Dog In The Sand

Frank Black is something of the Paul McCartney of the alternative set - one quarter of a hugely influential band but struggling to recapture that muse throughout a patchy solo career.

The presence of guitarist Joey Santiago will send those of a certain age into a spin at the thought of a Pixies reunion, but in truth Black is still eschewing the sound of his glory days in favour of a new, less abrasive touch. Thus pianos, acoustic guitars, pedal steels and claviolines sit prominently in the mix, lending the album an almost folksy, Americana feel at times. Elsewhere (especially the perky 'If It Takes All Night') it is unexpectedly poppy. More noticeable is the fact that the singer has adopted a far more laidback vocal style than in his band days, at times sounding not unlike Mick Jagger.

But where it's predecessors often erred on the bland side, Dog In The Sand finds Black on his best solo form yet. Maybe he needs the company of a regular band to bring out the best in him, but this is the probably his best work since Bossonova.

It's not all change, though - the lyrics are still most definitely from another place. 'Llano Del Rio', 'Hermaphrodites Is My Name', 'St Francis Dam Disaster', 'Robert Onion' are all classic slices of weirdness and even the quite lovely 'I'll Be Blue' can't resist a little twist - "like Jesus Christ on the hill, I'll be blue".

The Pixies may never pass this way again, but Dog In The Sand is very nearly good enough to make that okay.