antiMusic.com: Black Francis - Bluefinger Review

Black Francis - Bluefinger Review
by Zane Ewton

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A few minutes into the third track on Bluefinger, "Test Pilot Blues", the recently renamed Black Francis says something like, "I love this part." A few bars pass and nothing really happens, but he is not afraid to exclaim, "Yay, we did it!"

That is exactly the moment that you will relax and forget all of the pretensions of going back to a stage moniker (which does not really matter) or the focus on a dead Dutchman. Bluefinger is not a retread to familiar Pixies territory, but more a denser, full-bodied extension of Frank Black's Honeycomb and Fasterman/Raiderman albums. Except this time, he added a healthy dose of punk energy and some fantastically absurd and abstract lyrics.

This version of Black Francis sounds more focused, aggressive, leering, humorous and self-satisfied then he has in years. Written and recorded very quickly, Bluefinger is the kind of record where not every note might be the best note, but the energy and vibe of the album is undeniable.

The imagery and inspiration for the record draws from Herman Brood, a Dutch musician, painter and tabloid fodder. The duo of Brood and Francis combined make for bold characters in dangerous elements. What that combination lacks in subtlety it more than makes up for in revelry. The record is heavy with bass. The kind of ugly bass that is more combative then sexy.

Each song has the feeling of one or two quick takes was all the band could get. At 11 songs, Bluefinger is tight and focused, given the circumstances. A blast of color that makes a pleasing mess on the canvas.

Who cares if Frank Black is Black Francis again? If a simple name change can light a fire in someone's belly, it will be well worth the location change in the CD racks.

CD Info and Links

Black Francis - Bluefinger
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