Frank Black And the Catholics
Black Letter Days

On August 26th, Frank Black released two CDs simultaneously, “Devil’s Workshop” and “Black Letter Days”. I found them here on Friday the 23rd. They were released by a truly small indie label, Cooking Vinyl, and it feels like end-of-season sales. I read that “Devil’s...” is more rock and “Black Letter...” is more country. I didn’t really like Frank's last CD, that “Dog in the Sand” of which I couldn’t name a single title, even though it’s regularly buried in the pile of CDs to my right. This time I won’t buy anything, I’m sorry. However, I want to give it a listen in the store. Theoretically, I should like “Devil’s Workshop” more. Red cover. Skip. Skip. No need to buy it, this standard Frank Black; just pick “Dog in the Sand” and “Pistolero” from the pile and you get the same effect: good rock. Better than many things, but nothing to rave about. I skeptically listen to “Black Letter Days”, thinking about the shopping to do. It starts with the cover of Tom Waits' “Black Rider”, which I already heard Frank do live, on the last tour. What is it? A musical record??? I listen briefly. Skip. Skip. I take it home. A great album, among the best of Frank Black And The Catholics. It’s more acoustic, with country references, beautiful slide guitars, beautiful acoustic guitars, but above all GREAT SONGS. The second after “Black Rider”, “California Bound”: “no, I will never hate you, I just wanna show you the one truth”. Then the wonderful “Chip Away Boy” with a fantastic slide guitar “I used to have some fun, me and everyone, now I’m just employed, I am a chip away boy…”. Tell me about it. Then “Black Letter Days”, the days marked in black on the calendar, the workdays, where it speeds up the rhythm and gets angry: “every day I work, every day’s the same, and every day gets worse”. Trade union claims? I don’t know. There are also songs of lost love and many other things, travel songs (“How You Went So Far”), even folk. Sometimes it recalls the slow Pixies. A beautiful album I didn't expect, slow, with slide guitars, beautiful songs, 18 real songs. A big surprise, I thought Frank Black had nothing left to say. But instead, no. And a dreadful doubt comes to mind. Isn’t it that “Devil’s Workshop” upon careful listening might be equally beautiful??? PS “Black Letter Day” has been in my CD player for two days, which means it's a great album. And tomorrow is Monday. Just another long black letter day.