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Review: 'Black, Frank'
'Honeycomb'   

-  Label: 'Demon Records'
-  Genre: 'Soul' -  Release Date: '28.5.21.'-  Catalogue No: 'DEMREC 893'

Our Rating:
This is the second of three Frank black solo albums being re-issued in this part of the campaign to re-issue all of his solo albums on Vinyl, in this case for the first time and on translucent honey colored vinyl. Honeycomb originally came out in 2005 and was recorded in Nashville with Jon Tiven producing it and marshalling the top-notch backing band that included Spooner Oldham, Steve Cropper, Dan Penn, Reggie Young and David Hood et al. The album was also recorded in the old-fashioned way mainly live in the studio with minimal overdubs.

The A-side opens with Selkie Bride a soulful and laid-back tale of why she is his Selkie Bride and all the sacrifices he's happy to make for her love, this is based on the old Norse mythology of Therianthropic seal folk.

I Burn Today has a very 1970's soul rock feel to it, with some great keyboards and bells from Spooner Oldham on this tale of travelling in winter.

Lone Child is a spare reflection on being an only child, with some very cool guitar from Steve Cropper and I guess Buddy Miller.

Another Velvet Nightmare is the messy denouement of another binge you wish you didn't go on, musically it reminds me of the Bob Frank and John Murry album Brinkley Arkansas, as Frank dreams of finding sobriety.

Dark End Of The Street is a very soulful version with Dan Penn's input on his classic obviously helping, this has remarkably restrained keyboards and a magical solo from Steve Cropper that lit up the room.

Go Find Your Saint sounds a bit like a JJ Cale tune for a full on bruised and very blue soul. The second cover on the album is Song Of The Shrimp that Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennet wrote for Elvis to sing in Girls Girls Girls, they play it in the style of Mudboy & The Neutrons.

The B Side opens with Strange Goodbye a tender duet with Jean Black as this tale of love on the road unfolds and we find out what they do to keep that love alive despite everything the road throws at them.

The third and final cover on the album is a take on the Doug Sahm classic Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove that's played like they are channeling early 1970's Little Feat.

The album's title track Honeycomb is rather sinuous and revolves around David Hoods bass part as Frank sings about God's Army coming for his soul as he searches for his Honeycomb.

My Life In Storage is a tale familiar to many as you move from place to place and never seem to have enough space for all your possessions, the tune has plenty of regret in it as Frank hopes for renewal and a better tomorrow.

Atom In my Heart is a country rock plea for a little tenderness and relief. Violet is another bruised song about Violet although this time about the color rather than a person, this is rather downbeat.

The album closes with Sing For Joy a song all about redemption and the joy of finding sobriety and a way forwards while some nasty things happen as you Sing For Joy once more.

Find out more at http://smarturl.it/FrankBlack_Honeycomb https://www.facebook.com/msrblackfrancis

  author: simonovitch

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