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Frank Black is sure to impress fans with “Show Me Your Tears.”

Frank Black’s innovative guitar-playing and songwriting skills seem to always be one step ahead of the rest. However, despite his major influence upon the music community, Black appears to have a casual attitude about his musical career and seems content to remain on the fringe.

“My solo career was just a way to continue being a musician,” Black said, referring to his previous work with influential alternative rock band, the Pixies. “It’s just a different name, a different vibe.”

Of course, even after 10 years, anyone acquainted with the combined metallic rawness and iridescent melodies of the Pixies may have a hard time accepting the fact that all four band members are alive and well, and yet have refused to take to the stage together once again – even if only to quell the whining of their former fans.

But it’s not reason to despair. Black still performs, still writes songs and regardless of his name or backing band, still continues to evolve his trademark sound in a way today’s dime-a-dozen alternative-rock bands can’t even pretend to imitate.

Black describes his upcoming album “Show Me Your Tears,” due out Sept. 8, as a bit of a downer record with hints of country and western twang. His recent divorce and involvement in psychotherapy led the album to be influenced more by his personal life. That’s perhaps also why the album is lyrically stronger than his previous work.

“It’s probably a little more lush and a little more produced-sounding than our last couple of records,” Black said. “Every record I do is different; they’re just kind of schizophrenic, I think.”

Black sees himself as a cult artist, or a musician who appeals to those turned off by top 40 hits churned out by the mainstream music industry. And he has every right to do so considering his former band is often credited as being a major contributor in the evolution of the underground rock scene.

“The mainstream music industry is a little soft on the edges,” Black said. “It’s a little dull, it’s a little mediocre. (I have) nothing against it – every once in a while something interesting happens – but, in general, it’s passive music for passive music listeners.”

Black’s musical tastes range mostly within the well-established blues, folk and rock classics, such as two of his favorites Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen. However, when it comes to contemporary music, he admits to liking the White Stripes and Beck as examples of edgier groups that have broken into the mainstream.

“There’s this cycle out there,” Black said. “Cool music becomes very popular, and for a few minutes, you’ve got a lot of music that’s real popular and it’s pretty good. Then suddenly there’s the bandwagon aspect of it, and everyone’s trying to cash in on it, and then it gets pretty bland pretty fast.”

Black plays Friday night and Aug. 29 at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, a smaller venue than what one might expect for someone who has made such an impact with his music – from the Pixies to his solo work. Mention the P-word, though, and Black turns slightly grumpy, bored out of his mind with the historic musical conquest he led in his earlier days. However, as a cult artist without the comforts of being a mainstream musician, he is not quick to pass up the publicity.

“Whatever gets me in the papers,” Black said. “That’s the attitude I take. If people want to talk about the Pixies, so be it. It’s beyond annoying – (but) I’m pleasantly aloof about it. It’d be different if people were asking me something different about the Pixies or something unique, but they’re not. They’re basically asking me the same four or five questions they’ve been asking me for the last 10 years.”

Black plays Friday, Aug. 29 and Saturday, Aug. 30 at McCabe’s in Santa Monica. Go to www.mccabesguitar.com/condata.html for more information.

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