Shortly before the Pixies' triumphant comeback tour last year, Frank Black went into a Nashville studio with some veteran session musicians and knocked out this album in a mere four days. Now that his old band are back in business, Honeycomb will probably get more attention than any of his other solo releases - which is just as well, as it's easily one of the best things he's ever done. This is a record packed with oddities and riches, including a cover of the soul standard 'Dark End of the Street', a novelty Elvis song and a break-up duet with his ex-wife Jean. The mood throughout is charming and understated, with a rootsy vibe that nicely suits his richly mellow singing voice. Looks like that old Black Magic can still weave its spell when given the right material to work with.

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