Last year I had the pleasure of seeing Frank Turner play live when he came through Cardiff on his UK tour. Now, Ive been to a lot of shows in my time, full band, singer songwriters, hell, Ive even seen Jay-Z live but until that point I had not seen a performance as intimate and heart felt as Franks. Id seen him live in a different incarnation in the past when he was in his old band Million Dead but he really shines on his own.
"Love, Ire and Song" is only the second album from Frank Turner but despite that, it sounds like he has "been there, done that" and not only has the tee shirt to prove it but has worn that shirt thin.
Recorded in a farm just outside Winchester this album is an intimate journey through Frank Turners thoughts and feelings. The stand out tracks on this album are not the singles "Photosynthesis" (which features backing vocals from The Holloways) and "Reasons Not To Be An Idiot", which is not normally the case. I'm not saying they are bad songs. Far from it. Its just that there are better songs on the album. "Long Live The Queen" being one of them. Written about his friend Lex who sadly passed away last year. Its as if this song is not only a tribute to a great friend but also a way to explain his feelings and show people what she meant to everyone. Its a moving song and one that will not easily be forgotten once the album is over.
With lyrical hints at Frank Turners misspent youth trying to battle "the man" to his inadequacies at being a good boyfriend this album covers a lot of subjects obviously very close to his heart. The soft Coldplay-esc piano ballad "Jet Lag" that sounds the final track is such a change from the almost medieval "To Take You Home" earlier in the album that it shows that Frank Turner is a man of diversity in a genre that can sometimes be state and very carbon copy.
If you have yet to hear the dulcet and sometimes angry tones of Frank Turner I can not stress enough that you need to. If you are looking for an honest and passionate album to expand your music collection then Frank Turners - Love, Ire and Song needs to be your next purchase and if you get the chance to see him live do not pass up on that either.
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Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song
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