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Fast Man Raider Man
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 19 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 23 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Back Porch / Cooking Vinyl
Release Date: 20 June 2006
Discs: 2 discs
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
The typically prolific Black returns with a 27-song, two-disc set produced by Jon Tiven. Among the many musicians lending a hand are Spooner Oldham and Levon Helm (The Band).
Also By This Artist: Frank Black Francis Honeycomb
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Frank Black & The Catholics: Black Letter Days Frank Black & The Catholics: Devil's Workshop Frank Black & The Catholics: Dog In The Sand Frank Black & The Catholics: Show Me Your Tears
Also On The Web: Frank Black Fan Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Alternative Press
That rare double album with enough life in it to deserve that much real estate. [Aug 2006, p.208]
Filter
It's impossible to decide whether Black is tourist or guide in the land of dusty genres he evokes. [#21, p.102]
Mojo
While it might've been more digestible as a single CD, Black strives for a wide scope that makes the album's elegant songcraft, musical telepathy and poetic unpredictability all the more satisfying. [Aug 2006, p.104]
All Music Guide
If it weren't for the album's studio polish, it'd feel like an extremely well-recorded concert -- it has the ebb and flow of a good live set, and its expansive warmth ends up making its length work in its favor.
Read Full Review >Billboard
[A] compendium of mostly refined Americana, albeit filtered through Black's uniquely cockeyed worldview.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Black's voice is less interesting when he's not going postal with the Pixies; here he delivers dark visions wanly, with a nod to Nick Cave and a saving touch of camp.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
The work of a middle-aged man with little to prove: amiable, assured, seldom surprising.
Read Full Review >Spin
The playing is impeccable, Black's subtly warped songs uneven. [Jul 2006, p.82]
Prefix Magazine
Fast Man Raider Man isn't your father's Frank Black; it's Frank Black for your father.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Where Black's muse was once shrieked and otherworldly, it's now distinctly earth-bound. [17 Jun 2006, p.37]
PopMatters
There is certainly enough solid material here for an album, but Black has committed one of the cardinal sins of modern music: this is too damn long.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
Oddly, the songs here are actually quite good and are played , well but Black’s nasal voice is at odds with some of the genres he’s exploring. [#14]
Playlouder
While there are some moments of greatness (the menacing, psychedelic 'Dog Sleep', the mournful, pretty 'Don't Cry That Way'), the majority of this double album is dull, turgid and instantly forgettable.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
At its worst, only the quality of the backing band distinguishes it from pub rock. [Jul 2006, p.112]
Uncut
Much of it is endurance-defyingly dull. [Jul 2006, p.84]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Alex F gave it a7:
A bitter pill to swallow for most Pixies fans and even those of Frank Black's early solo work. That being said, I think this record is pleasant, but overlong. There's some really good songs in there, but you have to find them amongst some boring filler. (Yes, Frank Black can be boring!) Which isn't to say it is bad. Just not something that makes your ears perk up and listen intently.
RatCore gave it a6:
It's a good cd overall, lots of good tracks. But too many tracks overall. Should have been made into one cd with the best ones. Standouts: Wanderlust, If your posing gets you, it's down to you, raiderman, its just not your moment.
someone else gave it an8:
i cant imagine any country music fans picking this album up... only fans of frank black's way with a song...i guess thats why comments based completely on his ability to perform this kind of material are moot...to me at least. i guess that's also why a song like "im not dead (im in pittsburgh)", which is a very straightforward country song, bores the hell out of me... but, there are more than enough songs that are are typical frank black, filtered through a different perspecitve of course...and im still glad i picked it up
AJ gave it an8:
Pathetic reviews from the "professionals?" I guess when an artist is as prolific as Frank, pumping out double albums in between Pixies shows, the critics start to tire. Frank's albums are also not that conducive to a quick listen and review type format. His albums are always "growers" that are textured and layered, taking multiple listens to fully appreciate. Much great art is like this. For reviewers in search of gimmicks and catchy tracks- Black is set up for critical failure with this double-album. But the fans will understand it and salivate for more. There are some really great tracks on here, both lyrically thought provoking and stylistically interesting. Black has evolved from a rock historian to a music historian and he delves into a multitude of American styles on this record and nearly masters all of them.
AL S gave it an8:
not bad...grows on u slowly...but well worth the wait.
Louie gave it a4:
quite disappointing. loved honeycomb but this one just seems to miss the mark
Danny O gave it a7:
Some really good stuff here; Some awful stuff too. Save the first 20 seconds, "If the Poison Gets You" sounds like a great John Hiatt song.
