Frank Black, “How You Went So Far.” I was a big fan of Frank Black and the Catholics, not least because the rhythm section hailed from the Mark Mulcahy-led bands Miracle Legion and Polaris. The Catholics albums are where Black stopped being quite so ahead of his time and instead showed his roots—folks and blues interests which had been buried in the intense mixes of the Pixies and his solo albums. There are more complex lyrics, and they’re more intelligible. There’s nuance in the guitar playing. There’s no fear about slowing things down a bit, or letting a guitar solo go for more than two bars. The Catholics has a Beatles White Album feeling of basic appreciation for the classics—surf, folk, soul, FM rock. “How You Went So Far,” a previously unreleased demo which Stereogum has premiered in advance of a Frank Black & The Catholics—The Complete Recordings box set due out April 20 on the Cooking Vinyl label, is a fine example of how thoughtful and balanced and controlled Black’s songwriting was in this period. The Pixies fierceness and the solo poppiness may have been lost, but some remarkable depth was achieved.