Christmass

AMG Review of Christmass

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

Formerly a mail-order-only release, Frank Black's Christmass is an immaculately recorded audio/video document of acoustic performances from his summer 2006 tour. The CD's track list will please hardcore Black fans -- along with Pixies favorites ("Where Is My Mind?," "Wave of Mutilation"), it touches on nearly all of his post-4AD solo albums. Standouts include "Bullet," "I Burn Today," and "Nadine," all of which benefit from the grit and immediacy of live performances. Christmass also includes several new tracks, chief among them the ridiculously catchy "(Do What You Want) Gyaneswhar" and "Demon Girl." The DVD is also a treat, especially since it doesn't repeat many songs from the CD and begins with a fantastic version of "Los Angeles." Black is in his element on-stage. He and the audience both sound like they're having fun -- any Black fans who don't already own this should definitely check it out, now that it's more widely available.