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Album Details

• Artist: Frank Black
• Album: Frank Black
• Label: 4AD
• Year of Release: 1993
• ME Rating: Indie Classic
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2006-08-01

Frank Black has been enjoying a resurgence of sorts with the reuniting of the Pixies. Well there are a couple of his solo albums that deserve some dusting off as well. His self-titled solo-debut is the most important of the two (the other being Teenager of the Year). The year is 1993 and the Pixies have just decided to call it quits. Black Francis changes his stage name to the more contemporary Frank Black and decides to hook up with Eric Drew Feldman for his proper solo debut. The album opens up with the dark "Los Angeles" proving that Black hadn't lost his edge. But then he follows up with tribute to the Ramones called "I Heard Ramona Sing", a nice track with a few more pop leanings and sounding a little more like the Pixies. But my favorite has to be the super catchy pop remake of the Beach Boys "Hang On To Your Ego". The gently chugging "Places Named After Numbers" is another one that sticks out of the impressive batch of songs. And the fun "Brackish Boy" shows Black still has a sense of humor. Out of all of Frank Black's solo output I would personally say that this eponymous album is essential, other than his Pixies output. It just barely squeaks past Teenager of the Year for me.

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