Seeking a U.S. breakthrough, A&M Records held Black's second album, Comedy, back from release until a re-recorded 1989 version of his U.K. hit "Wonderful Life" could be added as the leadoff track. There is also a remixed version of the U.K. hit "Sweetest Smile," which, like "Wonderful Life," previously appeared on Black's debut album, Wonderful Life. Also included were the more recent U.K. chart singles "The Big One" and "Now You're Gone." All of which means that, in its U.S. version at least, Comedy was almost more of a hits compilation than a formal second album. That, however, lent it a certain consistency, and in its newer songs, the album showed Black moving away from the cocktail jazz and doomy lyrics of his debut and toward a more eclectic sound, as well as lighter, more romantic sentiments.
Edsel is proud to present 07-11, a new collection of recordings by legendary American singer-songwriter Black Francis. Best known as the frontman of iconic alternative rock band Pixies, Black Francis' music has inspired generations of musicians from Nirvana to Radiohead. Compiled with the assistance of Black Francis himself, 07-11 gathers together eight albums from one of the most prolific periods of his career. This expansive new boxset features 129 tracks across nine CDs including five studio albums - 'Bluefinger' (2007), 'Sv n F ng rs' (2008), 'The Golem' (2010), 'NonStopErotik' (2010), and 'Paley & Francis' (2011). Plus, 'Abbabubba', a collection of B-sides, rarities and remixes, as well as two live albums 'Live In Nijmegen' and 'Live At The Hotel Utah Saloon' (which is released on CD for the very first time). All eight albums have been newly mastered for this release by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at AIR.
Intense Akron, Ohio blues-soaked duo that began by overwhelming indie rock critics and quickly moved to arena audiences.
It's too facile to call the Black Keys counterparts of the White Stripes: they share several surface similarities - their names are color-coded, they hail from the Midwest, they're guitar-and-drum blues-rock duos - but the Black Keys are their own distinct thing, a tougher, rougher rock band with a purist streak that never surfaced in the Stripes. But that's not to say that the Black Keys are blues traditionalists: even on their 2002 debut, The Big Come Up, they covered the Beatles' psychedelic classic "She Said She Said"…