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Frank Black Francis Image
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: This unusual set from the Pixies frontman includes a disc of demo solo recordings dating from 1987, and a second disc of new studio recordings of an assortment of Pixies songs by Black with collaborators such as Pere Ubu and Two Pale Boys.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    [On disc 2] he finds a dormant penchant for vocal nuance. [29 Oct 2004, p.68]
  2. It’s an intriguing and refreshing listen.
  3. Mojo
    80
    For scholarly inclined fans, the 1987 demo is a fascinating document. [Nov 2004, p.110]
  4. Under The Radar
    60
    It is fun to hear the songs re-imagined [on Disc 2], no doubt, but the first disc is sketches of invention with the seedlings of genius. [average of scores of 7 for Disc 1 and 5 for Disc 2; #8, p.108]
  5. Overall, what could have been yet another cash-cow milker actually turns out to be a curious and compelling piece of therapy for Frank Black as a writer and performer.
  6. Unfortunately, disc two’s cache of amorphous, New Age-y, re-recorded Pixies standards falls flat.
  7. Blender
    40
    Hearing "Cactus" and "Subbacultcha" transformed into droning ambient jazz is upsetting, yet somehow perfect for this listen-once-and-destroy disc. [Dec 2004, p.134]

See all 19 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. MoneyB
    Apr 21, 2005
    9
    Great Album! I don't get the low ratings. A must buy for true pixies fans. Only song that was not so great - planet of sound on disc 2.
  2. Jan 5, 2012
    8
    A sure sign of the quality of these songs that they still sound good after Frank Black's revisiting here. On the remix disk, one would haveA sure sign of the quality of these songs that they still sound good after Frank Black's revisiting here. On the remix disk, one would have thought any tampering with this material would have been ill advised, but while I'd take the originals every time, this take on things is enjoyable for old fans. It does take a good few listens to get into and I wasn't sure about this at all in the beginning but like it now. The demo disk is more of a rock music history document than anything else and again, for hardcore fans is a treat. Expand