Frank Turner

Frank Turner has been to Dover many times before, he's even "got pi**ed in the pub next to the (Dover Priory) train station", but he's never played for an audience here. For gig 2,128, Frank took up the invite to come down and, for only his second gig of the year, well and truly raised the roof on one of the smaller venues he's likely to play. In the former Harbour Station Booking Hall, that's also doubled as a WWII morgue, Frank played his heart out to a very appreciative, capacity crowd of 280. 

Frank's locally based touring buddy, Will Varley, made the journey to "the easiest gig I've ever had to get to" to play a brilliant supporting act ahead of FT. Both men were solo throughout each of their sets, aside from a minor duet to close out Frank's last track of the night.

Varley, who's new album 'Spirit Of Minnie' is due out in February, passed on the chance to showcase much of his new work and went for a much-loved, crowd-pleasing, all-request style performance of his greatest hits. Apart from 'Statues', a relatively new release, Will casually took us through some of his impressive back catalogue. Having got the evening off to a great start with 'As For My Soul' he didn't look back through 'Seize The Night', 'Advert Soundtracks', a sing-a-long with 'We Don't Believe You' and the ever essential, 'King For A King'. Varley gave us "A history of the world" with 'Weddings And Wars' and dug deep into his memory bank for the not often played classic, 'Blood And Bone' (complete with pause to crowd surf himself a Jameson's from the very noisy bar). Will capped it all off with his tongue-in-cheek humour, giving us a lyrically adjusted (to take into account of the current Tory government) 'I Got An E-Mail'.

Continue reading: Frank Turner - The Booking Hall, Dover 19.01.2018 Live Review

2017 marks ten years since the release of Frank Turner's debut solo album 'Sleep Is For The Week'. A timely point then to look back and assess the work of one of our most prolific singer-songwriters as he himself has decided to do with his latest collection entitled 'Songbook'. Over the course of twenty-nine songs, including ten re-worked versions, Frank has assembled a 'very best of' that really does emphasise his artistry and talent as both a songwriter and performer.

Having released six albums and five EPs, played over two thousand gigs, sold over one million records and, perfectly aligned in the middle of it all a game changing Olympics performance, Frank has been quite the busy boy. Rather reassuringly, his work rate and work ethic sit perfectly with his ever-growing catalogue of notable songs. Each is real and dependable not flighty, fickle or flaky and the drive, determination and ethos of the man pours out passionately with each eloquent delivery.

'Songbook' starts with possibly Frank's best loved and most accomplished song to date, 'Four Simple Words'. From the opening playful piano and softly strummed jangle of acoustic guitar through to the machine gun drum roll and impassioned vocal, Frank delivers a fuel injected call to arms. The song could act as a manifesto of Frank's, "Yeah, Is anybody else sick of the music that's churned out by lack lacklustre scenesters from Shoreditch", "I want bands who had to work for their keep. Drove a thousand miles and played a show on no sleep. Sleeping on a floor at a strangers place. Hungry just to do it all again the next day."

Continue reading: Frank Turner - Songbook Album Review

Frank Turner values his loyal fan base. For that he must be applauded. 'The Third Three Years', as the title suggests, is the third such release mopping up demos, covers and unreleased material. By its very nature this compilation is aimed squarely at those that are already on the Turner bandwagon, predominantly those who haven't explored any further than his studio albums. If this is to be Frank's very own 'Bootleg Series', then the period before and after last year's record 'Tape Deck Heart' seems slightly less fruitful than the material presented on the previous two compilations. In honesty, I think it's more a reflection of the tracklisting itself than the additional material he's produced in the last 36 months, there just seem to be some obvious omissions here.

That there is a distinct focus on acoustic material isn't a problem. It highlights Turner's interest in traditional folk and the strength of his song writing on the stripped down versions of his own songs. However, it is a shame the absence of his band 'The Sleeping Souls' means there's little of the electricity of his recent full band shows and 'Tape Deck Heart' on show here. Perhaps, then, it's best to think of this as a scrapbook rather than a comprehensive representation of Turner's talents.

It's not that 'The Third Three Years' isn't worth your time, it is. However, last time Turner compiled his material in this way we were treated to the bonus 'deluxe edition' tracks from 'England Keep My Bones'. Unfortunately, the equivalent material from 'Tape Deck Heart' is notable by its absence. Equally, 'The Polaroid Picture EP' only gets one entry here, despite containing a number of covers more worthy of inclusion than the likes of Noel Coward's 'The Bad Times Are Just Around The Corner' or the carbon copy of Queen's 'Somebody To Love'. Although the covers are invariably the weakest part of this compilation, they're not all forgettable. Tom Petty's 'American Girl' which is previously unreleased is heartbreaking, and the piano balladry of Cory Branan's 'The Corner' is haunting.

Continue reading: Frank Turner - The Third Three Years Album Review

With his star already in the ascendancy, last year's inspired Olympic call up by nearly-Sir Danny Boyle to spearhead the introduction of 'The Isles Of Wonder' has merely served as a supercharged catapult for Eton's own Frank Turner. Since the release of his breakthrough album, 'England Keep My Bones' in 2011, Turner has sold out Wembley Arena (Somewhat ironically supported by his surrogate father of impassioned and poetic punk-prone folk, Billy Bragg), stood atop 'Glastonbury Tor' belting out a stirring rendition of 'I Still Believe' and set up his own Hardcore sideline project Mongol Horde.

Having covered off England in his previous release, 'Tape Deck Heart' - his latest of five albums to date - is described more as a 'break-up' album, although references to particular English cornerstones of Frank's are still carefully woven through the tapestry of his newest songs.

From Battersea to Highgate and back to Shoreditch we traverse the capital as Frank pours his heart out and bares his soul for our musical pleasure.

Continue reading: Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart Album Review