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Ad Frank
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Is The World's Best Ex-Boyfriend
Stop, Pop, And Roll Records
Release: 4/19/2005
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Rated:
Review by:
Jason Warner
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Ad Frank is back with his band, The Fast Easy Women, with a
new batch of songs on his new album, Is The World's
Best Ex-Boyfriend. Frank, a former member of
indie-pop favorites Miles Dethmuffen (and later, Permafrost),
has been releasing albums on his own since his 2001 eclectic
solo release, Mr. Fancypants. Is The
World's Best Ex-Boyfriend is the highly anticipated
follow-up to 2003's In Girl Trouble, and
interestingly enough, again finds Mr. Frank in trouble with
the ladies.
The songs here range from bright jangley pop to darker,
more contemplative tunes, with everything in between. The
Fast Easy Women prove capable with great musicianship
throughout. Frank's songwriting is solid and sincere, while at
times keeping tongue firmly planted in cheek. My favorite
track is, "The World's Best Ex-Boyfriend," a danceable ditty
written in response to Frank's reading of his ex-girlfriend's
diary. The intro to this song alone is worth the purchase of
the album. "Unspeakable" has a very David Bowie feel to it,
channeling some "China Girl" vibes, and doing it very well.
Not to say that Frank is copying Bowie in any way, but
imitation is the highest form of flattery after all. Other
stand-out tracks include the six minute opener, "The Five
Days We Were Friends," a classical, melancholy tale of a
brief relationship that really does a good job of setting the
stage for the rest of the 13 tracks and 52 minutes of music;
and "If I Find Another One of Your Bobby Pins in My Bed, I'm
Coming by to Shove Them Up Your Ass." Despite the wordy
title this is a great song, again about breaking up. Breaking
up seems to be Ad's station in life, and he's manning the
station well, his baritone croon lighting the way down the
dark pathways of a broken heart.
The production on Is The World's Best
Ex-Boyfriend leaves nothing to be desired. Mixed by
Matthew Ellard (Tanya Donnelly, George Michael, Queen),
Is The World's Best Ex-Boyfriend is edgy, but
not so much so as to take away from the music. The
rawness of the songwriting and arrangements comes
through, but with the instruments all audible in the mix. It's
a nice balance.
Is The World's Best Ex-Boyfriend is a nice
album that I would recommend to fans of Destroyer, Belle
and Sebastian, and other British influenced pop rock. With
songs like these I can't imagine why any girl would want to
break up with Ad Frank, but apparently breaking up with him
would turn out pretty well for you, as he is reportedly
excellent as far as an ex-boyfriend goes. |
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