Frank Turner - Rock & Roll EP
Release Date: December 16, 2010
Record Label: Xtra Mile Recordings
Frank Turner is not nearly as popular in America as he should be. He's very popular in the United Kingdom, as you would expect because he is English they are sometimes much smarter than we are. But really, America has no mainstream rock star and in my ideal world, Turner would be that ever-adored star. He is the most rocking and rolling musician that I listen to from this generation of music. As Turner once wrote in an autobiography, "I found out that folk music can be more punk than punk, and I found my voice."
He certainly has. After two critically acclaimed and independently adored releases in the form of 2008's Love Ire & Song and 2009's Poetry of the Deed, Turner continues his high output with his Rock & Roll EP. Five new Frank Turner songs is a great Christmas gift, in fact better than a lot of gifts I have received in my life.
Opener "I Still Believe" shows a bit of a new sound in Turner's full band repertoire, but nothing that is too drastic of a change. As Turner described to a roomful of sweaty, beardy punks at The Fest, the song is an homage to the bands that have influenced him the most. He references a good amount of bands, although none of them are the ones he holds in highest regard, like Bruce Springsteen or The Clash. Still, though, the song is an extremely uplifting and fun listen as a lighthearted piano riff gets things moving right from the beginning of this EP.
"Pass It Along" plays out like a Love Ire & Song b-side and might be the weakest track on this release. But really, picking the worst out of these five songs is like picking which of thesekitties is the leastcute. The song is pretty slow but as usual, Turner kills it lyrically. The end of the song, when the band kicks in, is a fantastic moment. Turner is perhaps at his best in his short outbursts, and "Rock and Roll Romance" proves this notion. Nothing is more punk than just writing something that gives listeners an absolute WTF moment, and the first lines of this song fit that bill perfectly. "You and I could have a rock and roll romance / We could fuck in our clothes / And we could sleep in our pants / And I could crash at yours and you could crash at mine / And we could stay in bed 99% of the given time." Well, that's Turner for you.
"To Absent Friends" is an adrenaline-filled number that plays out harder than any other song on the EP and will probably be a sight to behold live. "The Next Round" is, as the title gives away, a drinking song. It's slow but it's a good story presented in lyrical form, and it's probably excellent to listen to near the end of a long hard night of being with great company.
If I was as punk as Frank Turner is, my review would have consisted of one sentence: "This is fucking good music." But I'm not that punk, so I wrote 500 words about Rock & Roll instead of five. But that's okay. Nothing is more punk than doing what you want, and I wanted to write this review. Frank Turner definitely does whatever he wants, and he's a lot better at it than I am at pretty much everything. Here's to hoping that Turner never stops doing what he wants. Music is a better place with him.
Wow, agreed on all terms. I will also be picking this up asap. Love, Ire, and Song is amazing. Poetry disappointed a little, but solid still. I've seen Frank a few times live, most recently with full band opening for Social Distortion. He stole the show. He was engaging. You could tell barely anyone knew him at the beginning. By the end of his 8 song set, he had completely won over the crowd.
The idea of someone being sent from the punk rock universe into the folk universe to kill folk music but instead he ended up liking it a lot so now he plays that instead and he's really good at it.
I do think Frank Turner is the most talented person around, and a wicked cool guy to talk to.
Love, Ire, and Song is flawless, and I don't I've ever legitimately cried at a song before I heard "Long Live the Queen."
89% is solid, great EP.
I do think Frank Turner is the most talented person around, and a wicked cool guy to talk to.
Love, Ire, and Song is flawless, and I don't I've ever legitimately cried at a song before I heard "Long Live the Queen."
89% is solid, great EP.
And isn't like Bruce or even Bono an American mainstream rock star?
They aren't really of this generation. Springsteen stepped to the plate with Thunder Road to be the rock star of that generation...after Bob Dylan was fading out of the mainstream. Even with recent releases, Springsteen's stardom has turned gracefully into absolute legend. And as for Bono....well he might as well be a political presence instead of a rock star. U2 is past its better years and he is more of a political and social mover, which is sort of what the world needs him for. He has a lot of power.
Browse Reviews
Write a Review
Alphabetized Listing
Popular Reviews
Best New Music
View Artist Profile
View News Articles
Stream the Music
Buy the Album or MP3s
View Signature
Posts: 60
View Profile Picture
View Blog
Follow This Review
More Reviews By This Author