Pixies front man Black Francis is set to release a new album under his solo moniker, Frank Black. Perhaps demonstrating that he is indeed only in the Pixies ongoing reunion for the money, he can clearly write new songs – and quickly. It appears that he just doesn’t want to write any for the Pixies.

Entitled Paley & Francis, the new effort is a collaboration with songwriter Reid Paley and was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee over just two days in September last year. As he pair explain, “We wrote the music for the songs in Paley’s apartment in Brooklyn over three afternoons when Francis was in New York. We each took half of the songs to finish off with lyrics, and Francis went off to meet what he sometimes likes to call “the old band” for another tour.”

Explaining their lightning fast working methods, the pair say “A few days later, we were recording at Jon Tiven’s studio in Nashville. We each sang lead on the songs we wrote lyrics for and sang backup on the others. We worked fast.” Fans, however, may not get to see the songs live for some time, with the Pixies announcing that following the success of their Doolittle tour I which they played the album in full, they are set to take it to what they mysteriously term ‘Lost Cities’.

The tracklisting for Payley & Francis runs

‘Curse’
‘On The Corner’
‘Magic Cup’
‘Ugly Life’
‘Seal’
‘The Last Song’
‘Cresent Moon’
‘Deconstructed’
‘Praise’
‘Happy Shoes’

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine