Devil's Workshop

When Frank Black, Tom Waits and Paul Westerberg all announced that they were releasing TWO studio cds at the same time, I was so angry at these three men, I nearly forgot my manners. But if the other five are as good as THIS one, then sign my name to the AARP "Everybody has to put out two CDs at the same time to combat file-sharing" petition!

On this release, former Pixie Blank Frack continues his ongoing powerpoint presentation to those feeble-minded rock "fans" who insist that there are no new melodies or chord sequences and therefore it's okay that their favorite bands are derivative to the point of insulting the intelligence of anybody who owns more than 10 CDs. There ARE undiscovered pop melodies, and as long as there are, Mr. Black will find them. He'll find them in "The Kingly Cave" as the acoustic guitar plays some inscrutable 13-chord "hook" as a high-pitched electric eck-eck-ecks on top and a tale is told of a bad DRUG trip in a BIG mansion. He'll also find them in many other songs. Just trust me on this. Like you trusted that guy with the flute to lure the mice out of your town. Remember that, King Asshole!?!?!?

You ever get a headache that really hurts? I get them like every day - including right now! There's a part of me that hopes it's not a brain tumor. That part of me is somewhat large.

Most of these songs are uptempo, bouncy swingin' numbers built on acoustic rhythm strumming, expertly played lead distorted electrics soloing through the entirety of the track and Charles Thompson telling tales of loves new ("Velvety"), long-distance ("San Antonio, TX") and lost forever ("Whiskcy In Your Shoes" and "Out Of State," the latter a great set of lyrics unfortunately attached to the most self-derivative music he's ever written -- is it a ripoff of "Motorway To Roswell"? Or "Trompe Le Monde"? Or BOTH?? Nobody shall ever know. *slams book on history's finger*).

It's a shortass CD though - 11 songs in 32 minutes. That's about as close as one can legally get to an EP while still charging $17.99 a purchase. Did you hear the news? Frank Black is an asshole!

Talented asshole though.

He can shoot bananas forty feet in the air out of that thing!

No, but I'm kidding. This is a fantastic CD, especially for people who loved that "get up and go" feel of Surfer Rosa. Do you want to hear a joke that Redd Foxx just told me on his album? Here it is:

What's the best way to cut off a cat's tail?

Repossess his Cadillac!