Holy fack, this has got me an...ticipating.

Pitchfork has been reporting two upcoming Frank Black solo albums, and the guest list is incredible. If you haven't yet, check this out:

"Planned to be his first solo album recorded without assistance from his longtime backing band The Catholics since 1996's The Cult of Ray, Honeycomb is tentatively scheduled for a March 2005 release-- so long as it doesn't balloon to a four-disc rock opera before then. Honeycomb producer Jon Tiven, who worked with Black on several of the B-sides for Black's "Headache" singles in 1994, has revealed that members of the Small Faces, The Band, Free, Cheap Trick, The Funk Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Al Green, and "some guys who played behind Van Morrison" are involved in the recording."

And then from today:

"Aside from the intriguing list of players we reported last week, Black has added The Band's Levon Helm, Spooner Oldham, southern soul songwriter/producer Dan Penn, singer/songwriter Duane Jarvis, and former Booker T. & The MG's guitarist Steve Cropper. It may help you, the reader, understand the presence of so many of these fine musicians on Black's record if we tell you that the sessions took place in Nashville. Not content to rest on the laurels of this year's neverending Pixies tour, Black is also planning a solo tour following the records' release.

"And while Black maintained the vague "spring 2005" release date, he did elaborate a bit on the sound of the new records: "Mellow. It's just the way it came out. Maybe I wrote a little bit in the anticipation of playing with those kinds of guys. But they are definitely pre-punk, these guys. So it's not like they don't get it, it's just that they come from a different world, where it's a little more groove-oriented. They don't necessarily play loud." And while you're groovin' your ass to this delectable news, we'd like to remind you that members of The Funk Brothers worked on the records."

My only question is: can this possibly live up to my expectations?

The guys that are backing him are totally fucking ACE!
This is one of the most intriguing-looking records I've seen in the last 10 years, at least.

Yes, I soiled myself.

Frank Black's solo career has been very badly under-rated and I think it's pretty sad that he had to reform Pixies to get any attention from you, the fickle public.

I loved the solo albums...but he lost me after his first album w/the Catholics.. Hopefully this'll bring me back...

I betcha fiddy cent that the Cheap Trick guy that's involved is Tom.

He's been on a roll, in my opinion. Black Letter Days and Show Me Your Tears are ridiculously good Pan-rock albums. They're all over the place in a wonderfully ambitious way.

I'm intrigued to hear what comes next.

Excuse me, while I go change into some dry pants.

soiling myself and liking it (sorta)

Not me...I was against the reunion because IMHO Frank Black's recent solo albums > the pixies

Bumpage for Loogs

I dunno if this can live up to expectations, but this passage gives me hope for what we talked about earlier, Rads.

Having just "Got" FB's solo stuff, I can't wait for this bugger. Pixies reunion was qual. This stuff is EPIC.

color me soiled. But it is a taalll order.

I can't wait.

Holy batshit.

I have a leak of it and was mildly disappointed at first and (only so far) listen.

I'm not sure whether what I have is the final version though. It had apparently leaked as early as last fall and someone associated with him warned that while they didn't really mind people listening to them that the album wasn't finished.

wait and see.
one of the best shows i've seen in my life.

Can't. Fucking. Wait.

i'll have to check this out. i never got into his solo stuff, maybe it's time i should.

Should be good.

It IS super GOOD.
I worked on a promotional poster for it so the record label sent it our way.
It's great.

i was severely disappointed with his last few albums, so i'm not really going to check this one.

Frank Black has a blank check from me so far -- I'm a little behind (haven't gotten FrankBlackFrancis yet), but I have not been disappointed with anything he's done as a solo artist.

PS What is "pan"?

And no, a character in A Midsummer Night's Dream is not the correct answer.

In case anybody missed it, this just in from P-fork:

Frank Black Announces New Project

Kati Llewellyn reports:
Vagueness-- mysterious or annoying? Often, it seems to lean toward the latter. Sticking with this recent trend in music, Frank Black has commented on his latest project, which is currently not affiliated with a label, and shooting for a release sometime in early 2006. It has already been mixed, but Black plans to redo some vocals and possibly add a few more songs, so it might be a while. Yeah...not too much to work with there. However, this Nashville-recorded follow-up to his still upcoming solo record, Honeycomb (due out July 19) does feature quite a few guest stars, so at least that should fill some space.

According to Billboard report, Black said, "most of [this album] was recorded in one night, like a midnight to 6 p.m. the next day all-nighter kind of thing." Whoa. This Nashville set features names such as Levon Helm (the Band) and Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick), amongst others. Several of the songs were co-written with Reid Paley, who had a hand in Honeycomb's "Another Velvet Nightmare".

Though Black has not yet booked any shows in support of his new records, he claims to be excited to go back on the road as a solo act. His Pixies are, of course, still riding on the reunion circuit.

In the meantime, those crossing their fingers for a new Pixies release...we'll let Black say it in his own words: "We'll see what happens. I predict we'll make a record sometime in the next year," he told Billboard. Good news! Until then, you can hold out for the group's DVD of their 2004 tour chronicles, set for a release, well, later this year...sometime.

i need to check out some of his solo albums - I have 0

I used to do up a mean Frank Black compilation, but it's become almost impossible to condense his post-Pixies work onto an 80 minute CDR. Still, if you're interested in something like that, R, shoot me a PM.