I first came to know of Bob Frank through his collaboration with John Murry, World Without End, a collection of murder ballads about real-life murders. His story is as mysterious as it is intriguing.

Bob released a self-titled folk album back in the seventies but was dumped by his label shortly after releasing it for bashing the label execs (a man after my own heart). Bob sort of disappears, said album becomes a cult classic, then some 30 years later Bob returns with that same god damn the torpedoes attitude. Bob does things how he wants to do them and that finds its way into his songs.

On World Without End, Bob and John wrote murder ballads about real murders without any of the apologies, reasoning or morality that’s commonly present in such songs. In much that same manner, Red Neck, Blue Collar is billed as an album of folk songs sans all the inserted twang, alt.labeling and americana-leaning commonly present on modern folk albums, and to that point I have to agree.

Check out the album and see what you think.

Bob Frank - Red Neck, Blue Collar
Bob Frank - Canebrake
Bob Frank - Out On The Prairie

Bob Frank’s Official Site, Buy Red Neck, Blue Collar

P.S.: It is my understanding that Bob and John are in the process of recording a new album. I dunno if it’s gonna be another one full of murder ballads or not, but I’d wager a guess that it’s gonna be awesome regardless of the content.