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Amazon.co.uk Review
Almost every album from the wildly prolific Charles Kittridge Thompson IV aka Frank Black aka Black Francis is touted as a ‘return to form’ and Bluefinger is no exception. The fact that he’s chosen to use the pseudonym most often associated with his Pixies heyday is promising. Less tempting is the news that the album is directly inspired by the life and times of the late Dutch junkie, rock star and artist Herman Brood (pronounced to rhyme with ‘throat’, and Francis does just that on the jaunty, biographical "Angels Come to Comfort You"). Yet Bluefinger is certainly energised. First single "Captain Pasty" sadly does not refer to a Cornish fast food magnate, but describes Brood’s complexion over a frenetic backing. Francis shrieks his way through "Threshold Apprehension" just like his glory days, while "Tight Black Rubber", vaguely evocative of the New York Dolls, is oddly distanced from its sleazy subject and perhaps more effective for it. A fierce version of Brood’s own slight, catchy "You Can’t Break a Heart and Have It" might leave the listener wondering just what fascination the subject holds, but Bluefinger (the title is a traditional Dutch nickname for inhabitants of Brood’s home town of Zwolle) is an interesting record nonetheless, probably closer to Lou Reed’s occasional themed albums than its creator’s own back catalogue. Steve Jelbert
Review
Well, it's a bit of all three. The first thing that will hit you is that Bluefinger sounds as visceral as anything he's ever recorded. Opener 'Captain Pasty' is full of spiky guitars, manic drumming, quirky time signatures and yelping. In short - it rocks. Track 2, 'Threshold Apprehension' is one of the highlights of the album. More screaming, a guitar part reminiscent of Pixies song 'U-Mass' - and the first taste of Violet Clark's backing vocals (which sound remarkably like Kim Deal's). This is one track that will keep Pixies fans happy.
Don't be fooled into thinking that Bluefinger is all shouty vocals and edgy guitars, though. There is some respite, especially 'She Took All the Money' with it's poppy 'Shama lama ding dang' refrain, and standout track 'Angels Come to Comfort You', which tells the tale of Brood's suicide over a beautiful melody (and a wonderful dreamy outro). Ironically, the weakest track on the album is arguably 'You Can't Break a Heart and Have It' which was written by Brood himself. Ultimately Bluefinger represents all the best elements of Frank Black/Black Francis/Charles Thompson's career. It's quirky, melodic, beautiful and yet challenging. All at the same time. Herman Brood would be proud. --Simon Fernand
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Customer Reviews
That said, this is absolutely the best thing that he has put his name to since the heyday of the Pixies. Gone are the endless slide guitar fills and in their stead are such long-forgotten qualities as energy and fire in the belly.
Inspired by the life and works of the late Dutch artist/musician Herman Brood, Mr. Black has been completely revitalised. You know as soon as you hear the opening riff to "Captain Pasty" that we are no longer mentally in Nashville as with recent albums. The opening track rocks and it rocks hard, leaving you in no doubt that the change in name back to Black Francis is very apt as this is more in line with the Pixies' body of work than recent records have been.
Second track "Threshold Apprehension" could withstand comparison to the highlights of his career to date. Built on a simple but effective guitar riff and a mighty couple of vocal hooks, it has great lyrics which feature scenes from the life of the late Mr. Brood and a title borrowed from one of his paintings. It also features the return of the unique shouting/screaming vocal style that graced Pixies albums but was conspicous by its absence from his solo work prior to now, this coupled with some nice female backing vocals is a welcome return to former glories.
As for the rest of the record, the highlights are the beautiful vocal harmonies in the coda to "Angels Come To Comfort You", the band rocking out in a barely held together fashion on a cover of Brood's own "You Can't Break A Heart And Have It" and the acoustic pop of "She Took All The Money".
All in all superb. A great album which serves to generate interest in the man that Black Francis is eulogising as well. Worth the price for "Threshold Apprehension" alone, but there is much else to enjoy here. This is one of those albums that I have had for a couple of months now but am still unable to stop playing at every available opportunity.
In the meantime, the one man LoudQuietLoud machine is still pumping albums out at a breakneck speed. Having spent a few years on a somewhat pleasing, but ultimately misguided, series of country-infused albums, he has again bucked cliches by delivering a stripped down and searing punk rock masterwork.
Although perhaps more like the Pixies than anything else Black Francis has produced in the last decade, 'Bluefinger' is no rehash of previous themes. There is a familiarity to the jagged guitars of 'Threshold Apprehension', the barks of 'Tight Black Rubber' and the wonderfully mismatched rhythms of 'Captain Pasty', but it is invigorating and refreshing. It is reminiscent of 'Teenager Of The Year' too, but sparser and smarter. 'Lolita' and 'Angels Come To Comfort You' are slices of perfection, 'Your Mouth Into Mine' is surprisingly romantic and 'Bluefinger' itself a bluesy gift. 'You Can't Break A Heart And Have It' lets this awesome sequence down somewhat, presumably included chiefly because it was written by Herman Brood, who inspired the album and is the source of its superb artwork.
But it's not enough to detract from the real genius of this album. Passionate, shouty magic. Get it. Get it now.
Essential cuts: 'Test Pilot Blues', 'Lolita', 'Angels Come To Comfort You', 'Your Mouth Into Mine', 'Discotheque 36' and 'Bluefinger'.
Threshold Apprehension is one of the most exciting songs he's done in ages, and Test Pilot Blues has a fantastic lazy groove. Tight Black Rubber is just downright dirty, and is another killer tune. But its not all full-on rock. Angels Come to Comfort You has a lovely transition near the end, where the band settles into a chugging groove and some ethereal backing vocals come into the mix. Discotheque 36 and She Took All the Money have more plaintive, laid-back grooves. And the closer, Bluefinger, rounds things off well. Overall, a very good album, although the rough and ready approach does limit it somewhat. Like on many of the Catholics releases, FB seems content just to bash out some songs rather than actually craft an album. But that's his decision, and if the songs are as good as here, then he can keep doing so.
Some of the grungiest, dirtiest and surprisingly melodic rock you'll ever... Read more
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