Black Francis

Continuing a trend that’s emerged since Charles Thompson resurrected Black Francis, Svn Fngers is a sparsely adorned rock record whose bold energy comes through crisply. Stating that this EP is primarily about "nasty sex, nastier death, and beautifully strange birth,” Black Francis sets fans up for familiar themes in his work but it’s vaguely true: the cycles of life all appear specifically on this unsettling record. Though the music is deceptively straight-ahead in its three-piece formation, the production is ever so askew, with multiple voices clashing and complementing one another under various effects. "The Seus” sets a disquieting mood with its off-kilter arrangement, while "Garbage Heap” nods to David Bowie helplessly filtered through the sound of Francis’s Pixies. Then there’s the oddly sweet sound of Francis’s voice on "Half Man,” a vulnerable noise that aches with emotion. Even the garage pop of "I Sent Away” is enriched by the thoughtful attention to detail that Black Francis continues to hone in his reign as one of the world’s sharpest, most prolific writers.