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Track Listings
| 1. The Lopsided World of L |
| 2. See-Thru You |
| 3. White Out |
| 4. Where is John Frum |
| 5. Geode |
| 6. Shady |
| 7. Annie Bliss |
| 8. Dark Sparkles and The Beat |
| 9. Two Lies and One Truth |
| 10. Silver Boys |
| 11. Illiterate Lovers |
| 12. Face |
| 13. Esther |
| 14. ROTC |
| 15. Let the People Speak |
Product Description
CD Description
Black Francis and Violet Clark had one simple goal heading into their second Grand Duchy album... My motto for this record was if Petits Fours was missionary, Let The People Speak needs to be doggy style , says Clark. Let the People Speak has more confidence, adds Francis. For Violet, the confidence of finding one's voice; for me, the confidence to become submissive. This record was definitely more about slamming it in. That s clear from the start, as See-Thru You sets the scene alongside laser-guided synth lines, brass-fitted beats and ravenous riffs, only to be swept away by the manic melodies and fist-pumping choruses of White Out. Written by Clark while Francis was on tour with the Pixies, it s just a taste of how carefree and confident the married couple s become in the three years that separated their debut LP an experiment that didn t stay that way for long and the dizzying highs of a concept album that exists in a parallel universe in the past...now. And the host of that parallel universe? Why, it s longtime Phoenix DJ Jonathan L, who treats every track like a freshly played single on his popular Lopsided World of L show. So while the steely pulse of Silver Boys may put him in a Warhol-esque kind of mood, the plaintive piano outro of Esther goes one step further, channeling a glittery Lou Reed, or maybe a Ziggy? This isn t an accident. As Clark admits, Andy Warhol is my hero. I m also fascinated with the dark aspects of nightlife and intoxicated social intercourse, so just thinking about him and his world brought some sexier energy into these songs. As did several other factors, from Clark s position as in-house producer (with the Fall s Simon Ding Archer mixing, and drummer Jason Carter engineering) to the freedom Francis felt as he focused on being a better band member. Whenever I wrote for this record, he says, I knew that Violet would take it wherever she wanted to. It was nice to just think about music and not worry about the end result. There's more energy left in the music if you're not picking it all apart with your brain, adds Clark, worrying about whether what you're doing is cool or not. I have decided that cool has no place in what we re trying to do or achieve. What is cool anyway?
Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By Nelson's son
Format:Audio CD
Let the People Speak is the second Grand Duchy album, though it sounds very unlike the first one, Petit Fours. I thought that was one of the best things Black Francis had ever done (and he's my paramount contemporary rock music hero, and has been since Doolittle); this one is very nearly as good. But Pixies nostalgics should stop right there: this is not a Black album. Neither should it be. It's part of a torrent of music that continues to pour out of him, including live albums, collaborations and true solo sets.
People is in fact dominated by his wife, Violet Clark, a real talent in her own right: multi-instrumentalist, singer (sounds a bit like Kim Deal, Pixie-freaks!) and writer. While Petit Fours had a distinct 80s/Euro feel about it, this one is punchier, bassier, and longer. Highlights here are many: the ones I look forward to most are Illiterate lovers (with its earworm lead bass riff), Geode, Dark sparkles, and three lead-sung by Black, John Frum, Silver boys and the title track. Sure, it has some lowlights too, but even Sgt Pepper had them - I could really do without the irritating faux-DJ bits at the end of each track; amusing the first time, maddening forever after. QoTSA did this too, to similar effect.
David Bowie called Black one of America's greatest songwriters, and you'd have to be tin-eared to disagree. He's kept it up for 25 years, and very few manage that. Treasure him, and thank Violet as you do.
People is in fact dominated by his wife, Violet Clark, a real talent in her own right: multi-instrumentalist, singer (sounds a bit like Kim Deal, Pixie-freaks!) and writer. While Petit Fours had a distinct 80s/Euro feel about it, this one is punchier, bassier, and longer. Highlights here are many: the ones I look forward to most are Illiterate lovers (with its earworm lead bass riff), Geode, Dark sparkles, and three lead-sung by Black, John Frum, Silver boys and the title track. Sure, it has some lowlights too, but even Sgt Pepper had them - I could really do without the irritating faux-DJ bits at the end of each track; amusing the first time, maddening forever after. QoTSA did this too, to similar effect.
David Bowie called Black one of America's greatest songwriters, and you'd have to be tin-eared to disagree. He's kept it up for 25 years, and very few manage that. Treasure him, and thank Violet as you do.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Andrew Sutherland
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm a big Frank Black fan. I'm also one of these compulsive fan-boy types who pre-orders everything their favourite bands are even vaguely associated with, so for Grand Duchy (i.e. Frank Black's duo with his wife, Violet Clark) to put out a 2nd album was a no-brainer. But this might prove to be the Damascene moment my overdraft limit has been crying out for, because on the strength of 'Let The People Speak', were G.D. ever to put out a third album, I reckon I'll pass: Twice bitten, thrice shy. I wasn't much taken with the first G.D. album, 'Petits Four' but it had just enough recognisably Frank Black-type moments for me to keep it on the iPod for a couple of months. Not so LTPS: first thing to say is that this really isn't even a Frank Black side-project anymore; it's fundamentally his wife's band, to which he adds the odd vocal and a bit of rhythm guitar. Only a couple of the songs are his and they're tolerable. But the rest are hers and herein lies the problem... because her song-writing stinks, something fetid. Instantly forgettable, third-rate new wave/synth-pop, rendered even more execrable by the puerile lyrics. Grand Duchy trade heavily on Black's involvement but it's sufficiently negligible here as to be effectively discounted from his catalogue: even FB completists can safely disregard this one... their money would be better set aside ahead of next year's FB & the C's box-set.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
3 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasantly surprised
3 May 2012
By C. L. Messina
- Published on Amazon.com
I came here like many others will (I see I'm the first). I am a Pixies fan and have been since I saw them in 1990. I'm the guy who started Pixiesaholics Anonymous. I've been around for every project and every over-baked, half-baked and perfectly-baked side project from the group and their spouses. Some have certainly had more success than others but at the very least you could say they were interesting. So here I am for another one.
To be honest, my first reaction to this project wasn't overwhelmingly positive when I heard 'Silver Boys'. While I like the new direction Frank Black seemed to be taking it just felt too 'poppy' for my tastes. But then I stopped and said to myself, 'Hold on! Step Back! You're not giving this a chance!' and the reason, which we are all guilty of this from time to time, was obvious. If you don't know what I mean I'll spell it out for you:
THIS IS NOT A PIXIES ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!
Some people will immediately feel ripped off when they realize that fact. They see Frank Black on the front so it's got to be a Pixies album, doesn't it?
Well, it doesn't, and this work has every right NOT to. The Pixies are great and will always have their place, but don't confuse them with this and don't expect to get them with this. That's just not how it works. It's only right and fair to take this album on it's own terms.
When I stepped back and got into that frame of mind I was like, 'OK, now it's time for a listen.'
There's definitely a Frank Black signature on the tracks. I could sense some ideas from Blue Finger (my favorite solo project of his) and FB&Catholics here and there. We don't get the dynamic scream/whisper from his Pixies work but we get a bass that balances feminine voices really well. In retrospect, I think that was one of his greatest strengths in the Pixies. We notice the feminine BECAUSE his voice is so masculine. And here he has a great female voice to counter. I think that's the most surprising thing about the album. I really like Violet's voice. She's not quite Bjork, whom I consider the female vocal equivalent of Frank Black, but there is enough range to keep things interesting and enough talent to keep things pleasant.
Instrumentally there is a lot of variety here which is a take it or leave it prospect for listeners. One could either say the album lacks cohesion or that it delights one through a broad range of ideas and either opinion is subjective. I like a lot of what's here but sometimes wish they'd pick a signature sound and stick with it for awhile (say three albums). I'm old fashioned in that regard. The music isn't revolutionary (e.g. Hendrix's first album, Ramones' first album, Led Zeppelin's second album, Beatles 'Revolver') but at the same time I think it's pretty damn good and miles better than a lot of what's out there. I don't think I'm going to sway any audiophiles one way or the other. All I can say is take the album on it's own terms and you'll be very pleasantly surprised. Also, I recommend listening to the full songs on YouTube because the meager samples on Amazon really don't paint a complete picture.
Favorites in order of most liked:
White Out
ROTC
Where is John Frum?
Illiterate Lovers
Two Lies and One Truth
Silver Boys
Let the People Speak
To be honest, my first reaction to this project wasn't overwhelmingly positive when I heard 'Silver Boys'. While I like the new direction Frank Black seemed to be taking it just felt too 'poppy' for my tastes. But then I stopped and said to myself, 'Hold on! Step Back! You're not giving this a chance!' and the reason, which we are all guilty of this from time to time, was obvious. If you don't know what I mean I'll spell it out for you:
THIS IS NOT A PIXIES ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!
Some people will immediately feel ripped off when they realize that fact. They see Frank Black on the front so it's got to be a Pixies album, doesn't it?
Well, it doesn't, and this work has every right NOT to. The Pixies are great and will always have their place, but don't confuse them with this and don't expect to get them with this. That's just not how it works. It's only right and fair to take this album on it's own terms.
When I stepped back and got into that frame of mind I was like, 'OK, now it's time for a listen.'
There's definitely a Frank Black signature on the tracks. I could sense some ideas from Blue Finger (my favorite solo project of his) and FB&Catholics here and there. We don't get the dynamic scream/whisper from his Pixies work but we get a bass that balances feminine voices really well. In retrospect, I think that was one of his greatest strengths in the Pixies. We notice the feminine BECAUSE his voice is so masculine. And here he has a great female voice to counter. I think that's the most surprising thing about the album. I really like Violet's voice. She's not quite Bjork, whom I consider the female vocal equivalent of Frank Black, but there is enough range to keep things interesting and enough talent to keep things pleasant.
Instrumentally there is a lot of variety here which is a take it or leave it prospect for listeners. One could either say the album lacks cohesion or that it delights one through a broad range of ideas and either opinion is subjective. I like a lot of what's here but sometimes wish they'd pick a signature sound and stick with it for awhile (say three albums). I'm old fashioned in that regard. The music isn't revolutionary (e.g. Hendrix's first album, Ramones' first album, Led Zeppelin's second album, Beatles 'Revolver') but at the same time I think it's pretty damn good and miles better than a lot of what's out there. I don't think I'm going to sway any audiophiles one way or the other. All I can say is take the album on it's own terms and you'll be very pleasantly surprised. Also, I recommend listening to the full songs on YouTube because the meager samples on Amazon really don't paint a complete picture.
Favorites in order of most liked:
White Out
ROTC
Where is John Frum?
Illiterate Lovers
Two Lies and One Truth
Silver Boys
Let the People Speak
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Violet Clark rules!
15 Nov 2012
By Rogiemeister
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hard to believe but Frank's spouse outshines him on this album. And he is flat out terrific too. I think he was busy touring with the Pixies when a lot was written so Clark's stuff takes central stage. "See Through You" is a brilliant nod to disco, "White Out" a brilliant Kim Wilde-esque new wave nod, and "Geode" is just flat out incredible. Frank gives us "Shady," very Ten Percenter-esque, Lou Reed magic. My favorite record since FB/BF's Bluefinger.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe better than the first. Great effort
15 May 2012
By Thomas Muckinhaupt
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I always await any Frank Black/Black Francis related album, and Grand Duchy is an excellent side project that is definitely worth the wait. "See-thru you" is a high energy rock/dance music type song with fantastic vocals from Violet Clark...in fact, I think the vocals are better than the 1st Grand Duchy album. It's also great to hear such diversity between tracks. Frank has a great guitar sound and production on this album. Definitely a contender for album of the year.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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