Like a good Catholic family, Frank Black's musical brood has continued to add to its number. With the addition of guitarist Dave Philips and the return of former producer Eric Drew Feldman on keyboards, the band has expanded its sonic palette considerably. With the added textures of piano, dobro, banjo, pedal steel, and a Stones-y slide guitar, Dog in the Sand is one of Black's most organic sounding albums; with his strongest batch of songs in years, it is also one of his best.

Tony Peltier