and somehow it never completely falls apart. It’s messy, creative, and packed with personality, exactly what you’d want from a post-Pixies solo record.

When it finds its groove this is cracking. 22 tracks means there’s a good number of less strong tracks on there that could have been dropped for a really tight, punky affair, but slips past it.

It was pretty good. A little chaotic sounding sometimes!

A lot to like here in the realm of kinetic and (only somewhat) eclectic but thoroughly off-kilter indie-rock world. It's Pixies-oriented – with a larky, tossed-off feel, if not fully Pixies-centric. The heart of the records is the run of "Calistan" and "Vanishing Spies" and “Speedy Marie” and “Headache." "Superabound" and “Big Red” are also good. On the one hand, this should be better know. On the other, it does go on too long, with 22 tracks practically inviting unevenness (very Pixies-like) with several disposable cuts late on underscoring that less would have been more (as it so often in pop music). An as fun as the overall ride is, generally, it lands fairly close to "for fans only" territory.

Very good pop album 10/10

Some ok songs b ut not my style.

Didnt care for it. Loud backround band

Amazed that this got on the list. Couldn't even finish it

So so

Interesting listen. Frank Black is a hugely talented songwriter, but this just didn't hit for me, and by "Pie in the Sky" I was more than ready for it to be over.

I love the Pixies, but do not like Francis without them. Stupid side project. 2/5

Never heard of frank black but this album was a lot for fun. Immediately enjoyed it.

Quite a nice surprise. Never heard of Frank Black before, and to be honest I judged the album cover and title too soon. Playing the album and being hit with some very nice 90s alternative rock. Went to google Frank immediately just to find out he was the pixies frontman so it explains the sound very well. I would definitely listen to this album again

Strong start from the first couple tracks, but it lost me after that. This should have been edited down to 10 tracks, max.

Never forget the power of Frank the Black in the 90s (but please forget about his milking legacy now).

2.5/5

Not for me. Thanks though