In the five years since his Pixies broke up, Frank Black has released four full- length albums of new studio material. His self- titled debut was critically lauded and rightfully so; it was energetic, insanely catchy, and substantially better than the Pixies' swan song, Trompe Le Monde. His second, Teenager of the Year was downright brilliant; it featured 22 quick slices of truly inspired pop and, in some folks' opinions, was on par with most of the Pixies' great records. But 1996's The Cult of Ray was a sad affair; its songs seemed dull in contrast to those of his previous efforts, and the lyrics were completely lacking in originality-- something no one expected. Which leaves us wondering about Frank Black and the Catholics.

Played live in the studio to a two-track recorder, Frank Black and the Catholics has a much more dynamic feel than The Cult of Ray-- Black's songs have life again, thanks in part to his new band. And while the record does pick up where its predecessor left off, the result is world's better. Tracks like the catchy "All My Ghosts," the alt- countryish "Do You Feel Bad About It" (whose dead-on portrayal of a relationship gone sour is one we can all relate to) and the disc's brilliant closer, "The Man Who Was Too Loud," all show Black recovered from the horrible songwriting slump he suffered through on The Cult of Ray.

Sadly, not all the record's songs are as great. "I Need Peace" is memorable but drags on too long with no clear destination in sight. "King and Queen of Siam" sounds like mid-'80s period Bowie, and "Six Sixty Six," a lively cover of an old Christian country song about-- who else-- Satan, is just slighty too "Hee-Haw."

Black's main problem is that he'll never escape the looming shadow of the Pixies. What he accomplished with that band will not likely be matched by anyone for a good long time. It's a given that his new material can't stack up against his classics, but that can be attributed to the fact that he's moved on. Frank Black and the Catholics simply displays Black doing what he damn well pleases, which is having a good time and making good music.

-Ryan Schreiber

"Do You Feel Bad About It?"