Positively Phranc
| Positively Phranc | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1991 | |||
| Genre | Folk, folk punk, punk pop[1] | |||
| Length | 30:42 | |||
| Label | Island[2] | |||
| Producer | Warren Bruleigh, Phranc | |||
| Phranc chronology | ||||
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Positively Phranc is an album by the American musician Phranc, released in 1991.[3][4] Phranc promoted the album by touring with Morrissey.[5] Phranc was dropped by Island Records after the album's release.[6]
Production
"Gertrude Stein" is Phranc's cover version of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso"; D.J. Bonebrake played drums on the song.[7] "Tipton" is a tribute to transgender jazz musician Billy Tipton.[8] "Surfer Girl", a duet with Syd Straw, is a cover of the Beach Boys song.[9] "Outta Here" is about the deaths of friends due to AIDS.[10] Dave Alvin played guitar on "Hitchcock".[11] Two Nice Girls sang on "I'm Not Romantic".[12]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating | 
| AllMusic | |
| Robert Christgau | |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | |
| Martin C. Strong | 6/10[17] | 
| The Tampa Tribune | |
The Gazette wrote that "Phranc proves that all anyone really needs is six strings and a point of view."[18] The Chicago Tribune opined that Positively Phranc "is miles ahead of her first two albums, offering wit, a sense of balance, musical diversity and polished artistry that simply wasn't there before."[19]
Trouser Press noted that the album "intermittently brings tasteful electric accompaniment into the picture while narrowing the lyrical focus to mostly concentrate on romance."[20] Entertainment Weekly lamented that "Phranc pens ironic little ditties, high on giggles but low on the insights that should come out of a lesbian's daily life in the straight world."[21] Robert Christgau considered "'64 Ford" to be the album's best track.[14]
Track listing
All tracks composed by Phranc; except where indicated
- "I Like You"
 - "I'm Not Romantic"
 - "'64 Ford"
 - "Hitchcock"
 - "Tipton"
 - "Dress Code"
 - "Why?"
 - "Gertrude Stein" (Jonathan Richman)
 - "Surfer Girl" (Brian Wilson)
 - "Outta Here"
 
Personnel
- Phranc - Producer, vocals, guitar
 - Warren Bruleigh - Producer
 
Release details
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Island | CD | 422-848 282-2 | |
| Cassette | 422-848 282-4 | |||
| 1992 | PolyGram | CD | 848282 | 
References
- ^ Kramarae, Cheris; Spender, Dale (2004). Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge. Routledge. p. 1210.
 - ^ Pener, Degen (August 15, 1993). "Phranc, As in Frank or Neil". The New York Times. p. A4.
 - ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (May 1991). "Positively Phranc by Phranc". Interview. Vol. 21, no. 5. p. 48.
 - ^ Dery, Mark (October 1991). "Frankly Phranc". Guitar Player. Vol. 25, no. 10. p. 14.
 - ^ Sndyer, Michael (January 30, 1994). "Lesbian Folk Singer – Phranc Sparkles In Diamond Tribute". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 41.
 - ^ Gaar, Gillian G. (1992). She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock and Roll. Seal Press. p. 386.
 - ^ Brown, Joe (July 5, 1991). "Phranc Approach For Individual Folk". The Washington Post. p. N13.
 - ^ "Phrancly, My Dear". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. May 8, 1992. p. E1.
 - ^ Takiff, Jonathan (April 9, 1991). "Vocal Feminists Are Reaching New Audiences". Features Yo!. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 27.
 - ^ Erskine, Evelyn (June 29, 1991). "Direct sting of punk is still Phranc's music". Ottawa Citizen. p. E3.
 - ^ Grobaty, Tim (March 24, 1991). "Positively Phranc". Press-Telegram. p. B5.
 - ^ a b Garcia, Wayne (April 19, 1991). "Phranc Positively Phranc". Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Tribune. p. 19.
 - ^ "Positively Phranc Review by Denise Sullivan". AllMusic. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
 - ^ a b "Phranc". Robert Christgau. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
 - ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 528.
 - ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 872–873.
 - ^ Strong, Martin C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography (2nd ed.). Canongate. p. 453.
 - ^ Lamey, Mary (December 24, 1991). "Girls, cars, mud-wrestling: Phranc covers musical map". The Gazette. p. C10.
 - ^ Heim, Chris (June 21, 1991). "Morrissey and Phranc". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. M.
 - ^ "Phranc". Trouser Press. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
 - ^ Farber, Jim. "Positively Phranc". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
 
