Black Francis - Bluefinger

Pixies alias wonderfully revived for bizarre concept

Frank Black has, of late, veered from accomplished, Nashvilleproduced albums such as Honeycomb to more ‘expected’ rockers like Fast Man Raider Man. On Bluefinger, a baffling concept album based on the life of Dutch artist Herman Brood, both sides shine through fabulously.

Resurrecting Black Francis as a kind of circle-completing move (which confusingly involves John and Yoko and the Amsterdam Hilton, along with the Pixies), Bluefinger’s 11 songs all shine in different ways. At the end you get the woozy, bluesy title track. Then at the beginning there’s the really sloppy three-chord smasher, Captain Pasty, wherein Black doesn’t even stop to clear his throat. Laced throughout is also that sweet brand of casual pop he does so well (Lolita, Discotheque 39) and even a cover. His take on Brood’s own You Can’t Break A Heart & Have It may be a punkier thrash than the 70s original (check it on YouTube, amazing), but the cracked sentiment remains.

Frank Black is turning into one of those mavericks that die at a ripe old age before anyone pays them the attention they deserve. Maybe a bit like Johnny Cash, maybe a bit like Herman Brood. But he’s still got it, and it’s a blessed relief.

Cooking Vinyl | COOKCD 408

Reviewed by Jake Kennedy
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