Frank Black, Honeycomb

Frank Black’s latest solo CD, “Honeycomb,” is aptly titled. It’s got a smooth, relaxed flow, and a whole lot of down-home charm.

The once-and-again Pixie makes it more obvious than ever that he can be very different from his Black Francis incarnation: the latter’s howling vocals and angular, post-punk guitar work can be almost completely abandoned for straightforward roots rock, and manage to come across surprisingly well.

With the Pixies, Black has been experiencing a jolt of re-interest thanks to the band’s highly successful reunion tour. It would have been easy for him to make a record specifically tailored to capitalize on this success, which has curiously placed Pixies T-shirts on Hot Topic shelves and pre-teen bodies across the country.

Instead, he strays in a direction that will no doubt leave the majority of that newfound audience cold. While 2003’s “Show Me Your Tears” played out in a singer/songwriter fashion, “Honeycomb” is much more ambitious and inspired than any “logical next step” would have sounded. Black recorded the album live in Nashville, and is backed by American soul heavyweights such as Steve Cropper, Spooner Oldham and David Hood, which probably has a lot to do with its live flavor. The bouncy Americana of “Song of the Shrimp,” a tune pulled from the Elvis Presley film, “Girls! Girls! Girls,” is hard not to notice. “I Burn Today,” with its upbeat melody and random chimes, is the catchiest tune. “Strange Goodbye” finds Black crooning a duet with ex-wife Jean Black.

“Another Velvet Nightmare” combines quirky, depressing lyrics (Today I felt my heart slide into my belly / So I puked it up with liquor / And I slept right where I laid”) with a drum and guitar groove that somehow manages not to make it sound like a complete downer. Closed-minded fans or those who hate the thought of stripped down Americana will probably find it difficult to warm up to “Honeycomb.” But to those unafraid of new things and who have some time to devote to it, Black’s effort proves to be a good-natured, consistent, satisfying piece of work.

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