Entertainment Monday: Frank Turner (Monday, November 30, 2015)

Entertainment Monday: Frank Turner

Frank Turner is an Indy Music artist who hails from England.  I think he's a great song writer and what I enjoy most about his songs are the stories they tell.  There is a lyrical simplicity and honesty to several of his songs that other writers are not able to convey in quite the same way because they veil meaning or use a lot more metaphor.  I do not think that his voice is the best, but it's weird how sometimes a voice that does not wow you can work so well in certain songs.  The thing about Turner's music is that a lot of it talks about things that are not perfect or not as good as they once may have seemed, and the fact that his voice isn't perfect is something that really works well in those cases.

Not all his subject matter is depressing or sad, and the songs that may have a brighter message are so good at telling a story that what he may lack for vocally does not take away from the song at all.

My niece actually got to see Frank Turner perform live (even though I'm not sure she knows it) when he was the per-performance for a concert headlined by Modest Mouse 2 summer's ago.  I keep forgetting to ask her what she thought of him, but I'll have to make a point of doing so this Christmas time, assuming the household happenings are not so hectic that I simply forget to do so.

Tell Tale Signs is a song of heartbreak in a relationship that does not work out

Tell Tale Signs

The first tune I ever heard from Frank Turner was Recovery.   A much more cheerful sounding tune then Tell Tale Signs.

Recovery by Frank Turner

I absolutely love the Killers and here is a cover of possibly my favorite Killer's song, Mr. Brightside by Frank Turner.  I think this song is a great example of what I talk about with regards to what Turner lacks vocally, but every thing he writes and everything he sings is sung with such emotion.  There are not too many more emotional songs then Mr. Brightside.  Turner mentions how he screwed up the words, but he carries on just fine with the song.  His mistake is made after the lyrics, "I just can't look it's killing me, their taking control jealousy....". As an old friend of mine might have said, Mr. Brightside is definitely a  Diana Ross (diva) song, as it relates to the emotional mess that the singer is.  I absolutely love it though.

Mr. Brightside Cover by Frank Turner

Another awesome tune from Frank Turner, the second one I ever heard from him was I Still Believe.  Kind of an anthem to Rock and Roll, a popular subject matter for a lot of singers/groups especially Weezer for example who put out these kinds of songs (subject matter wise) every few albums, haha.

I Still Believe by Frank Turner

My favorite Frank Turner song by a long shot it The Way I Tend To Be.  It's a reflection on a relationship screw up. It's very appropriately off his album titled Positive Songs for Negative People.   

The Way I Tend To Be

Hopefully a few of our readers will enjoy Frank Turner's music.  He's a talented story teller, no doubt.  If he comes to the Capital Region again some time I hope to catch a performance.