aaamusic | On 30, Aug 2011

Reid Paley and Black Francis release their debut album with the help of Muscle Shoals’ Spooner Oldham and David Hood (respectively on piano and bass).

The album, result of dirt collaboration, is called Paley And Francis and it could be one of the most interesting albums of this year, a mix between folk, blues and indie.

Black Francis, with his David Byrne’s way of singing and his guitar always ready to lead it, goes through an astounding escalation of different melodies and he can do whatever he wants (hey guys, he’s the front-man of The Pixies, got it?), while Reid Paley transform everything into the perfect package; in songs like Praise and Ugly Life it is evident the old untiring irony of these two musicians, especially Francis’s one, with his lyrics full of grievances accompanied by a confusing happy melody. Slow ballads and bittersweet threats in 10 songs only to hear, because you’ll make your own opinion about them; my opinion is that there must be something philosophical in this oxymoronic meeting between a distorted guitar, two famous voices and a rhythmic essential part, and that’s a particular taste they both have: good music.

 

1. “Curse”
   2. “On the Corner”
   3. “Magic Cup”
   4. “Ugly Life”
   5. “Seal”
   6. “The Last Song”
   7. “Cresent Moon”
   8. “Deconstructed”
   9. “Praise”
   10. “Happy Shoes”

Author: Federica Carlino