Dr. Frank – Show Business is My Life – Review

Dr. Frank

Show Business is My Life (Lookout!)
by Scott Hefflon

Mr. T Experience is credited by some as the founders of the East Bay pop-punk sound, and Dr. Frank is the chief songwriter/vocalist for MTX. Show Business is my Life is Dr. Frank’s first solo record and it showcases influences outside of pop-punk such as country, bossa nova, rock, and ’60s beat music, among others. Recorded thin and live-on-a-makeshift-stage-with-a-cheap-P.A. by Kevin Army (long list of credits), this record is not what fans’ll expect, and unless they wanna go there with Dr. Frank, this is yet another example of a songwriter gaining respect (bordering on reverence) in some circles, then thinking he has what it takes to release a solo record. They believe the hype or they have the name and contacts to get away with such indulgences, and enough fans’ll blindly follow, laying compliments at their hero’s feet like rose petals before a princess. Many critics will applaud the diverse effort, others will cower, thinking they’re missing something and not wanting to sound stupid by saying anything negative.

But here’s the thing: This is pointless. Shallow, teetering on various limbs (the first few safe steps out on the branch, I might add), and an obvious example of someone trying out new stuff but not necessarily being very good at it or knowing how to take it the full distance. For those who feel differently, it’s probably because you already like Dr. Frank and/or MTX so you’ll allow them embarrassing failures like this. Get over it. This shoulda stayed on four-track tapes in Dr. Frank’s living room. There’s no reason to subject the rest of us to your indulgent noodlings, especially if we’re going to feel pressured to lie to you and tell you they’re good. Best thing about Dr. Frank is that he reminds me of James Kochalka Superstar, the goofy music project by the comic artist James Kochalka. JKS is quirky, experimental, funny and knows it’s a joke, Dr. Frank doesn’t.
(PO Box 11374 Berkeley, CA 94712)