Frank Black’s Honeycomb
Black’s Honeycomb is the result of those recording sessions, an
uncharacteristic collection of traditional songs that incorporate elements of
Southern soul, alt-country and roots rock. Fifteen, sixteen years ago, when
the Pixies ruled the indie-rock roost with a barrage of amplifier squall,
fractured vocals, and discordant six-string work, Honeycomb would have
been a radical departure for the American idol known as Black Francis. After
nearly a decade and a half of a scattershot solo career that has seen the
one-time poster child for alt-rock defiance careen off varying musical styles
and styles of vocal delivery, Honeycomb instead serves as another
indicator of Black’s seemingly bottomless well of talent.
As stated
above, for his Nashville side trip, Black recruited some of the true giants of
Southern music to back him in the studio. Among the players on Honeycomb are
Steve Cropper, better known for his role in the two
Blues Brothers movies than for his groundbreaking guitarwork and
songwriting at Stax studios in Memphis; pianist Spooner Oldham, a Muscle
Shoals veteran and accomplished Memphis songwriter; and bassist David Hood, an
integral piece of the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Throw in
well-traveled drummer Anton Fig and guests like Reggie Young, Buddy Miller,
and Ellis Hooks and you have better than two centuries of combined musical
talent. The whole affair was brought together by noted producer, musician, and
songwriter Jon Tiven and captured on tape by legendary songwriter/producer Dan
Penn.
The results of Black’s dream project are evident in the songs
on Honeycomb. Perhaps Black’s most personal and reflective collection
to date, the singer sounds downright wistful at times, many songs alternately
both joyful and melancholy. With these topnotch studio professionals behind
him, Black delves deep into the realities of romance and relationships, life
and death with material that, at times, veers dangerously close to foppish
singer/songwriter territory. Black’s collaborators prevent their morose
frontman from plunging headfirst into the abyss of self-pity, though, with a
loose funky groove, the subdued soundtrack propping up Black’s often somber
vocals.
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
Black also pays homage to both the players he’s sharing the moment with and to
his deep-rooted musical inspirations, covering songs by both Dan Penn and Doug
Sahm. On the Penn/Chips Moman classic “Dark End of the Street,” Black plays it
straight with soulful vocals and a dark, subtle arrangement that redefine the
song in a way that makes it sound like you’re hearing it for the first time.
Black has a little more fun with Sahm’s “Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day,”
capturing a laid-back feel with a bit of a Tex-Mex vibe. Combining a strong
set of songs with spectacular musical performances, Honeycomb is an
unlikely but welcome direction for Frank Black’s solo work and, like Grimey
proclaimed those many months ago, a hell of a lot of fun. (Back Porch Records,
2005)
Review originally published by Alt.Culture.Guide™ zine
Find the CD on Discogs:
Frank Black’s Honeycomb
