Reviews (page 5 of 7)
I haven’t listened to this in years. It’s a solid album, but would I choose to put this on instead of the Pixies?
22 SONGS>????
Second double album in a row and I’m tired, boss. This isn’t bad, but it’s too long. Very few, if any, double albums are worth the time investment and this isn’t one of them. That said, there’s some really good stuff here, but you have to cut through the chaff to get there. This would have definitely benefitted by cutting about 15-20 minutes of fluff out of it.
Interesting. I expected something closer to the Pixies. This is not that. It’s good. It’s fine. It’s alright
General impression: raw, playful, energetic alt-rock Detailed review: While it’s missing some of the fiery weirdo energy from the Pixies material I know, it still has this sort of playful, off-the-cuff urgency to it, like the songs had to be written and recorded before they faded or curdled into something lame. Some are really short, some are a more traditional length, and they all sound like they were made in the heat of rock ‘n roll inspiration. There’s like, some Elvis Costello to these songs, something a little more rooted in straightforward structures. The wacky energy comes mostly from Black’s vocals, which are sometimes sweet and measured and freaked out at other times. Admittedly none of the songs really stand out from the others, nor are they on the level of Pixies best tunes, but it’s still a good energy. Deeper thoughts (context): I’m underrating this, honestly, because I enjoy it more than a 3. But I just don’t think it’s good enough for a 4, and it’s probably not a must-listen like Pixies albums are. Score: 3.4 Number of albums left to review: 955 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 26 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 20 (including this one)
It feels quicker than it's 66 minutes but its quite uneventful. sounds a bit better than some Pixies stuff
This was long. Not terrible, just long. Actually enjoyed the general vibe of this although it’s not normally my thing. But why was it so long??!
3/5
Cool album Standout songs: Calistan Two Reelers Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band
Did not love this, but some songs were ok.
3.5/5
I expected to not enjoy this, this list has a lot of throwaway alt/indie albums that I have not liked. But this one is not too bad. Eclectic but still a mostly grounded alternative rock avoids being indulgently weird for the sake of it, except it’s a bit long. Pretty good songwriting.
A bit underwhelming and forgettable, but fairly solid
fun start with some lulls in the middle, enjoyable
As much as I love The Pixies, I've never listened to any of Frank Black's solo stuff. Really fun Pixies adjacent record. My only complaint is that it's 22 songs. They start to blend together after a while but there are super interesting parts all through this.
Cool album, but just not my jam
I had a thought last night. I’ve written reviews for over 400 albums, and there are nearly 600 more to go. At what point will I run out of things to say? There is only so much to write about the two dozen albums that all sound the same. I worry that one day I may hit a brick wall and be left with nothing left to speak about. I feared that today might be that day, in all honesty. I looked at this album and its cover and assumed it might be a rough one. Thankfully there was more to this than I initially expected. As I was listening to this, I kept thinking to myself, “What seems so oddly familiar about this singer’s voice?” I couldn’t put my finger on it. I just decided to put the name Frank Black into Google. Immediately I saw that this was Francis Black, the lead singer of the fucking Pixies. And then everything I had been hearing made sense. I actually wasn’t aware Francis had any solo records. But it was an interesting experience exploring the creative endeavors of one of rock’s most influential figures, without the presence of his fellow band mates. Truth is, this is not comparable to really anything the Pixies made in their prime. It doesn’t really come close in the level of quality. This is due in part to both Francis himself, and the lack of his cohorts. I love the guy, and I think that by the time this released, he had done more than enough to prove himself. But it’s clear no matter how genius he is, the rest of the band is needed. Interestingly enough, the lead guitarist Joey Santiago actually worked on this record. But I don’t think what you hear on this is comparable to the work of the Pixies. Bossanova maybe, but still. It feels much less manic and dark, and contains some pretty bright sounding power pop songs. The guitar work from Joey and Francis is not bad at all. Pretty consistent throughout. But the rhythm section as a whole is significantly weaker than anything from something like Doolittle. Aside from a few drumming moments here and there, it leaves something to be desired. This also falls off dramatically around the half way mark, and doesn’t really recover until the last two songs. It’s not a bad record by any means, but not as essential or important as this icons other works. Rating: 5/10
Sorprendente, desconocido
There were like 2 songs I didn't like but other than that none of the individual songs were that bad. Feel like there was an energy shift midway through the album. Couldve been better if it was split into 2 but as a whole it wore on me.
6/10 - I feel like the cover art does not give the energy that the album actually has. The album overall was decent but not fantastic. Some fo the songs like Ole Mulholland and Speedy Marie were weird but other songs like the Vanishing spies I liked.
A little too similar sounding for how long it was
33% leftover sketches of songs not good enough to put on a Pixies record, 33% tinkering with whatever cool instrument was within arms length, and 33% ‘50s rock ’n’ roll pastiche. When he splits the difference between the three, Frank Black is able to make a pretty decent post-Pixies solo album that takes the strengths he showcased in his old band and expands on them in intriguing ways, at least if you’re already into Black Francis as a songwriter. It’s when he decides to write a song that only focuses on one idea, however, where this record falls apart. There’s a lot of songs that just sound like worse versions of better Pixies songs. There’s even more songs that feel like genre experiments that have no purpose being on an album proper unless you support his watercolor-esque sketches of Latin syncopations. And there’s a handful of rockabilly moments, which don’t appeal to me personally, and even if I try to stomach them, still feel kitsch and ephemeral on their own terms. Look, I adore Pixies, and I enjoy Black Francis as a songwriter. This was never going to be on the same tier as Surfer Rosa or Doolittle or even Bossanova, but at its strongest moments, I’m pretty easily won over, because I’m biased. If you trim the fat from Teenager of the Year, you might honestly have a great solo effort on your hands. But there’s a TON of fat here, and that makes this record both inessential and kind of exhausting, even if you’re a hardcore Pixies fan. In the end, there’s just enough for me to go positive on it, but if you’re not already a fan of Pixies, this certainly isn’t going to win you over on Black Francis.
This is a sky high three point five. Some great tunes- but it’s too long for its own good. And the good stuff comes later in the sequencing. Not 1001 essential.
3.5
Pretty good but too long! 3.5 stars, 3 stars for this project
I enjoyed his solo work more than his work with The Pixies.
I enjoyed Calistan.
Quirky
Huge Pixies fan. Could never get into Frank Black's solo work.
After I learned that this guy was in the pixies I thought for sure that I was going to hate it. I was pleasantly surprised that I was only slightly annoyed with it by the end of the album. Aggressively average rock album was the best I was hoping for on this one and it delivered!
Fun loving goodness
Surprisingly good. An album I could happily listen to again.
I don’t know what it is about this guy but I love his vibe, whether it’s with the Pixies or doing his solo thing. It’s just good ol background music. Listen again: probably Purchase for my collection: if I came across it cheap Favourite Song:
So Frank heard Kurt and said, "I can do this too!" but it turns out he couldn't. This has all the right stuff, but it's boring.
very 90's, I liked it
A bit of a mixed bag. Not entirely unpleasant.
6.5/10. It is decent indie rock album. I prefer the Pixies' work over this solo album. :)
Quality gen x angst on this thing. Not my usual listen but I found myself enjoying it. I think if I was 10-20 years you get and this album found me at the right time I would love it. The rough vocals sometimes help and sometimes hurt the overall sound. It’s a little bloated at over an hour but otherwise a solid album
Vocalista do Pixies! Muito legal esse disco. Bem dinâmico! Top!
Started very emo but mellowed out a bit. Felt like a rough start but we enjoyed it more towards the end.
3 good album little long
This is good. 90s good.
Is this as good as the worst Pixies album (their last). Not really. Black and his songs are here but... Evidence: 1. 22 songs, even if many are under 3 mins, is just too many. 2. You don't realise how much variety Kim, Joey and David could wring out of their instruments until you hear a more limited band. 3. Not much in the way of backing vocals interplay. Three stars.
Nice rock!
It was fine but really long. I don't think this needed to be over an hour. The Pixies had albums that were under 40 minutes for a reason.
First half is eh. 2nd half starting with Freedom Rock is great. Too long though. Cut out the first 6-8 songs and it’d be great.
Interesting I'll give it that
High energy! Highly enjoyable.
I thought the album was solid, though far too many songs; could probably lose half of them and I don't think they'd be missed. Outside of that, it does sound very late 90s indie rock; nothing really jumped out at me. 5/10.
Frank Black getting his chance to explore other genres and making the most of that opportunity.
tem músicas mt boas, mas é mt longo, com músicas curtas e acaba sendo pouco marcante
Nice surprise. I was kind of a Pixies fan when they were originally together, but never paid any attention to Frank Black's solo career. Favorites: Headache, Speedy Marie
I was around when Frank Black "hit it big" with headache and a couple other tunes. To me, back then I would listen to the radio, often college alternative stuff, and after listening to a couple good songs from the same artist I would take the plunge and buy the CD. Sometimes it was a win and I loved the band or musician and still do. On the other hand, there were those where, disappointingly, the "hits" on the radio were the only songs that actually were all that interesting... I never bought Frank Black back in the day, but after this listen, I would probably put him into the "oh well, I guess I bought the album for a couple of songs" category. Also, not to bad mouth his style or whatever, but he sounds "like" a lot of bands at the time, and ends up for me not quite at the head table.
Creative & unique sound and arrangements. 3-4 min song length makes it easier to listen to 22 tracks. Lyrics are nearly impossible to discern any meaning. Practically gibberish.
Hated the first two songs, but quite enjoyed the rest of the album. Headache was fun
Segundo larga duración en solitario de Frank Black tras la disolución de los Pixies. Arranca con la energía de "Whatever Happened to Pong?" y "Thalassocracy". Obtuvo un cierto y efímero éxito con el existencialista tema "Headache", impulsado por cuidados arreglos. Pero me gusta el tono pop de canciones como "(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain", expresión del deseo de huir de la monotonía en busca de una existencia más plena, y "Calistan", nostálgico retrato del paisaje y la identidad cultural de una California en declive. También destacan "Speedy Marie", expresión de admiración por un personaje que lleva emoción a su existencia y que podría ser su novia, y la enérgica "Freedom Rock", un satírico mensaje de autoafirmación y orgullo por la singularidad.
Haven’t listened yet, but I will on this drive!
Toe tapping indie. I might have hired someone with a better voice.
Interesting album. Didn't love or hate it, was easy to listen to.
He can make some catchy music and with 22 songs there’s bound to be a handful that I like. As a whole though I prefer more of the bite that comes with Pixies music that is lacking here. Still though even on the less memorable tracks, which there were a decent bit for me, I was still having fun listening to it. Rating: 3.4
A bit corny but has some interesting variety and fun stuff.
I thought this was just ok. I'd listen again but it didn't make me feel like I couldn't wait for another listen. I tend to feel like Kim Deal was kind of the Heart and Soul of The Pixies and this record did nothing to dissuade me of that notion.
I know I should love it as it's Frank Black but I found it all a bit lacking in something - nothing stand out, nothing terrible. Maybe something if I listened to a lot I could get into but on this timetable didn't grab me.
Not bad
This was a pretty cool album to check out. It’s nice to hear another side project spin off from the Pixies, other than the Breeders. I wish I had known about this album back in the ’90s when alternative was at its peak, because I really would have enjoyed it at the time.
I always found Frank Black solo stuff to be like a more boring Pixies. This album is the best of the bunch, but still kinda boring.
Some very good ones. Others are forgettable. Some are pretty annoying. Still 3 stars
90s slacker rock with a lot of bright, quick, punchy songs. Kind of feels like an attempt to mainstream the Pixies’ sound or at least fit it into the grunge/alt paradigm (ironic considering the Pixies laid part of the foundation for that paradigm), and I don’t think it totally succeeds. There’s also not really enough meat on the bone here to justify an hour-plus length. Despite all this, a pretty enjoyable listen. Best song: Thalassocracy
inconsequential (but fun) teenage rock
Pixies frontman. It's fine. I'm not sure I'm interested enough in finishing it though because it sounds just like every other 90s alt rock band.
Really competent, pleasant enough American indie, but has no business being so long
This is one of those albums I would have liked better if it were 8-10 tracks shorter. Doesn’t matter which ones they cut.
Weak 3*. It felt like a very long album.
Quite nice actually, better than expected. Never was a big Pixies fan, but Black's solo was ok.
3/5
Surprisingly poppy and melodic. Some elements of Pixies (Joey on guitar in a few tracks). Many nice moments and varied enough. It doesn't outstay it's welcome but doesn't hang around either.
This is fine, I guess. Decent 90s American alt rock. Interesting enough, switching it up, jumping around genres. But. We’re had 3 Pixies albums already, does this guy really deserve another hour of my time? It’s a 3 star album for me but I’m leaning towards a 2 because of the list selection.
I did not expect this music based off the album cover. Coming out strong. Another album with mostly shorter songs.
Am Anfang dachte ich: Och ne, nicht schon wieder so eine 90er Alternative-Rock Kapelle. Aber je länger die Platte lief, desto besser gefielen mir die Titel, bei The Vanishing Spies hat sich sogar ein Gitarrensolo verirrt.
i liked it a lot and will listen agai
93/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Supposedly, frontman Frank Black broke up the Pixies by sending the other band members a fax. I don't know how true that is, but it makes for a compelling beginning to Frank Black's solo career. After he released a backlog of solo songs he had recorded while still with the Pixies, he came around to working on Teenager of the Year. You can still get a feel for Pixies on this record but I think Black's oddball lyricism and personality shines through more on this record. Is it better than peak Pixies material? Hardly, but it still goes to show how much Black's contributions mattered to the band.
I expected an album of frenetic songs but there was a nice mix of songs with dif tempos/style that the album wasn’t one long homogenous tune …. Really like the album musically, not so much the vocals but all in all, enjoyable
Very strong first half, pretty mid second half. Enjoyable listen overall.
Way too long
Didn’t know Frank Black was from the Pixies. I like the Pixies. Didn’t mind this album. I don’t know if I would listen again tho.
It's good and a pretty enjoyable listen. The vocal melodies are often really delightful with pleasant counters in the guitar. That said, there's about 6-10 songs out of 22 that really come together. Perhaps there's only a certain aspect that I enjoy that comes through on these tracks, or maybe the album is just too long?
Was this an album that should be on this list? I would agrue not. Will I ever listen to it again? Probably not. All things considerd it wasn't a bad album, just not to my liking
Wore me down. Really began to enjoy this after a second listening.
theres probably enough really good songs in this to make a 4 or even 5 star album. however, its stuffed full of filler (particularly in the second half) to make it over an hour long. why? seriously why?
I was excited to learn that the lead singer of the Pixies had another band. I wasn't in love, but there were a few catchy tunes.
This was kinda fun. I liked the guitar licks and there were a couple with a very strong groove. But this isn't an improvement on the pixies and I found it overly long.
cringe
Never judge a book by it's utterly horrific cover i guess. I had fun with this
first listen good one, need to listen again
what an explosive and creative openning for such a mediocre album. its also waaay too long, with splashes of interesting and memorable bits. as some other guy here said, make it a 40 minutes thing with your best music, make me want more, instead of making me lose interest cause its all samey shit for 60 minutes weirdly enough, i kinda liked the album, but i dont think its any significant Significant 57/173 Liked 28/173 Added 6/173 NYN
Based on the first song, I thought this would be a weirder album than it turned out to be. The overall vibe of Teenager Of The Year brings together different styles and genres but weaves them together in a distinctly 90s indie rock sound. I enjoyed this much more than I expected but wished the album was significantly shorter than its 63 minute runtime.
Conceptually, I am not feeling much here. Honestly, this feels like a Beatles situation where someone leaves the band and drops a whole bunch of tracks they were sitting on. I am curious to see if this was Frank's first record without the Pixies, as that could sway my ranking just a TAD. There is a PLETHORA of genres here, which again is why I feel like there is no identity, and that this was kind of just pieced together unreleased tracks. With that being said, I did vibe out to quite a few of these- but really that's because I like the pixies and those songs give those vibes. Im gonna be honest, if I want this sound, I will just listen to the pixies- there is nothing ground breaking, or innovative here. My favorite track off this record is Speedy Marie.
Ok
It took me much too long to realize this was the Pixies singer. I had a very strong suspicion that this was a side project, not sure exactly what made it feel like that, but maybe is is the somewhat irreverent lyrics. Once I finally looked it up it all made sense. I'm not too into the Pixies yet, I've heard a few songs that I enjoyed, but never sought them out. I'd guess there is an album or two on this 1001 journey. With my ignorance of the Pixies and Frank, I may be missing the key that unlocks my perception of this album. Many of these songs seem like they should suck. But they also seem like they are partly satirical which makes the suckiness intentional for those songs, and make them a bit better. As of now I just assume they are kinda duds out of a massive 22 tracks and understandable. Favorite track "I want to live on an Abstract Plain" 3/5
Meh
Kinda weird, but it was ok
I neither hated nor loved this until I looked at the length. Why is this an hour? I could have done with less
While it wasn’t my cup of tea, I am amazed at how ahead of it’s time this was, and how every song was bite sized and perfect. 3.5, would listen to again to parse it out.
Stand out track - Big Red
It's really interesting to hear Frank Black in isolation from The Pixies. I certainly prefer his pixies material, since it feels much fuller in terms of the sound, as well as being more innovative, given the time when it was made. This is still good, it just doesn't feel revolutionary the way that something like Surfer Rosa does 3/5
This was a little longer than I had hoped for but I don’t really have any complaints about it. It was just orally average and I didn’t dislike I would listen again but nothing really stuck out to me. Just something I had going on.
It's so painfully okay. Speedy Marie was a highlight, though. Everything just sort of dragged on, if the album was like 16 songs I might've given it a 4.
I learned this guy was the front man of the pixies. I’m not much of a fan of them, and this is not really my cup of tea. I see the influence this likely had on others but doesn’t really do it for me
Je ne m'attendais pas du tout à un son autant alt rock/punk sur cet album, mais c'était bien acueilli. J'ai su par après que c'est le chanteur des Pixies et ça explique beaucoup de choses. Généralement j'ai bien aimé, mais clairement pas autant que les albums du groupe en question. L'album est un peu trop long pour son bien. 7/10
probably not gonna like it
I gave this a very distracted listen, so I have minimal insights. It didn’t sound like the mid 90’s to me, which makes it fairly evergreen. My ears perked up a few times- for example- Sir Rockabilly sounded kinda cool. I’d listen to it again. 3.0
some fun melodies, but a bit overlong and definitely lacking the presence of the other Pixies
B- Whatever Happened To Pong? 2 Thalassocracy 3 (I Want To Live On An) Abstract Plain 3 Calistan 3 The Vanishing Spies 3 Speedy Marie 3 Headache 3 Sir Rockaby 4 Freedom Rock 4 Two Reelers 3 Fiddle Riddle 5 Olé Mulholland 3 Fazer Eyes 3 I Could Stay Here Forever 3 The Hostess With The Mostest 3 Superabound 4 Big Red 4 Space Is Gonna Do Me Good 3 White Noise Maker 3 Pure Denizen Of The Citizens Band 3 Bad, Wicked World 3 Pie In The Sky 3 UMass Proud.
Very uneven. Definitely interesting. I definitely enjoyed it, but…
This feels like a prime example of skatepark rock.
Not really my vibe, but not terrible. If it came on I probably wouldn't try to change it.
Þessi plata kemur út 1994 og hljómar mjög svipuð og margt af því sem er á "standard" listanum. Gott stuff ...
Cool. 3.6
Middle better than beginning and end. I found it kind of meh. Not my cup of tea.
Pixies fíla ég og ég hlusta oft á Doolittle. Mér fannst sólóplatan hjá Frank samt ekkert eitthvað spes. Það er Pixies-keimur á plötunni en ekkert sem stendur upp úr. Ég er ólíklegur að setja þessa aftur í spilun.
"Big Red" and "Pie in the Sky" were my favourites. 3/5.
Frank Black without the Pixies is kinda like amazing pizza that's missing the cheese. Still good, but could be so much better.
Teenager of the Year is a nice solo album of Frank Black. The songs are ok, but not that special and he never reaches the quality of his Pixies days.
Heck yeah. I’m a big fan of The Pixies and you can really hear Frank Black’s imprint on the band’s sound when you hear him solo. I love Kim Deal too, but the shadow of Black Francis looms large. Still, I’d rather have The Pixies (or The Posies or Throwing Muses). A good listen.
Felt very personable, as if a friend of mine had made it, appreciated the length too!
Interesting, didn't finish
New to me. Pretty good.
3.5
I know of him from The Pixies but had not heard any of his solo work. There are some good tracks here, and the musicianship is solid. I think I'll give it more of a listen and I'll look out for his other work.
Tässä ois ehkä 30 minuuttia matskua neljän tähden levyyn, mutta ei millään tuntia. Paljon hyvää rockia anyway.
One song album. Sorta punky
estuvo bueno actually 7.5/10
None of these tracks rival the best of the Pixies’ output, though they’re all cut from the same agreeable cloth. Shortening the album to put more focus on the stronger tunes would definitely have been to its benefit. I have serious doubts about whether it warrants a place on this list, but to be honest as soon as I saw the cover I knew I couldn’t give this less than a 3. Just look at Frank’s happy little face!
I enjoyed this album but it does go on for a while. I don't think I have any desire to revisit this. Highlights: Abstract Pain The Vanishing Spies Headache Bad Wicked World
This was a solid album. The first half is very good, last half is kinda eh. A good variety of music too. It doesn’t feel too repetitive. Although I will say the lyrics are pretty weak. A little all over the place in the scheme of the whole album, and even within each song the lyrics are kinda just okay at best. Also the first song sounds like sex b-bom. Remove the last third of the album you have a 4, but the whole album is a 3.5
3.5
Some good songs but he should have stuck with the pixies
Inte lika bra som Pixies men inga större fel trots allt.
Good stuff but too many fillers
What a weird album. Not in a bad way, but man, what a weird thing to listen to. I'm not sure if I like it, but its not bad at all. 3/5
3.7 . Best pixies album they never made
Vermakelijk album, niet onmisbaar
Helt ait, syns pixies er bedre
I like a lot of the guitar work, but this album feels like when a good character in a show disappears and comes back but now they're dark and brooding cause they've been through some shit. Shouldn't have broken up the pixies, francis
It was better than the Pixies album, but I still didn’t love his voice. I appreciated the short songs, but there were just so many of them!!! The vibe from the album cover vs the vibe of the songs themselves did not match.
Wasn't my style; not one song I loved.
I fell asleep for some songs but the ones I listened to weren't bad
I enjoy the Pixies and this was cool but too long.
Мужик развалил культовую группу и ушёл писать песни про марсоходы. Динамично, но как-то не торкает.
I liked the sound a lot. I also really like the hodge-podginess of the lyrical content but it went on for too long. Kinda like eating a peanut butter sandwich for 3 years. Almost all of them are going to be pretty good with no complaints (except for maybe one.. looking at you Fiddle Riddle). Over time though, it’s just the same stuff and your lunches feel like they’re the same shit every day and you start to wonder when will you be able to eat a new sandwich. 6.5/10 Fav song: Headache Least: Fiddle Riddle
3,5
Einzelne Songs werde ich vermutlich erneut hören. Gutes Album! Am besten gefällt mir "Headache". 6.5/10
Some hits and some misses. Some references to LA, so that's fun. Love the overall tone
Huh
Some good songs but overall too long/bloated.
The most frontloaded album of all time.
not awful, not remarkable thoug
As a Pixies fan, I was curious to check out Frank Black’s solo work. Teenager of the Year is his second solo album, released in 1994, and it features 22 tracks of eclectic rock music. The album title and cover immediately put me off but apparently they are inspired by a magazine contest that Black won when he was a teenager. The album has some great songs, such as Headache, Speedy Marie, and Freedom Rock, that showcase Black’s distinctive vocals, witty lyrics, and catchy melodies. However, it also has some filler tracks, such as Fazer Eyes, The Hostess with the Mostest, and Superabound, that drag down the overall quality and coherence of the album. The album could have benefited from some editing and trimming, as it feels too long and uneven at times. Teenager of the Year is a good album, but not a great one. It has some flashes of brilliance, but also some dull moments. It is not as memorable or consistent as the Pixies’ albums, which I stick to in the future.
Pretty solid 90s rock tracks. The songs didn't feel all that special to me though.
After the album, my Spotify Algorithm played: Dinosaur Jr. - Goin' Home Wire - Feeling Called Love XTC - Respectable Street Breeders - Saints Elastica - All-Nighter
I've tried many times, but I just don't get it now
I got excited for this record when it came out but other than a couple of really great tracks from it I was a bit disappointed that it was not more Pixies like.
This is such a weird album that I can't put my finger on. I play a few tracks and like it, a few more and get so annoyed that I switch to something else. Then i come back to it and enjoy a few tracks before getting annoyed again. I really can't tell if I like it or not. A few track that I liked multiple times were "Speedy Marie", "Headache" and "Freedom Rock". But in the end 1 hour is too long, about 15 min seems my sweetspot. Maybe give it a 3?
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
Pretty sure I have this on CD in the garage, but I haven't listened to it in ages. Its good some good songs on it but it's overlong, and continues in the direction Frank Black was taking the Pixies, into more "conventional" rock. Not nearly as good as the first couple of Pixies albums.
I think I have a better understanding after listening to this of why I’ve never fully gone all in on the Pixies or Frank Black. There are so many great ideas and yet I feel like it’s rare that they add up to make great songs. With this album specifically, it’s like Frank is always more interested in the next song than in making the current one really, really good. Swear to God, if you combined every three songs on this record into a single song, you’d be left with like 7 pretty damn good songs. But that’s not what we get. “Headache” is excellent and there were others I liked. But the album as a whole is more like a quilt of disparate and interesting ideas when all I want it to be is a really good warm blanket.
Pretty fun. Like a punky party. Lots of teenage house party vibes. Would be the soundtrack for the night. Very high energy throughout so couldn't finish it. Liked Pong and Abstract Plain a lot. Abstract Plain gave me some Neil Young vibes. Cool!
Þetta eru ekki Pixies, en þetta er oft á tíðum skemmtilegt. Þarf ekki að hlusta aftur, en myndi ekki mótmæla ef einhver setti á fóninn.
I don’t totally get the ideas here, but it’s not bad. A weird one for sure.
3/5 some cool songs
Much too long, and a fair number of these songs end before they can really get interesting. But what does stick around to be developed is pretty good!
just alright, way too long for what it is. 30/40 mins would have allowed for this to feel like a much sturdier project. Sir rockaby has a cool synth(?) melody thing. I like the wobbly sound. P.s This guys legal name is "Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV"
3.5/5. I’d rather listen to the Pixies.
Loud, sometimes punk sounding, sometimes grunge sounding. It wasn't bad, I enjoyed it.
The tracks grabbed me about as much as a guy in an hospital amputation ward in Saudi Arabia after he got caught stealing, and I felt my time was stolen so that makes sense.
Well I sure liked this more than the Pixies. Kind of uneven, but definitely some songs I enjoyed. Probably a 2.5 for me, but I'm in a good mood today so I'm rounding up.
I have no idea how to feel about this album. My opinions on it change from song to song. I really enjoy some of the relatively more mellow songs like Headache but I also really dislike some of the more screaming vocals on some of the other songs. I just really with there was a consistent sound. Also, the last half of this album feels like it's all filler. The album does not need to be an hour long. Overall, I think it's an okay album with some great gems hidden throughout.
I like it. I'd give it 3.5 or 3.75 stars, but I'm rounding down because 1) it doesn't belong with a lot of 4 star albums, and 2) it's not an album I should listen to before I die.
I know barely enoug about Frank Black to know that he's in the Pixies, but I would not be able to distinguish his solo work from his work with the band. I like the Pixies in general (but not every track) and after listening to Teanager Of The Year, the same could be said for Frank Black. All of the album was okay or close to it. "Two Reelers" was uneven with the transitions and a little trying on my patience, while "Pie in the Sky" dipped a little into being just plain noisy, with pounding snares and grinding guitars. Teenager Of The Year does have an alternative sound, and Black's voice and compositions seem well intergrated with his work in the Pixies. The tracks where I felt like I was fully enjoying the music were "Speedy Marie", "Calistan", "Big Red" and "Space Is Gonna Do Me Good".
- This is the guy from the Pixies sick - Love the punkiness and grunginess of this - Freedom Rock is epic - Long, but the music was good - 3.5
- Punky and indie - Headache was a great song
Predictable music. Not particularly interesting.
Decent rock album, wide range of different styles but a bit too long and lacking any standout songs
This is really mid.
He needs the pixies. It’s not awful but sometimes giving someone complete control diminishes them. Probably better than I think so rounded up from 2.5
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
Not bad
Fair enough but not the most interesting project, Francis > Frank
I was pretty drunk for about 75% of this album and during that time I thought it was overlong, boring, and had terrible vocals. However, as I sobered up throughout the course of the album, I began to enjoy it slightly more while still thinking that it was overlong and also learned that this artist was the frontman for the pixies which I generally like. If I relisten to this tomorrow, I’ll reevaluate but as of right now it gets a low three on account of killing my drunk vibes and being generally lame while I was intoxicated and to a lesser extent while I was relatively sober. I listened to a couple songs the next day and honestly enjoyed them a bit less. Not enough for a two but definitely a shitty 3
At first I didn't like it, but it slowly grew on me.
Don't think my patience was fully here for such a long album, not when I've sat through Black's vocals for two other albums already in this project. I definitely didn't hate it, the three star rating is earnest, but man, I've gone through a lot lately and this was a weird mental roadblock. I certainly saved a fair share of music from Teenager of the Year, but I'm glad I never again have to sit through the stuff I don't like to get to the stuff I do.
Loved the pixies first two albums but could never get into the last two. Just a bit directionless without the magic that sparked throughout the first two. Never listened to Black Francis' solo stuff as I thought it would be a continuation of the same and it looks like I was right. Bit of a bloated, mediocre album, but not unlistenable
This is pretty inoffensive 90's rock. Feels a little generic, but overall not bad. Nothing stands out in a positive or negative way. Just kind of exists. There are way too many songs on this album man. It's only 1 hour long with 23 tracks, but man does it feel like it goes on for twice that time. Was a solid 3/5, but is more of a low 3/5
Run of the mill indie rock. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination and there were some good tracks in there but nothing that would make me come back for more.
This is a perfectly fine but unexceptional alt-rock album. I actually think it holds up reasonably well and doesn't sound overly dated, I just don't think any of the songs really stand out. I wouldn't turn it off if it came on again, but I also wouldn't pick it out to listen to. It's also pretty long (62 minutes) which doesn't really help its case. Favorite song: Calistan Others: (I Want to Live on An) Abstract Plain, Speedy Marie, Superabound, White Noise Maker
The only song I really liked was "Headache" and I think that's just because I remember them playing it a lot when this album came out. Otherwise it was pretty forgettable.
Way too long, a couple very solid tracks.
Decent 90's alt rock as solo project from the Pixies lead singer. Songs are short but there's 22 of them. Standout is "Headache."
An interesting departure from the Pixies frontman. Still has some of the same frenetic energy, but takes a more melodic and structured approach with each track. It’s a testament to how good the melodies are that I never felt bored, but I can’t help but wonder if this could’ve been a killer LP if it wasn’t 30 minutes of good ideas smeared out over a full hour.
3.5
Not his best
Interesting to hear the solo work of the Pixies guy, but the output isn't quite there enough for me. A bit too polished, and yet parts of it sound like a mix between Iggy Pop and The Velvet Underground... but just not as good.
3.5
It was okay.
It starts disappointingly. Frank Black is still his surreal yelping self, but backed by a band without Kim Deal's groove, Joey Santiago's scratchiness or David Lovering's drive, so like a pub rock Pixies. But this albums generous size is it's saving grace. As it goes on, Black dives into genre experiments you'd never have heard on a Pixies album, and here the album actually shines - when he stops trying to give what he thinks you want, and instead gives you the unexpected, it's actually really good.
Good album but certainly too long
Ok album. The Pixies have been a group that I've heard a bunch, but never really clicked with me. Probably won't listen again, but appreciate the band's influence on the punk scene in the 80's/90's
Okay !
An album of fun songs that’s just a bit too long. Enough variety to keep it interesting. Definitely WAY better than the album cover would indicate
I like the Pixies and so obviously there are some similarities here. Barring the fact this is too long of an album, I still thought it was decent.
This is exactly the kind of album you expect from the title. It's what a teenager in the 90s would listen to and maybe even love (some songs are quite good!). Is it revolutionary? I don't think so, but it's a great time capsule.
De guy van de pixies. Beetje lang album
deffo a summer album. some songs were good, some were like... really weird. but that's frank! i'll revisit in warmer months.
Pretty interesting stuff, 3 stars
Surprising to see this album on the list (it doesn't belong I think). Got this album as a birthday present at the time and listened to it a lot. But now I struggle to finish it. The number of songs is just too exhaustive, and the material is too inconsistent and in general does not reach Pixies level ..even though occasionally it gets close (there are some really good pop songs on it). My vote in 1994: 4 stars My vote in 2023: 3 stars
Did not hate it, but none of the (22!) songs really appealed to me.
Songs such as Speedy Marie approach Pixies quality but overall this album is far below that standard.
Somewhere among this sprawling double-album was a more coherent and concise collection. Not bad, just too much of the same.
HL: "Two Reelers", "Headache", "Ole Mullholland", "White Noise Maker"
I liked this way better than the Pixies albums on the list. Sounds more like a conventional rock album.
Alright.
Well as absolute Pixies fan I love all four Pixies albums and would rate them 5 stars easily, I did kinda like the 1st Solo album of Black Francis/Frank Black, but this one too standard rock and roll for me, so only 3 for this one. Hope Pixies will show up one of these days.
Ok.
не мой стиль
Were the pixies to split and the frontman to have his own solo project - this would be it. Oh that’s what this is? Kidding aside - it’s good a good fraction of what makes the pixies cool and wonderful but it’s got the missing spice. It’s still a decent record and the songs are good - probably one of the better Frank Black albums.
It's fine but too long, n9thing super s0ecial
This is a good album...no it's not Slanted and Enchanted, nor is it Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, but thete are a lot of good tunes and very few of what I wiould consider throwaways. However, In comparison to a Pixies album it is missing those 3 or 4 songs that transcend the signature sound to be of universal pop appeal. 3.5
Uneven, but has its moments
Not bad, didn’t stop it early so.
better than i expected, he has a deep talent for melody and texture, his downfall is that he is over clever
More fine stuff. Is it something I need to hear before I die? Probably not. Frank is cool though. Saw him in 98
I'm not black like Barry White, no I am white like Frank Black is After Dead Kennedy's to Frank Black, punk to punkish sound the theme of last couple days Missed review of Kennedys. Recognized a couple from radio and who could not love any version of viva las Vegas? Old suitemate in college was big fan. I'd go with 2.5. Btw, the drummer, DH Peligro passed away last week. Back to Black. Good album. More familiar with Pixies stuff. Beginning punkish to a more rythmic sound. Seemed the album had a nice variety of musical style. Good album to listen while at work. A few songs stood out for me Headache, Fiddle Riddle, Big Red . 3
A mixed bag, but mostly enjoyable.
Pretty alright.
I like some Frank Black, but gave to admit things picked up when the album finished and spotify autoplayed wave of mutilation
Beaucoup de gens oublient que Frank Black est un mammifère. Il fait d'ailleurs partie, avec les dauphins et les lamentins, des trois seuls mammifères qui passent toute leur vie sous l'eau.
I enjoyed the album though it starts to drag a little bit by the end.
Non mi aspettavo questo sound e questa voce, però non mi dice ancora molto.
Not bad but too frenetic. Like his work in the Pixies, it's got Frank Black's signature weird but interesting lyrics and some cool musical arrangements (including some guitar work from his former bandmate) but it's just too all over the place. And it's too long - 22 songs constantly changing in pace and content and style. As much as I liked some songs quite a bit (Abstract Plain, Headache, Freedom Rock, The Hostess with the Mostest, White Noise Maker), the whole album is just a bit too much to wrap my head around. Tighten it up and I might like it even more. But as it stands it feels average at best.
I love Frank Black and I live the work he has done with the Pixies. I do really enjoy this album and regret not taking the chance to properly watch him perform at the `94 Vivid Festival. I was there and know I watched a bit of his ste but that is about it. This album just doesn't hit as hard as some of his others. Maybe he was taking a break from the persona of Black Francis, which is fine. Maybe it will grow on me a bit more now that I have rediscovered it but for now I will give it 3 stars
There's a really great album somewhere here, it just needed to have about 20 to 30 minutes chopped off in order to make that a reality. 3.5/5
Pretty good. 3.5/5
ouais ok ouais dac (je sais pas je nettoyais la hotte aspirante)
Each song is an individual shard in a mosaic of this album, reminding me of GBV. These are all full length though which pushes the album over hour in length. I was surprised how well it holds up and the lyrics are witty. It's not a bad album but it doesn't feel like something I had to listen. It is not transcending it's timeframe well, lot of songs feel like soundtrack for teenage movies or sports videogames from it's period.
Didn't realize Frank Black was the dude from the Pixies. I was thinking this sounded a ton like the Pixies...unfortunately it sounds like the more chaotic Pixies songs that aren't my favorite.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: I could stay here forever, Big red
Hljómar illa í byrjun en við frekari hlustun fer þetta að vera fínasta plata.
Liked some tracks. Couldn’t get into it fully in the 1990s or now.
He kinda funny 3 this one
Lite långt men kova
interesting album with some songs with more rough edges than others overal a decent album
This didn't capture me at all. Maybe my head/mood just wasn't in it.
I was surprisingly impressed by this. I heard some Pixies in there but also a melange of other early 90s stuff - Madchester maybe? Pop? Grunge? Good fun overall.
There was some interesting lyrics and some good guitar, plus a lot of the songs were short. It's not bad, but I'm not really a fan of punk so I can't say I particularly enjoyed it that much.
Some gems on this album. Enjoyed it
Massive massive fan of the pixies surprised at myself for never listening to this. It doesn't quite hit the sweet spots of Surfer Rosa or troupe le monde, however enjoy his vocals and idiosyncratic lyrics. Might need to spend some time with it.
Pixies were better.
I was nominated for Teenager of the Year back in '92, but lost out to some baby face called George Dawes from the Upper Floors. Baked potato! 2.5
It took me 5 songs to realize this is the guy from the Pixies. Overall enjoyable, but super long. Not my taste for all of it but some of it really jams.
This album had so much energy and originality I feel bad not giving it a 4 or even 5, but I couldn’t emotionally connect and I don’t expect to listen again (but who knows), so alas a three.
Strange ride. The first couple songs were pretty fun. Then it settled into a bunch of songs that made me think he was trying to be Lou Reed -- but not very successfully. Then he was trying to be Lou Reed -- rather successfully! Finally he settled into some more poppy punk from 18-21 that was fun. Ultimately, I can't shake the impression that this is a too-long album made by a guy who's convinced everything he writes is great stuff. And he's right only part of the time.
Pretty good, but could of been shorter. Favorites: "Whatever Happened to Pong?", "Calistan", "Headache"
Nice
The first two songs are the worst thing I've ever heard. Third song ("Abstract Plain") is better, but so far the album is not great. Okay, it picked up as the album went along, coming in at a solid 3. But I will never forgive this album for putting me through the first 5 minutes.
A bit long, but not too bad overall
Was wel ok, niet echt een blijvertje voor mij.
De arrogantie van 1 van de wielen van een raceauto om te denken dat je zonder die andere wielen ook lekker hard kunt rijden. Lekker in je eentje uit de bocht vliegen dan. Gauw terug naar de Pixies voor je helemaal lek raakt, Frankie.
Pixies vind ik geweldig. Maar Frank Black solo is nooit echt helemaal mijn ding geworden. Ook deze plaat is veelal meer van hetzelfde, niet heel spannende rocknummers. Het mist het spannende scherpe Pixies randje.
Var búin að gleyma þessari plötu. Enn hressileg. Hellingur af Pixies í sumum lögunum.
Je crois que j'avais déjà entendu Headache sur cet album. Ça s'écoute bien, mais c'est vraiment trop long. C'est définitivement un essentiel à écouter à cause de l'importance des Pixies, mais ça ne passe pas à l'histoire et n'est pas un essentiel dans une collection. La voix du début de Freedom Rock est vraiment dans la veine de Iggy Pop. J'aurais pris plus de pièces dans ce genre.
I love the Frank Black and the Catholics albums. This album had some fun tracks, and from what I read, looks to be the foundation for forming the Catholics and their sound. But in comparison to the later stuff, I wasn't as into this.
Moderately interesting and entertaining, but not much to get truly excited about. “Speedy Marie” and “Headache” and “Big Red” are solid+, but fall far short of Pixies at their best. Probably about even with the band’s replacement-level output. It all feels average (or above average if you like FB and the P’s) but not much stands out to any great degree (even accounting for high expectations). Also, the decent amount of dreck seems inevitable on a 22-track effort – with the net result being that we barely clear the forgettability threshold. I suspect inclusion of this record to be a personal project (pet peeve) of one of the editors. 2.8 for 3.
Some nice guitars but overall sprawling and messy.
Alright! Started weird but improved after a few songs.
I'm not sure quite how to review this. The songs have a lot of energy, there are a lot of them, with most being quite short, but they kind of passed through me without making an impact. Maybe I just wasn't focused enough listening to it, but I just didn't hear much that stood out. I'm giving it 3 stars, although I will try to listen again and may revise that.
I really like Pixies but never heard much of Frank Black (Black Francis) outside of that band. I was really interested in hearing this and I neither disappointed nor enthralled. There's a mix of good and not that good to be found here. There's a lot of genre hopping. Some works better than others to be sure. The biggest con to me is that the album is an hour long. Some of those less interesting songs could've been cut to make a leaner, more enjoyable experience. Overall, not bad. Just a bit bloated.
I really liked this kind of 90s alt sound, but honestly this album goes on 20-30 minutes too long for it to be rated higher
Good Enough
As a kid of the early 90's, I grew up listening to The Pixies and I liked them, but didn't love them. What I did love about them was Kim Deal, I could listen to her voice all day and it wouldn't matter what she said. Alternatively, Frank Black / Black Frank put a lot of meanings into what he said and what he sang about and for me it was easy to gravitate to KD's work and neglect FB/BF's solo career. And that's the difference, music vs. lyrics. I do remember listening to this in the store when they were promoting it on one of those 'CD listening stations' - where you could try before you buy... and I remember it not being exciting by it ... because again, I wasn't listening to the poetry, only the music. Nothing much has changed since then, I was still hearing the music, not the lyrics. I wasn't impressed. However, after hearing this album, Spotify launched me into his self-titled album which was more enjoyable than Teenager of the Year. For me, TOTY isn't musically balanced. Yes, there is something here, but just seems like too much work for me to fully appreciate.
Hahaha I remember the Pong song from one of my college roommates playing it. Now I know from whence it came. A double album is hard. Too many chances for a lapse or let down. There are ups and downs here. Franks’s voice isn’t great. It’s not terrible and works better here than it would with another artist’s music. The music is quite interesting for most of this album. Frank has a unique, offbeat sound that intrigues. However, it’s not enough to pull this album up further.
Starts out really strong, gets boring and samey in the middle. An hour long, but the songs are all only around 2 minutes, so a lot of them feel like throwaways. Didn't pay attention to the lyrics at all, but I feel like I didn't miss out on anything. That being said, I didn't dislike this, probably like a 6/10 - I enjoyed the grungier songs.
I enjoy Frank Black immensely. No one song stood out but I would relisten to this as an album
Más melódico que lo sacado con Pixies, el álbum sorprende por la cantidad de buenos temas que engancha. Rock de guitarras, casi power rock a veces. Muy disfrutable pero demasiado largo, le sobran canciones.
Frank Black en plena efervescència de llibertat. Té espai per tot, des del punk més hardcore al pop més melòdic. Més de 20 temes on hi ha de molt bó i de més prescindible, però en un moment que encara no havia perdut la flama, tot i que és lluny dels mèrits aconseguits amb Pixies
I listened to this several times to try to wrap my head around what he was going for. My conclusion is that he needs an editor. There's too much here, and it's so painfully 90s alt-rock. That's a plus on some songs, but a huge negative on others. Best track: Freedom Rock
I dig it
A bit chaotic, but not bad.
Sounds like all the other Frank Black albums... it's good but it's just shy of really good. He clearly was a HUGE influence in the pixies, but his solo albums always serve as proof that any band is greater than the sum of its parts.
Frank Black delves in the alternative and soft rock genre, with mixed success. 'Teenager Of The Year' features a questionable vocal style and barricades of drum and guitar combo that make it a muddy presentation of an album. A 22-track album with good tracks you can count on one finger, Black's album is a miss for the most part.
Sounds good but I wasn’t listening too intently. A lot of songs !
The album is almost as long as my cock
I hate to judge solo artists too much by their previous work in a band. But I'm not really feeling this one from Frank Black. It's not bad per se, but musically it's just not particularly compelling. And Black's bona fides from his work in the Pixies are huge. Their sound was huge, intense, urgent. You can't help but have some expectations of him moving forward. On Teenager of the Year, Black's vocals in particular are weak. What's missing in him is the intensity we’re used to hearing. Like did he have a cold that day? You can see where Black is experimenting with some different sounds, applying his vocal in different ways. But unfortunately Black isn't a strong enough singer to pull off a subtler vocal. It’s a nice attempt that lands flat about half of the time. There are several solid tracks that keep the album from being a wash. My favorite track is probably “Superabound,” which shows a bit of the old Black spark, elevated by some excellent keyboard and guitar work. “Headache” is probably the other can’t miss track. The second half of the album for sure is pretty listenable. This is one of those albums that would have benefited from some decisive editing. Drop 4 or 5 of these songs and you would have had a much better album. Fave Songs: Superabound, Headache, Thalassocracy, Sir Rockaby, Bad Wicked World
Ei nyt noussut omille soittolistoille mutta kivutta kuunteli läpi. Välistä oli ihan hauskaakin menoa.
This is the 46th album I’ve listened to on this project. Of which, two have been Pixies (and I expect may be at least one more) and now this. This was ok - definitely too long - but it doesn’t feel essential, especially given the amount of representation FB already has on this list.
SPEEDY MARY!
Twenty-two songs made it a little hard to get to know this as an album in one day. There are definitely some songs I would have enjoyed lingering over, but also ones that I wouldn't have minded skipping. I liked "(I Want to Live On An) Abstract Plain" and "Calistan." There are definitely some fun things going on with lyrics. "Speedy Marie" was my initial favorite. "Freedom Rock" is a super fun look at musical taste...(I think?). I liked the sound of "Big Red." I'm fairly sure that more time here would make this rating go up.
I remember having friends that were fans of Frank Black back in the 90s...but this is my first exposure to the music. It was not what I expected...it was punkish then I had imagined. The album was fine. It started to grow on me after a couple of listens, but not enough to want the entire album. I did love a couple of the songs though. In particular, Fiddle Riddle really pleased me.
This was fine. I didn't love it. Some lyrics popped out and at best I mildly enjoyed some of the songs.
Hated that first song, rest actually pretty groovy so far (up to track 7)