Frank Turner - Last Minutes, Lost Evenings (18/12/2012)
Frank Turner's latest album, Last Minutes and Lost Evenings is a great album to introduce yourself to Turner’s unique song writing style.
The opening track I Knew Pufrock Before He Got Famous gives you a taste of what to come in the rest of the album. The song talks about what “the almost”, the “C-grade”, his friends, his life and how he is proud of it. It starts slow, but the music builds up with volume, pace and more instruments. It finishes with the note “the only thing that’s left to do, is get a round in at the bar” - there is something so quintessential British about that line.
Most of the songs include the similar themes of drinking beer and being out with his mates. Turner’s lyrics are simple, poetic almost and very easy to sing along to. It is easy to see how he gained such a rise in popularity in England.
The Road, has a massive country feel to it with electric guitars and deep bass paired with Frank’s voice and backing vocals. It is really easy to listen through this album from start to finish, all the songs have individuality to them. There is also a good mixture of “happy” and “sad” songs. Turner’s sound is very individual, but the music and backing is very reminiscent of Weddings Parties Anything.
Long Live The Queen takes us through a part of Franks life when his friend is in hospital again and he thinks she won’t have long to live. The chorus includes the words “ she said ,you’ll live to dance another day, just now you will have to dance for the two of us”. But if you listen to the whole song closely, it’s more of a celebration of life than just a sad song. This is one of the highlights of the album.
The songs seem to be snippets into his life, short little “Frank Turner” stories. Because of this, the listener can really relate to Frank. He doesn’t seem to have that ‘Holier than thou’ attitude that many bands and singers have, he is just a normal ‘bloke’ that you would meet at the pub.
The album ends with a live song The Ballad of Me and My Friends and is another song about people being fixated on being famous. Frank sings “but if you’re all about the destination, then take a fucking flight, we’re going nowhere slowly but we’re seeing all the sights”.
This is a really great album. The songs are relatable, simple and catchy. However, the Britishness is such a prominent theme in his music that this could be a deterrent for listeners outside the U.K which could explain why he hasn’t seem the same success internationally. In spite of this, the album is really solid and enjoyable.
Ryan Hyde
The opening track I Knew Pufrock Before He Got Famous gives you a taste of what to come in the rest of the album. The song talks about what “the almost”, the “C-grade”, his friends, his life and how he is proud of it. It starts slow, but the music builds up with volume, pace and more instruments. It finishes with the note “the only thing that’s left to do, is get a round in at the bar” - there is something so quintessential British about that line.
Most of the songs include the similar themes of drinking beer and being out with his mates. Turner’s lyrics are simple, poetic almost and very easy to sing along to. It is easy to see how he gained such a rise in popularity in England.
The Road, has a massive country feel to it with electric guitars and deep bass paired with Frank’s voice and backing vocals. It is really easy to listen through this album from start to finish, all the songs have individuality to them. There is also a good mixture of “happy” and “sad” songs. Turner’s sound is very individual, but the music and backing is very reminiscent of Weddings Parties Anything.
Long Live The Queen takes us through a part of Franks life when his friend is in hospital again and he thinks she won’t have long to live. The chorus includes the words “ she said ,you’ll live to dance another day, just now you will have to dance for the two of us”. But if you listen to the whole song closely, it’s more of a celebration of life than just a sad song. This is one of the highlights of the album.
The songs seem to be snippets into his life, short little “Frank Turner” stories. Because of this, the listener can really relate to Frank. He doesn’t seem to have that ‘Holier than thou’ attitude that many bands and singers have, he is just a normal ‘bloke’ that you would meet at the pub.
The album ends with a live song The Ballad of Me and My Friends and is another song about people being fixated on being famous. Frank sings “but if you’re all about the destination, then take a fucking flight, we’re going nowhere slowly but we’re seeing all the sights”.
This is a really great album. The songs are relatable, simple and catchy. However, the Britishness is such a prominent theme in his music that this could be a deterrent for listeners outside the U.K which could explain why he hasn’t seem the same success internationally. In spite of this, the album is really solid and enjoyable.
Ryan Hyde