Best Of 93-03
Frank Black
Producer: Ben Mumphrey, Eric Drew Felman, Frank Black, Stan Ridgway, The Catholics, Al Clay, Nick Vincent
Cooking Vinyl, 2007
2 CD
Catalogue #: COOKCD407
EAN: 0711297480726
UPC: 711297480726
Personnel: Lyle Workam, Bob Guisti, Scott Boutier, Dave Mccaffrey, Morris Tepper, Stand Ridgeway, Petra Wexstun, Cynthia Haagens, Eric Potter, Eric Drew Feldman, Joey Santiago , Matt Yelton, Nick Vincent, Andy Diagram, Rich Gilbert, Van Dyke Parks, Keith Moline, Dave Philips, Jean Black.
Recording information: 1993 - 2003.
Pixies fans were still drying their tears after the beloved band's demise in 1993 when frontman Black Francis (aka Charles Thompson) swiftly unveiled his first solo album--and his new semi-inverted moniker, Frank Black. While Black's self-titled debut proved to be largely an extension of the Pixies' swan song, TROMPE LE MONDE, and featured Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago and sideman Eric Drew Feldman, it may have been issued too soon for some listeners to fully embrace. His audience waned over the years, even as the prolific singer/guitarist's output remained steady.
This well-selected collection cherry-picks from Black's first decade on his own, including some of the finest songs from his lauded first two records (see the propulsive "Los Angeles" and the pop-perfect "Headache"), as well as unjustly overlooked later albums such as DOG IN THE SAND (the rollicking "Robert Onion"), essentially getting listeners up to speed on his pre-Pixies-reunion material. The collection reinforces his reputation as both a fierce performer and a surprisingly nuanced songwriter, and proves that Black never stopped being an intriguing artist, he just stopped being a Pixie for awhile.
Tracklist
Frank Black
Under the moniker Black Francis, Frank Black was the principal songwriter, lyricist, and lead vocalist of the Pixies, one of the most important alternative rock bands of the 1980s and early '90s. Black's solo career has been marked by a slight shift toward a more traditional rock sound, while still maintaining the wry, off-kilter aesthetic that helped bring the Pixies such acclaim. His recorded output as a soloist and with his backing band, the Catholics, has been nothing short of prolific. However, Black still managed to find time to reunite the Pixies in 2004 and embark on a hugely successful world tour.
