Frank Black - Honeycomb

By Jenna Bensoussan

Honeycomb, Frank Black's first solo effort since 1996¹s The Cult of Ray, was released internationally on July 18.

Honeycomb features some of the most celebrated players in music: Steve Cropper, Buddy Miller and Reggie Young on guitars, drummers Chester Thompson, Anton Fig, Billy Block, and Akil Thompson, David Hood on bass, and Spooner Oldham on keyboards, among others.

"It was wonderful to have these incredible musicians poking fun at my non-Nashville chord progressions," Black said. "And then give me a wink after a take to let me know that they approved and enjoyed it. I was so lucky to have them playing on this album."

Lucky is one way to look at it, although to a die-hard Pixies fan, it might seem like bad luck. Admittedly, when I first inserted this CD and pressed play, I was expecting to hear that familiar punk-rock style Black exudes on stage when performing those old familiar hard punches from his previous “punk” days. That is not at all what you will hear on this album - quite the 180 degree turn around.

This solo album soundly demonstrates Black’s ability to write and perform a much more mellow styling. Most songs, every song, on this album plays like a ballad... some have the twangy undertones you might hear in some hot, steaming country Louisiana night spot: “Selkie Bride,” “I Burn Today,” “Lone Child,” and “Another Velvet Nightmare” to name a few.

"Dark End of the Street” gives off a definite blues feel, very melancholy, slow, reflective.

A few songs, like “Go Find Your Saint,” “Atom in my Heart,” and “Honeycomb, “ sneak in a few whispers of his former “punk” style within the melody, kicking it up a notch, but not by much.

"Song of the Shrimp” reminds me of South Beach, Florida - Black sings of ‘Louisian’, but the song’s beat and tone drips with a Hispanic influence, begging you to sit at a table by the nightlife’s beach walk, choke back that shot of tequila, and take a toke on that Cuban cigar.

"Strange Goodbye,” performed by Black and his now ex-wife, took on a folkish presence - and was my least favorite of any of the songs. While I appreciate Black performed this with his soon-to-be ex-wife at the time of recording as a symbol that they were still friends and all - sometimes things are just better not put to music.

"Sunny Sunday Mill Valley Groove” gave me Margaritaville flashbacks, a very Jimmy Buffet-esque style. Then we switch to “My Life is in Storage,” which has an overall somber tone, carrying upbeat bits throughout the melody. The end of the song just makes you wanna get up and slow dance with the closest thing you can find.

Although the album may shock you upon first listen, there are definitely some keepers on here. There is no doubt this is mood music, and if you are in the mood to kick back on a hot summer’s night and dance with that special someone under the moon and the stars - this is the album you need to put on.