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...

100

Entertainment Weekly

Black's take on Southern soul: spare, graceful, in the pocket, with Black himself sounding reborn and relaxed. [22 Jul 2005, p.78]

100

The Guardian

He's discovered a mellow maturity in Southern soul - and without losing his punk rock perversity or poetry.

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musicOMH.com

It will surely be remembered as perhaps the greatest Frank Black LP (to date, at least) and perhaps even as the record that made it cool to like country again.

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Billboard

One of his finest hours.

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Filter

This is relaxed, realized, and startlingly gorgeous. [#16, p.92]

Playlouder

If there's a quibble, 'Honeycomb' does lack variation of pace. Though it doesn't matter when the tunes are as consistently as good as 'Sing for Joy'.

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Uncut

A quietly remarkable record. [Aug 2005, p.92]

New Musical Express

Elegantly-strummed slices of lo-fi Americana.

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Neumu.net

Honeycomb is a coherent and listenable collection of songs.

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Mojo

Honeycomb is really closer to the Dylan of New Morning than Blonde On Blonde; an angry young man finally transformed by a new voice and outlook. [Aug 2005, p.95]

No Ripcord

As usual the songs are superbly crafted, and very well-executed.

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Spin

Alternately goofy, sweet, and weird. [Aug 2005, p.97]

Splendid

Honeycomb isn't a great album -- it's too tentative and self-restrained for that -- but it's quite a good one.

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Rolling Stone

The playing is bright, relaxed and spontaneous. [28 Jul 2005, p.82]

Q Magazine

His mutation into Hank Williams may be unlikely, but it also proves to be rather charming. [Aug 2005, p.126]

All Music Guide

Honeycomb is steeped in tradition, yet manages to buck it at the same time; while not all Pixies and Frank Black fans will appreciate its mellow maturity, it's an intimate treat for those who follow its lead.

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Blender

Compared with the Pixies, this is conservative and gentlemanly. [Aug 2005, p.109]

Prefix Magazine

Given the strength of the album’s beginning, the latter half lags quite a bit, but the occasional highlight arises.

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Paste Magazine

[Honeycomb has] some of Black’s most mature songwriting to date and a chilled-out sound that plays like the cure to a hangover after a night of Pixies-soundtracked debauchery.

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cokemachineglow

It suffers both in comparison to Black’s other solo material and on its own decidedly alt-country terms.

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Under The Radar

The tension of is-this-a-joke-or-serious is perhaps the largest aspect of the album's subtle, growing charm. [#10, p.105]

Pitchfork

Has its inspired moments but ultimately comes off like something of a vanity project.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Fall[s] somewhere between briskly entertaining and simply inconsequential.

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Stylus Magazine

Honeycomb proves too rigid and self-serious to make good on Black’s strengths.

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PopMatters

If Honeycomb exercises Dylanisms, they're the indulgent kind: stifled melodic repetitions, gaggles of verses, rushed takes that make brilliant musicians appear barely competent.

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Village Voice

The set is just a curio, banking everything on Black's low register, which has the texture but not the stamina to pull off so many slow, velvet lullabies about sour romance.

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New York Magazine

It is a noble effort, modeled on Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, but the results are underwhelming.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Paul A gave it a10:
I was a huge Pixies fan back in the day but I hadn't really got into Frank Black's solo stuff until I recently bought Bluefinger, Dog in the Sand and Honeycomb practically at the same time... I'm a big fan again!

Matthew S gave it an8:
Stands out like a shiny dime against the old money of a familiar genre. Positive and uplifting.

daniela gave it a10:
brilliant! from trompe le monde to this... makes complete sense to me!

AJ gave it a9:
I actually wasn't expecting this project to be as successful as it turned out. There are a few moments where it seems Frank is teetering dangerously close to middle aged wussiness (eg. the second half of "My life is in storage") but these instances are completely overshadowed by the craftsmanship of Frank's song writing and lyrical inventiveness. "Sing for Joy" is an epic, bittersweet, affirmation of life that alone is worth the price of purchase. It caps a very solid effort by Frank.

Eddie M gave it a7:
Most immediately accessible songs on this album are the 3 covers. Black's original material is hit and miss (more hits than misses though). All in all a triumph of dark but mellow Americana.

Scott Y gave it a3:
Nothing bad...just nothing really exciting, either. Sort of jazz-like, which I wasn't really expecting.

You suck gave it a10:
What the? How could anyone give this great album a 3 or a 2?

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