First Impressions...

GRAND DUCHY

PETITS FOURS

Cooking Vinyl

Since disbanding The Pixies in 1993, nobody can accuse Charles Thompson IV aka Black Francis aka Frank Black of taking it easy . In this writers humble opinion he has remained one of the hardest working and prolific musical artists today. Having abandoned the songs and sounds that made him the 80's underground rock god in favor of finding what would seem like new identities with each new release. He has released at least one album a year since 1993, except in 1995 and 1997. His solo career has touched all musical grounds from bizarre surf pop to desert rock to country laments. Through every new release it seems Frank Black Francis could not get the world to let go of his former self. As a result he never quite came across as enjoying himself. Enter a divorce and therapy in 2003, a Pixies reunion soon after and a new wife immortalised in the song Violet from Honeycomb in 2003. It is this partnership that has allowed Grand Duchy to materialise. It is safe to say at least on the surface, Frank is allowing himself to have some fun.

Violet is a self confessed fan of 80's music. Frank has said he did his best to destroy the 80's. This combination makes Grand Duchy a guilty pleasure to his sometime fans who couldn't quite get behind his recent soul searching releases. To the ardent fan this is a great addition to a unique catalogue of great music. It should be noted that this is the first time Frank has shared a name and stood as an equal member of a band since The Pixies.

The nine tracks on Petits Fours cover enough ground to make the album and enjoyable and well paced listen throughout, although you can't help that feel that the the project hasn't completely found it's voice yet. Opening song Come On Over To My House sounds familiar enough that it could very well be a left over from  the latest Black Francis release SVN FNGRS if it weren't for an 80's keyboard part and slick production.  Violet takes lead vocals on Lovesick, a song that might be mistaken as a track from the latest Metric album. Her vocals bounce between Emily Haines and Kim Deal throughout the album. "Fort Wayne" has strummy acoustic guitars, Frank singing falsetto " Once I was playing down in Fort Wayne....the kids were swayin', to the rock n roll beat, confused in the wheat from all the doom sayin' " Violet chimes in with a little spoken word in french and some la,la,la's. "Blacksuit" sounds like it could have been written by Robert Smith, or by the Pixies had they been a Cure wanna-be band. The Long Song rides a Pixies baseline if ever there was one, sprawling crunchy guitars are married to distorted synths and a honey sweet lead vocal by Violet. This album is another example of the new life that seems to have been be breathed into Mr.Thompson of late. It seems he has found himself a new partner in life as well as in song, a sentiment best said in the incredibly catchy "Ernesinde",   "I've been waiting for you Baby, since the day that you were born". In his ever expanding catalogue file this one under Pop.