Frank Turner: Rock & Roll
Frank Turner is a busy man at the moment. Finishing his latest tour, which took him all over the world, he had a week off to enjoy the success of new EP Rock & Roll. He’s already in the studio this week to record his new album, but Rock & Roll is a nice release to keep fans keen until the new album and tour fill our Turner fix.
It opens with ‘I Still Believe‘, acting as a bit of a preview for the upcoming album, as it’ll be appearing on both. Here, it opens Rock & Roll in a infectious, upbeat way that should be enough to convert anyone into a fan of his own brand of folk-punk.
It’s a love letter to rock and roll, and it’s done perfectly. It’s got some name-dropping, from Jerry Lee Lewis and The Undertones to Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, but it’s never forced. This is a catchy track that reminds us why we love rock and roll.
Frank has insisted live that he’s not a particularly good guitarist, but the opening of ‘Pass It Along’ shows that he’s just being modest. It’s a nice change of pace after the opener, and will make a fantastic live favourite once people have had a chance to learn the words.
‘Rock and Roll Romance’ is, like ‘Pass It Along’, an older song finally given the studio treatment, but thankfully it has remained stripped-down. Just Frank and his guitar, is a blunt song about being in love with his best friend, who’s “just not paying attention”, instead “sitting in your kitchen and bitching about rejection”. Simple, picked guitar backs Frank’s unmistakable vocals to make a song that is a reminder of his early career, before the band came in.
Initially, ‘To Absent Friend’ seems a bit of a departure, a bit more pop than punk. It’s certainly more akin to ‘Live Fast, Die Old’ from 2009’s Poetry of the Deed than, say, the title track from Love, Ire and Song. That’s not to say it’s a huge change in style, as this is still inherently Frank’s updated brand of folk. It’s just it’s one of the catchiest songs he’s written, and whilst it’s surprised, it’s worthy of high praise.
In contrast, Rock & Roll ends with a classic Turner ballad, although ballad almost does is a disservice. It’s not really a ballad, only in so much that it’s slow, honest and builds to a fantastic climax. ‘The Next Round’ is a brutally honest assessment of an alcoholic, and you can’t help but sense it’s just a bit autobiographical.
It’s certainly relatable, listing the reasons we all drink, almost an apology, before building to the next stage of the cycle. Frank repeats “the next round’s on me” as the band comes in. It’s a dark, almost depressing, song but this EP was in serious need of it.
It resulted in Rock & Roll being an accessible, relatable, but incredibly moving EP. Wearing his influences on his sleeve, Frank has shown that the years on the road haven’t slowed him down or worn him out. He’s still making phenomenal songs, and I for one couldn’t be more excited for the new album.
By Alistair McGeorge
Tagged in Frank Turner