:Positively Phranc

{{Infobox album

| name = Positively Phranc

| type = Album

| artist = Phranc

| cover = Positively Phranc.jpg

| alt =

| released = 1991

| recorded = 1991

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Folk, folk punk, punk pop{{cite book |last1=Kramarae |first1=Cheris |last2=Spender |first2=Dale |title=Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge |date=2004 |publisher=Routledge |page=1210}}

| length = 30:42

| label = Island{{cite news |last1=Pener |first1=Degen |title=Phranc, As in Frank or Neil |work=The New York Times |date=15 Aug 1993 |page=A4}}

| producer = Warren Bruleigh, Phranc

| prev_title = I Enjoy Being a Girl

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Goofyfoot

| next_year = 1995

}}

Positively Phranc is an album by the American musician Phranc, released in 1991.{{cite magazine |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Dimitri |title=Positively Phranc by Phranc |magazine=Interview |date=May 1991 |volume=21 |issue=5 |page=48}}{{cite magazine |last1=Dery |first1=Mark |title=Frankly Phranc |magazine=Guitar Player |date=Oct 1991 |volume=25 |issue=10 |page=14}} Phranc promoted the album by touring with Morrissey.{{cite news |last1=Sndyer |first1=Michael |title=Lesbian Folk Singer – Phranc Sparkles In Diamond Tribute |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=January 30, 1994 |department=Sunday Datebook |page=41}} Phranc was dropped by Island Records after the album's release.{{cite book |last1=Gaar |first1=Gillian G. |title=She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock and Roll |date=1992 |publisher=Seal Press |page=386}}

Production

"Gertrude Stein" is Phranc's cover version of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso"; D.J. Bonebrake played drums on the song.{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Joe |title=Phranc Approach For Individual Folk |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=5 July 1991 |page=N13}} "Tipton" is a tribute to transgender jazz musician Billy Tipton.{{cite news |title=Phrancly, My Dear |work=Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph |date=8 May 1992 |page=E1}} "Surfer Girl", a duet with Syd Straw, is a cover of the Beach Boys song.{{cite news |last1=Takiff |first1=Jonathan |title=Vocal Feminists Are Reaching New Audiences |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=9 Apr 1991 |department=Features Yo! |page=27}} "Outta Here" is about the deaths of friends due to AIDS.{{cite news |last1=Erskine |first1=Evelyn |title=Direct sting of punk is still Phranc's music |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=29 June 1991 |page=E3}} Dave Alvin played guitar on "Hitchcock".{{cite news |last1=Grobaty |first1=Tim |title=Positively Phranc |work=Press-Telegram |date=March 24, 1991 |page=B5}} Two Nice Girls sang on "I'm Not Romantic".

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |title=Positively Phranc Review by Denise Sullivan |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/positively-phranc-mw0000674347 |website=AllMusic |access-date=4 February 2023}}

|rev2= Robert Christgau

|rev2Score= {{rating-Christgau|cut}}{{cite web |title=Phranc |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Phranc |website=Robert Christgau |access-date=4 February 2023}}

|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=528}}

|rev4 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide

|rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |pages=872–873}}

|rev5 = Martin C. Strong

|rev5score = 6/10{{cite book |last1=Strong |first1=Martin C. |title=The Great Indie Discography |date=2003 |publisher=Canongate |page=453 |edition=2nd}}

|rev6 = The Tampa Tribune

|rev6Score = {{rating|2|4}}{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Wayne |title=Phranc Positively Phranc |work=The Tampa Tribune |date=April 19, 1991 |department=Tampa Bay Times |page=19}}

}}

The Gazette wrote that "Phranc proves that all anyone really needs is six strings and a point of view."{{cite news |last1=Lamey |first1=Mary |title=Girls, cars, mud-wrestling: Phranc covers musical map |work=The Gazette |date=24 Dec 1991 |page=C10}} 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."{{cite news |last1=Heim |first1=Chris |title=Morrissey and Phranc |work=Chicago Tribune |date=21 June 1991 |department=Friday |page=M}}

Trouser Press noted that the album "intermittently brings tasteful electric accompaniment into the picture while narrowing the lyrical focus to mostly concentrate on romance."{{cite web |title=Phranc |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/phranc/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=4 February 2023}} 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."{{cite magazine |last1=Farber |first1=Jim |title=Positively Phranc |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/04/12/positively-phranc/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=4 February 2023}} Robert Christgau considered "'64 Ford" to be the album's best track.