Black Francis

Charles Thompson left behind the pseudonym Black Francis in favor of Frank Black when he broke up his hugely influential alt-rock band Pixies in 1993, but picked it back up again after Pixies’ welcome (and still ongoing) reunion. As a solo artist under either name, his music has trended toward pretty standard rock with less emphasis on the weirder, wilder side that made his first band so magical—but though he’s mellowed with age, he hasn’t run out of off-kilter lyrics and crunchy riffs. Last year’s sexually charged Nonstoperotik pairs pummeling guitars with subdued, almost repentant vocals about romantic intimacy and his early years with the Pentecostal church, showcasing Black’s gift for mixing the sinful with the sublime. Longtime collaborator Reid Paley teamed with Black for their first album together, Paley And Francis, due out in September.

Updated 07/13/2011