: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.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Phranc; except where indicated

  1. "I Like You"
  2. "I'm Not Romantic"
  3. "'64 Ford"
  4. "Hitchcock"
  5. "Tipton"
  6. "Dress Code"
  7. "Why?"
  8. "Gertrude Stein" (Jonathan Richman)
  9. "Surfer Girl" (Brian Wilson)
  10. "Outta Here"

Personnel

  • Phranc - Producer, vocals, guitar
  • Warren Bruleigh - Producer

Release details

class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"

! Country

! Date

! Label

! Format

! Catalog

| 1991

| Island

| CD

| 422-848 282-2

|

|

| Cassette

| 422-848 282-4

| 1992

| PolyGram

| CD

| 848282

References

{{Reflist}}