Frank Black – “How You Went So Far” (Stereogum Premiere)

Frank Black – “How You Went So Far” (Stereogum Premiere)

Believe it or not, Frank Black released more full albums with backing band the Catholics than he ever did with the Pixies as Black Francis (though some would argue that Come On Pilgrim should be bumped up from an EP to an LP because, like, c’mon). Cooking Vinyl has compiled all six of the Frank Black And The Catholics albums into a box set called The Complete Recordings that also includes a disc of “technical demos,” tracks recorded for the band’s 2002 release Black Letter Days. One of those demos, “How You Went So Far,” ended up on the record as a loose, bluesy, guitar-filled look into Black’s straight-faced post-Pixies sauntering. The demo version — which, like its companion songs, Black laid down on a mono analog tape recorder — is grittier and a bit more charming in its unpolished vocals. The guitar squeals louder on the demo, too, which is always good. Listen to it below.

The Complete Recordings is out 4/20 on Cooking Vinyl. Pre-order it here.

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