Svn Fngrs
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Product details and pricing info |
|---|
8 Customer Reviews Posted
- Good stuff
- I have a rule with Frank Black/Black Francis albums - don't make any final judgments until I've had it for at least one year. The reason I have this rule is that a lot of his songs are "sleepers" .. at least, they are for me. For instance, when his first solo cd came out in 93, I instantly loved "Los Angeles" and didn't care much for "Czar". Today, "Czar" is one of my favorite FB songs - it just took time for me to really get it. And I never listen to "Los Angeles" anymore - go figure.
So - I am breaking my own rule here with this online review for Svn Fngrs. Why? Because it's damn good, and at present only has 7 reviews on Amazon! I did this same rule-breaking when Bluefinger came out - just doing my own bit to support a favorite artist.
On with the review - there are plenty of insightful reviews online if you google so I'll try to be brief and not do a track-by-track. The music is - to my ears - a bit more interesting than Bluefinger was and by the same token not as immediately accessible as Bluefinger. I wasn't sure I liked it on first listen.
Now, I listen to it quite a bit. Some great tracks are "I Sent Away" - which is a lot of fun - and "When they Come to Murder Me". "The Seus" is one of those sleepers I mentioned earlier. I didn't care for it at first listen, and now it is the one I find the most interesting. The odd riffing is very catchy (is riffing the right word? let's pretend it is) and I like how the pretty chorus (which for some reason reminds me of the Beatles) keeps the listener involved in the song. The chorus is also a neat counter-balance to the more strange segments within the song. I wouldn't say it's dissonant - just kind of odd in it's rhythm-making.
Clearly, I won't be writing for Pitchfork anytime soon but you see where I'm going here .. this mini-album is good stuff. See for yourself, and if you like it Black Francis is on tour RIGHT NOW in the states through I believe late July. I just saw him perform in Santa Cruz last night, and it was killer. It helped inspire the writing of this review, actually. - 2008-06-24, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A little gem
- I won't pretend to be some hipster who has been listening to Frank Black in all his incarnations since forever. I like the Pixies, and the Breeders, but I'm just a normal 40-something adult female; at this point in my life, I listen to what I like just because I like it, and I'm always glad to find something new. This is definitely a turn-up-the-volume set of songs, and it's a pity that it's so infernally hot here in Louisiana, because I'd love to drive along with the windows down, listening to this really loud. It still works with the windows closed and the AC on, but it's much less romantic. I particularly like The Seus, I Sent Away, Seven Fingers, and When They Come to Murder Me; the first two are beyond odd, and very compelling, and the latter two have great beats, melodies, and lyrics. Who knows - I might end up going back and listening to everything he's ever done!
- 2008-06-04, 3 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- the "album" thompson needed to make at this point
- Ok so it's just an ep but the price is right. I am glad he has returned to being poduced, and tastefully so at that. An overdub here and there. As on cult of ray, and dog in the sand, the opening track is a diagonal leap in the 9 oclock direction, something jarringly bizarre but totally rockin. Then 6 more traditional cuts mining prime indie territory. I hear a nod to gbv. I did love every catholics album, was not so sure about honeycomb and fmrm. At least my local npr station finally played him. that was good. But I am glad he has made something that all the young uns who caught the reunion tour and all those who abandoned him after toty will be interested in. And all those who never left can be happy too. Putting his old stage name on the cover was a weird move. I'm used to weird moves from this genius. I hope a full-length from these sessions follows. These seven intrigue me enough to be satisfield until whatever does next whenever he does it.
- 2008-05-30, 0 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- I almost feel like giving it a 5
- Apart from the awkward lead-off track (which is also inexplicably a single), every song on Black Francis' new EP is equally strong. I understand people's trepidation about purchasing this since ol Frank's track record has gone through its share of peaks and valleys.
Has he improved upon "Bluefinger"?
Does this sound like a lost Pixies album?
Has Frank Black finally arrived back from where he started as Black Francis?
Answering 'yes' to all these questions could possibly oversell "SVN FNGRS." But after listening to it a few times, I really don't think the world needs a Pixies reunion album. But whoever said "don't let the first track ('The Seus') scare you away" wasn't kidding.
Tracks 2 through 7 are so succinct that you might wish it were a full length. But my desire for a full-length album gets trumped by my restored confidence in Black Francis/Frank Black/Charles Thompson or whatever people like to call him. The Catholics albums were okay, I liked "Bluefinger" a little bit, but it's "SVN FNGRS" that puts him back in business. Thank you for the gift, Chuck. Now don't screw it up. - 2008-05-16, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Classic Frank Black
- A classic performance from Francis Black, only too short of an album, but how so enjoyable.
How long before a new Pixies album?
Merci Frank Black ! - 2008-05-11, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
