Tonight Mathew, I will be...
Frank Black - who if you didn't already know is the full-figured bold guy who once fronted the ground breaking band The Pixies (who of course are said to be one of Kurt Cobain's main inspiration behind the songs of Nirvana) – is a legend, for all of the aforementioned reasons.
Born back in 1965 as Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, he firstly chose the pseudonym Black Francis whilst being in the Pixies, before finally going by the name of Frank Black.
The first thing that you will notice on this double album is just how different this is from his usual style with both The Pixies and later with Frank Black and the Catholics. 'Fast Man Raider Man' is a collection of songs that are either new or have been kicking around between sessions from his previous musical adventures. It's a mellowed Frank Black who takes a break from the faster and furious classic songs that he's penned and screamed out over big loud riffs in the past. Here we have blues/country influenced rock that gently rocks you on the front porch.
First song 'If Your Poison Gets You' has a jazz-club feel to it with the shuffling brush beats, piano, double-bass and saxophone. 'Johnny Barleycorn' has me checking the CD to make sure that I haven't inadvertently slipped Chris Rea in instead. It's a slow number with some rock'n'roll guitar work, but is an easy listening middle of the road rock song. It's almost like Frank is drawing influences from some of his favourite artists, and that isn't always a bad thing, for instance 'Fast Man' is a little like The Eagles and sounds a very good song. Of course I should mention that the music is played by members of the bands that bring these influences, like Cheap Trick, Bad Company, Free as well as the legendary Al Kooper, and honky-tonk maestro Marty Brown.
It's hard to even think that lovers of Frank Black's other projects would enjoy this album if they are expecting anything like he's produced before. 'Dirty Old Town' is straight out of Nashville, whilst we have Blues from New Orleans in 'Raiderman' which also includes cicadas and a dog barking. 'The End Of Summer' is so much like The Animal's song 'House OF The Rising Sun' that you can't help but love it! The rest of disc 1 – has a great sing-a-long campfire song of 'I'm Not Dead (I'm In Pittsburgh)' which is a great honky-tonk country song, and another middle of the road country number of 'Golden Shore'.
Disc 2 has more of the same with predominantly mellow but well done songs. 'In The Time Of My Ruin' is the closest we get to The Pixes. We have the blues in 'Highway To Lowdown', and the greatly titled, 'Kiss My Ring' and another jazz number in 'My Terrible Ways'. For the rest of album we have more slow laid back country influence rock tracks like 'Elijah', 'It's Just Not Our Moment' and 'Holland Town' which is a little like ex-Gunner Izzy Stradlin's newer style of country influenced rock'n'roll, this carries on with 'Where The Wind Is Going' before the slide guitar love song 'Sad Old World' will either have you reaching for tissues or the sick bucket as our Frank croons, "It's a sad old world//It's a sad old world...". The album is finished off with the great 'Fare Thee Well' and you can't help but nod in approval.
I'd be surprised if this was a new direction for Mr Black, however this does go to prove that he is indeed the legend that we know and love. He has a great depth in writing and also has a very good voice. Not one song here has his trade mark screaming on.
This is not a cool album. This will not spawn hit after hit. However what this does give us is a great double album with songs influenced by some of the greatest bands from the 60's, 70's and 80's. So this is what it's like to grow up...!