Frank Black & The Catholics – Live At Melkweg 3LP Review

Introduction

This is the motherlode. Following on from the Complete Albums box set and released concurrently with the Snake Oil covers collection (reviewed here), Demon Records have a tasty Catholics coda in the form of Live at Melkweg. An absolute must for fans, this is the first official release of a complete Catholics show and it clocks in at an astonishing 38 tracks (18 of which are previously unreleased), spread across six sides of vinyl. Recorded in 2001 at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, a trimmed down version of the show (featuring just seventeen tracks) was released in 2012, but this complete show, newly remastered by Thaddeus Moore, is a gift to the faithful, and features tracks from across Frank’s remarkable career.

The Package

Demon Records have good form when it comes to quality releases and Live At The Melkweg is no exception. With the discs pressed on solid, crackle-free 140 Gram vinyl and the set housed in a lovely looking triple gatefold sleeve, complete with spot UV detailing, it looks amazing. There are a couple of minor niggles – the triple gatefold attempts to overcome the typical problem of discs slipping in every direction by sealing the outer edges of each sleeve. Unfortunately, this works less well in practice than in theory, and the discs are somewhat difficult to remove. This, and the absence of a booklet containing liner notes and/or images from the tour are the only real quibbles, but it is a beautiful set regardless and fans are likely to find themselves too engrossed in the thrill of the show to worry about such trifles.

Disc One

Side one gets off to a cracking start, with the short, introductory Velvety giving way to a storming I Love Your Brain. Frank and his band deliver the tracks with real fire, and even familiar pieces take on strange new shapes, with Men in Black given a frantic make over that sees it almost buckle under the distortion applied, although the melody carries it through. This being Frank Black, it’s important to expect the unexpected and so, from the fiery rock of the opening numbers, we find ourselves face to face with alt-country on the skronky Fiddle Riddle and The Black Rider, both of which sound like Neil Young jamming in a barn (the latter with the Flintstones in tow).

It’s a hell of a start and you frequently find yourself marvelling at the loose-limbed and ragged glory of The Catholics, who seem to intuitively know when to stick to the programme and when to let things slide a little, often with electrifying results. The segue, for example, from The Black Rider to Mr Grieves allows just enough space for the audience to roar at strategic points, before Steak and Sabre sees the captivating first side out.

The second side offers myriad highlights, including a haunting take on Calistan (the great single that never was), which is a lyrically and musically brilliant piece. The pace slows as Frank ad libs the intro to Blast Off, before the band unleash the sneaky guitar figure that sits at its heart. An unassailably cool number, it sits perfectly next to a neatly reworked Gouge Away (complete with lovely keys from Rich Gilbert), while an updated John the Revelator takes the titular character and pumps him full of mescaline, sending him out to deal with the seven seals as his consciousness slowly erodes.

Disc Two

Opening the second disk, Skeleton Man is one of those brilliantly addictive pop-rock tracks that Frank just seems to pull from the ether, while Hermaphroditos amps things up still further. Close your eyes and you can picture the flannel-clad audience bouncing in time as slide guitar rips across the track, while Frank’s mad acapella intro to All My Ghosts is as gloriously gonzo as the riff is charged. Hell, with so much great material, a countrified take on the classic Monkey Gone to Heaven barely raises eyebrows.

Side four sees the band over an hour into the set and still showing no sign of letting up, as Scott Boutier’s nimble drums and David McCaffery’s creeping bass lead the way for the slinky country rock of Llano Del Rio. It sits neatly beside The Holiday Song (played relatively straight), although how Frank and his band have the energy to plough straight into Some Things (I Can’t Get used To) is more of a mystery – there must be something in the water out at the Melkweg. Acoustic guitars hang around on 21 Reasons, only for Rich to go all Rick Wakeman on the keyboards, just in case anyone found themselves drifting. The best is saved for last, however, with the quite lovely Fu Manchu – a track that gathers liquid slide, alternative grit and a melody that just won’t quit, into a near perfect four minutes.

Disc Three

With side four having proved a dreamier affair, side five picks up the pace with the brilliant Robert Onion. Also from Dog in The Sand, I’ve Seen Your Picture features some wonderfully doomy keys, and you can almost feel the band trading grins as they air their new material in front of an enthusiastic audience. Less engaging is Headache, which doesn’t quite fly in the way that it should, although a side-closing Nimrod’s Son is as engaging as ever.

The final side sees the band on the home stretch, and it finds Frank in a strangely intimate mode, with You’re Such a Wire, I Will Run After You and Dog In The Sand whispering in your ear, rather than screaming in your face. The low-key approach proves perfect for an acoustic Where Is My Mind, the audience providing Kim Deal’s spacey backing vocals,  before the set winds up with Oddball, Dancing The Manta Ray and, in a typically contrary gesture, If It Takes All Night – it takes a brave artists to use the encore slot for a brand new track, but it’s Frank Black, and of course the audience stream out, chattering excitedly in the shows wake.

Conclusion

A frank Black show, in whatever iteration, is rarely dull, but this is a special outing indeed and a solid record of an excellent band. It says much for the quality of the Catholics’ material that the Pixies tracks, sprinkled like fairy dust throughout the set, fail to eclipse the (then) recent material, while the diversity of the delivery keeps things interesting, even with so many tracks on offer. With great quality sound and solid packaging, Live at The Melkweg is a must for Frank Black fans and a release to treasure. Expect to listen often, this really is something very special indeed and a firm reminder of just how damn good The Catholics were.  10/10

Full Track List

Disc One

1. Velvety
2. I Love Your Brain
3. Men In Black
4. Fiddle Riddle
5. The Black Rider
6. Mr. Grieves
7. Steak ‘N’ Sabre
8. Calistan
9. Blast Off
10. Gouge Away
11. John The Revelator
12. I’ll Be Blue

Disc Two

1. Skeleton Man
2. Hermaphroditos
3. Six-Sixty-Six
4. All My Ghosts
5. Monkey Gone To Heaven
6. So Hard To Make Things Out
7. Llano Del Rio
8. The Holiday Song
9. Some Things (I Can’t Get Used To)
10. 21 Reasons
11. Every Time I Go Around Here
12. Fu Manchu

Disc Three

1. Robert Onion
2. I’ve Seen Your Picture
3. Dog Gone
4. Headache
5. Dirty Old Town
6. Bullet
7. Nimrod’s Son
8. You’re Such A Wire
9. I Will Run After You
10. Dog In The Sand
11. Where Is My Mind?
12. Oddball
13. Dancing The Manta Ray
14. If It Takes All Night

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