REVIEW: Frank Black and the Catholics, Pistolero (spinART)
- Andrew Duncan
"We don't know what we're talking about, that's just words in our libretto," sings Frank Black, beginning his newest effort Pistolero with such a demonstrative non-statement. For the suburban veteran of the '80s college-rock movement, Black is back and he still has the tools to successfully vent some angst through imaginative phrasing, a guitar and his vocal chords.
Pistolero is Black's second try as Frank Black and the Catholics. Originally slated to be a multi-faceted release with numerous instruments composed and arranged into this extravagant concept, Black immediately ditched the idea and recorded the album live on to two-tracks with no overdubs in the matter of 10 days, the complete opposite from his 1996 release The Cult Of Ray. With help from Nick Vincent - Black's drummer on his first self-titled solo album - to help oversee the project, Pistolero can be considered either a fresh change or a proper relapse.
"Bad Harmony" harks back to familiar terrain for the former Pixies' vocalist with basic rock-chords built under estranged time signatures. With the stripped-down recording process, Black's vocals can not hide under glossy recording processes leaving a throaty venture as he slides through each word. Black is an old pro at lyrical dissertation, and concentrates more on his vocal pitch and range. "Western Star" is more freeform experimentation than his normal shout-it-out approach, even though there is plenty of that still going on. "I Love Your Brain" reminisces the raw energy Iggy Pop made on "I Want To Be Your Dog," while "So. Bay" replicates "Los Angeles," from Black's solo debut, beginning with soft acoustic guitars only to pack an electric punch 20 seconds later.
Overall, it's all about rock and roll, and the same elements that were once used at a time when the technology was not as complex are the things that make Pistolero a great listen over and over again.
