Frank Black & the Catholics

As rumors of a Pixies reunion swirl around Internet sites such as Pitchforkmedia.com, front man Frank Black continues to crank out decent albums with his current band, the Catholics. Still a purist, Black insists that production values remain raw (live to two-track with no overdubs), and this album, like the last few, features hard-driving, often countrified songs that come road-tested. Some choice cuts: the bass-heavy roots rocking opener, “Nadine,” the Steve Earl-ish “Goodbye Lorraine” (a country ode with nice steel work), and “Massif Centrale,” a rocking throwback to the Teenager days when Black played more with his falsetto range. While older fans may long for a return to the hard rock, who can complain about songs that dazzle with their simplicity? Guest artists include Van Dyke Parks, keyboardist Eric Drew Feldman (Capt. Beefheart) and Joey Santiago (guitarist from the Pixies).