Paley & Francis - Paley & Francis Review

Black Francis and Reid Paley end their decade-long courtship and finally take the plunge together with a full-on record of collaborations.

Paley & Francis - Paley & Francis (2011) – 6.3 / 10.0

Release Date: Oct. 11, 2011
Running Time: 34:45
Label: Sonic Unyon
Genre: Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Punk Blues
Drug of Choice: Whiskey, Cigarettes, Hallucinogens
Key Tracks:
"On The Corner"
"Deconstructed"
"Happy Shoes"

Black Francis and Pittsburgh songwriter Reid Paley have been working together for the better part of ten years at this point, though you may not know it. Paley has co-written several great songs in Francis' solo catalog (including the classic "I'm Not Dead, I'm In Pittsburgh"). Francis also produced Paley's first solo record, Lucky's Tune. Paley has also put in a few stints as support on Francis' tours. With Paley & Francis, the two finally put together a full-on collaboration and one that will probably jolt most listeners (presumably expecting a Frank Black record).

Paley is given first billing for the collaboration, and that seems to ring true in the performance. The record is mostly devoid of Francis' signature whacky cadences and the songwriting more direct/less surreal than a typical Francis affair. Paley has drawn a lot of comparisons to Tom Waits for his vocal delivery and quirky turns of phrase, but I think a more apt description of his style is Kris Kristofferson with a dab of Mike Watt. Whatever the metaphor, Paley is really very enjoyable here. His lead tracks are my the strongest on the record and even his backing vocal for Francis is a highlight for those songs (particularly on "Seal").

One look at the album cover, and you might be afraid that this record was thrown together. You would be right. Recorded in just two days, the album's biggest drawbacks are the plodding, clunky, and painfully minimal arrangements. Paley and Francis are both singers that demand attention, but the instrumentations here are so slight that they end up taking focus away from the singers. What results is a record that sounds more like a collection of outtakes than a fully completed work. In a way, that is what the record is. Every song on Paley & Francis is a first take. Slight instrumentation can work (just check out the Big Harp release last month), but this feels a little lazy. The strength of Paley's personality goes a long way to letting these songs grow with additional listen, but it's too slight to be with you for very long. I would be very interested to see these two take more time to put together a full record or at least one that is a bit more raucous.


Follow me on Twitter @ChrisBell81 and continue the conversation on Facebook.

Reviewer Stats:
Reviews - 27
Average Rating - 6.85
Highest Rating - 9.5 Blitzen Trapper's American Goldwing
Lowest Rating - 4.0 Her Space Holiday's Her Space Holiday