Frank’s career can be split into eras. His first was the very psychedelic trippy phase. Then he moved into the loud and brash guitar hero phase, and then finally, we came to an almost mix of the two with huge nods to the blues. This album was recorded in his latter phase, in his home town of Montreal in 2001. Don’t get me wrong, it’s chock full of the most killer guitar playing you will ever hear. This record (and Part 2) were part of RSD as limited editions.
To make the tracks fit onto two records, He’s Calling and Poppy have been split into two parts and put on two differing sides. You may also not be familiar with the versions that you hear on this record. For example, Like Voodoo Chile is way slower here and has a heavy blues groove – but jeez does Frank let it go here. Incredible playing! Plus you get an excerpt from Something’s Coming Our Way from What’s Next. His love of Hendrix is here for all to see. As well as Voodoo Chile, you get ripping versions of Red House and Crossroads.
Frank is definitely one of Rock’s greatest and most overlooked guitar players. I’m not too sure we will get to see him play live again as he has a debilitating disease that stops him playing. Other than these two RSD releases, Frank released a six hour DVD last year of a show recorded in Cleveland. I urge any of you who love guitar music to track it down. It’s a final fitting performance of one of Rock’s great guitarists.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
