Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones

Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
Genre: Folk/Punk
Rating: 8/10

Frank Turner first shot his way into the limelight as lead singer of post-hardcore luminaries Million Dead in the early noughties. The band were met with critical acclaim recieving support from the likes of John Peel and other influential radio presenters who praised their uncompromising and intelligent brand of punk. In 2005 regretfully Million Dead called it a day after releasing their second LP Harmony No Harmony. Since then Frank has slowly been building momentum as a solo artist producing his own brand of acoustic folk punk. England Keep My Bones is Frank's fourth offering.

Whilst the idea of mixing Folk and Punk on paper paints a rather perplexing picture somehow Frank has made it work without sounding like a clone of Billy Bragg. Rather than getting bogged down in the lo-fi principles and ethics of punk Turner makes his points intelligently and astutely without shunning musical complexity. Vocally Turner proves to be a very passionate singer with a great sense of melody and harmony whilst at the same time he is still capable of passing as aggressive and dismissive when the needs arrive. England Keep My Bones does have a few sneaky tricks up its sleeve however as the band go into full blown rock mode on one or two of the tracks. The majority of material here sticks to the same themes of previous efforts, songs about partying, life on the road and british pride make the whole experience feel novel and uplifting. Highlights include the wonderfully realised closer "Glory Hallelujah" which looks at Atheism without the doom and gloom in a beautifully arranged choral style with traditional organ and a huge chorus so euphoric you can't help but smile. The more down beat tracks like "Nights Become Days" are adorned with subtle orchestral backing that makes the emotions even more poignant. From start to finish there is a wealth of emotion expressed throughout the album from the dizzy highs of "I Still Believe" to the dismissive stomp of "One Foot Before The Other".

Overall this album is one of Frank Turners finest and compliments an already strong back catalogue. With little to no flaws the album is a quintessentially british album filled with charm and heart. Highly recommended.

Download: "Glory Hallelujah" "Rivers"