Review - Frank Black & the Catholics "Pistolero"
album on Cortex through Shock!

Frank writes in his own bio that “Pistolero”, his 10th album (including the Pixies), 5th (solo only) or 2nd (with The Catholics) is either good or it stinks. This is supposed to be a review starter for the lazy writers among us. You’re then supposed to go on and say that it stinks.

Recorded live to two tracks and produced by Nick Vincent (he of Frank Black and “Teenager of the Year” drumming fame), "Pistolero" is actually quite a good record (sorry Frank!). I found myself listening to a compilation of well-known US and British alternative artists Frank’s voice is one that can’t be identified on its own and the music styles created by Nick and The Catholics are guaranteed to confuse the new listener if the song is taken out of the context of the rest of the record.

With stand-out tracks which include Western Star, So Hard to Make Things Out and I Want Rock & Roll, there are splashes, sprinklings and mixes of Pearl Jam, (with and without Neil Young), Counting Crows, Black Crowes, Lou Reed, Everclear, Buffalo Tom, and Bush, but by track 8 there is a definite and new Frank Black and The Catholics sound established for "Pistolero", on Cortex through Shock!, but you’re still left wondering whose sound that is!

PG (Jacky) Gleeson