Frank Turner ‘England Keep My Bones’ (Album Review)
Monday, 06 June 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Having already carved himself a reputation as England’s favourite folk hero and a spokesman for twenty-somethings everywhere with tracks like ‘Photosynthesis’, Winchester solo artist Frank Turner returns this month with his fourth album ‘England Keep My Bones’, which follows 2009’s ‘Poetry of the Deed’. Not that he’s really been away in that time, however. Frank fans will be able to testify that, since the release of his last album, the non-stop travelling showman has been anything but dormant – touring relentlessly and hitting the festival circuit with unwavering persistence.
After ‘Poetry of the Deed’, which saw Frank beefing up his sound with more of a full-band rock feel, compared with his solo acoustic work on earlier albums ‘Sleep is for the Week’ and ‘Love Ire & Song’, his latest offering seems to blend the two techniques by mixing tougher rock efforts with easygoing folk music. The latter can be heard most clearly on a track entitled ‘English Curse’, on which Frank employs an a cappella style for a dark, atmospheric song that tells the tale of an English legend.
An English album is definitely the theme that Frank appears to be going for this time around, judging by the title and the lyrical content of several of these tracks. ‘England Keep My Bones’ begins with the sounds of brass instruments giving the album a warm, nostalgic air on opener ‘Eulogy’. This is quickly followed up by recent singles ‘Peggy Sang the Blues’ and ‘I Still Believe’, both of which convey bouncy pop-rock rhythms that are somewhat reminiscent of artists like Van Morrison and Counting Crows.
Elsewhere, Frank shifts between a traditional folk sound (‘Rivers’), moving soft rock (‘I Am Disappeared’ and ‘Redemption’) and his earlier hard rock/punk influences (‘One Foot Before the Other’). The album culminates in an impressive attempt at his own atheist gospel rock hymn on ‘Glory Hallelujah’, complete with a rousing chorus and full choir backing.
As Frank’s name moves further up the festival bills each year, it is increasingly clear that his popularity is growing at an astonishing rate and ‘England Keep My Bones’ is sure to be his biggest release to date. The best news, however, is that his rising star does not appear to be making a dent on his music as he continues to refuse to give his audience anything less than his utter best. The new album provides a treat to old and new fans alike – wonderfully diverse music that is easily transferrable to people with a range of varying interests, including rock, folk, country and punk. A new album, yes, but certainly not the last we’ll be hearing from Frank Turner for a while. Expect many of these tracks to be providing the anthems at this summer’s festivals.
Stereoboard Rating: 9/10
Frank Turner UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu July 7th 2011 - Playhouse, Whitley Bay, Whitley Bay
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
After ‘Poetry of the Deed’, which saw Frank beefing up his sound with more of a full-band rock feel, compared with his solo acoustic work on earlier albums ‘Sleep is for the Week’ and ‘Love Ire & Song’, his latest offering seems to blend the two techniques by mixing tougher rock efforts with easygoing folk music. The latter can be heard most clearly on a track entitled ‘English Curse’, on which Frank employs an a cappella style for a dark, atmospheric song that tells the tale of an English legend. 
