The always busy Mr Frank Black has not one but two albums on the way.
The first, which will come out under the Black Francis moniker, is called 'Bluefinger' and will come out via Cooking Vinyl in September. A single from it, 'Threshold Apprehension', will be out digitally on 7 May with a limited edition single release on 25 May. The single and aspects of the album have been inspired in one way or another by the paintings of Herman Brood. Or something like that - here's what Black says: "I used a couple of Herman Brood's painting titles for songs of my own for my new record 'Bluefinger'. I have my own impressions as to what his painting 'Threshold Apprehension' was all about. My song 'Threshold Apprehension' has nothing to do with the painting except that it, and my record 'Bluefinger', has everything to do with my impressions of Herman Brood". So that's all clear.
The other album is a best of, a double CD featuring tracks from Black's solo career, mainly between 1993 and 2003, though we hear the aforementioned 'Threshold Apprehension' will be on their too, which is very much from 2007. Though that might be on the second live tracks and rarities CD, which would make more sense. Sort of.
All of this follows the late 2006 release of 'Christmass', a double CD of recent Black tracks and live recordings, and with promise of a new Pixies album and a greatest hits, as I say, he's always very busy that Mr Black.