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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solo just keeps on getting better with age, September 12, 2002
Ok, I'll admit, I had both Black Letter Days and Devil's Workshop a few months before their actual release date (and was first in line the day of their release as well). Truth is, I simply could not wait. I saw Frank perform in Louisville Ky. April 29 (I think that was the correct date), and throughout his long, and might I add, fantastic performance, I heard several songs that were new to me. Turns out those songs were "Cold Heart Of Stone", "21 Reasons", "Black Rider" and a couple more, I think maybe Whiskey In Your Shoes" from DW being one of them. I was totally blown away. "Cold Heart Of Stone" sounded amazing live and "21 Reasons" is one of the best songs ever written IMO. I simply could not wait until Sept. to hear the new material and eventually managed to track down advanced copies of both albums. Upon first listen the songs that totally blew me away were "Chip Away Boy", "Cold Heart Of Stone" and "21 Reasons". I could'nt seem to get over these three songs and I played them over and over.....After a week or so, I began exploring the other material (and there's a lot of it here, and combined with DW, there's REALLY a lot of material to digest). Like all of Frank's albums, I knew that "Black Letter Days" would only get better and better with age. It was not long before the genius of the title track, "End Of Miles", "Jane the Queen Of Love" (what an amazing song) and "Southbound Bevy" revealed itself. Other tracks ("California Bound", "Jet Black River", "True Blue", "I Will Run After You") slowly crept into the pleasure center of my consciousness as well. The only complaints I have about BLD is the overlong, monotonous "1826", and the 2nd version of the cover of "Black Rider". Make an exception for those two tracks and you have yourself as close to a perfect album as you're likely to get. The album as a whole incorporates a very loose, reflective desert mentality. Some of it is quite bitter and angry (the title track, "Cold Heart Of Stone"), while tracks such as "Chip Away Boy" and "End Of Miles" were meant to be played while drivin' out old country roads at night or crusin' through the desert by day. I've heard some reviewers mention that this sounds like a "truck-stop" album. Not in my opinion. Much more like a pure desert-rock album. I've also heard several people mention the "alternative country" tag in relation to this record. Once I again, while there are definite country elements, I disagree. If one considers "Sticky Fingers" era Rolling Stones "alternative country" then so be it, but not I. And BLD makes a definitive nod toward that golden era of that classic band. The musicianship is superb (dear God, I absolutlely LOVE the steel Pedal guitar sound this album employs...sounds amazing), Frank's voice is in top form, and the album is simultaneously polished AND rough around the edges sounding, much the same way the classic 70's Stone's albums were. Like one of the earlier reviewers stated, Frank could put a new album out every month and I would be the first one in line for it. I personally vote both BLD and DW the best albums of 2002. Unlike so many people seemingly stuck in the past, I don't miss the Pixies one iota, and can honestly say that ever since the first FB record, I've never looked back. Every album Frank has released has bettered anything the Pixies ever did IMO. And the man just keeps getting better and better with age. Thanks to you Frank for giving the world such wonderful compositions. And please come to Louisville again soon. I promise I'll be the first one in the building just as I was last time.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, November 2, 2002
I don't know what else to say about Frank Black, one of the most creative, talented musicians and writers of our generation.He may write an unlisteneable song or two, but that's just him, he is just off on his own musical tangent and all us fans are benefiting from it. Yet Black Letter Days is quality from start to finish, as was Dog In The Sand and his Catholics' release in '98. Frank Black has matured, grown and is one of the best kept secrets in the music industry. Listen to this CD nice and loud, and soak it up, Black Letter Days and Devil's Workshop are Black's "Exile On Main Street." And Black Letter Days has to be one of the better CD's that I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. California Bound, Chip Away Boy, 21 Reasons, God Of Miles, Black Letter Days, Southbend Bevy, The Farewell Bend, Cold Heart Of Stone, Jet Black River, Jane The Queen Of Love...easily some of the best music I've heard in a long time. Take a trip into our minds, the everyday working man losing track of time, the days, divorce, a cold heart of stone, chipping away at debt, at the end of miles..please pardon me sir, you have 21 reasons at least to listen to this masterpiece!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Catholic Education, December 13, 2002
By A Customer
Ol' Frank has always had eclectic tastes, but even die hard fans must have been surprised at the musical shift which commenced when he unleashed a new moniker "Frank Black & the Catholics" in 1997. Not only had the familiar howl of old been replaced by a more "normal" singing voice, but the music was more straightforward 70s rock, with precious little of the experimentation of old. Nonetheless, his songwriting ability had come on leaps and bounds, and this musical maturity reached a new high point with last year's bluesy "Dog in the Sand." Therefore my hopes were high when this hit the shelves along with "Devil's Workshop". "Black Letter Days" is by far the stronger of the two records. It's a further excursion into country/blues, and has an even more stripped down, mellow sound than "Dog in the Sand." Anyone expecting the frenzied racket of the Pixies or even the rumbustious rocking of "Frank Black & the Catholics" or "Pistolero" will be very surprised indeed. However, first impressions were not promising: it seemed flat and mediocre, although repeated listening revealed the problem. It's not the songs that are poor; its the production. Unlike "Dog in the Sand" which was recorded at Sound City Studios, LA; "Black Letter Days" was recorded in Black's mobile recording studio, and the limitations of this are all too evident. This is a shame, because some of the songs on this album are simply excellent, particularly the gorgeous steel-pedal guitar twang on "Chip Away Boy" and "End of Miles," as well as the Zeppelinesque romp "1826." Another highlight, the opener "The Black Rider" has a vocal delivery which is most definitely Black Francis rather than Frank Black. However, the poor sound quality has neither the clarity to do justice to the melodic, bluesy tracks, nor enough "oomph" to do justice to the rockier ones. Nevertheless, if you can get your head round this little problem, there is a really rather fine album underneath. Its certainly far better than "Devil's Workshop", and with better production and editing it could well have merited another star (or two)...
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~ Frank Black and the Catholics
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by Frank Black and the Catholics 
