Album Review: Frank Turner - 'Undefeated'
Frank Turner shows no signs of slowing down with his epic tenth album, ‘Undefeated’, which is sure to wow listeners.
The artist has relentlessly released incredible musical material by the album-load for quite some time now. ‘Undefeated’ becomes Turner’s tenth solo record to grace the ears of those who listen. It’s free-flowing and doesn’t conform to one sound. The album is filled to the brim with tracks which will be lapped up by the many who love him.
Kicking things off is the brilliantly titled ‘Do One’, which fans have come to know and love already, with it being one of a number of singles released in the run up to ‘Undefeated’. The track blows the metaphorical door right off its hinges and kicks off the tenth album in explosive fashion. A fast-paced track that’s full of glorious self-belief, as embodied by the lyrics: “I’m still standing up and there’s nothing you can do.” The track is hugely relatable for many, as it promotes confidence in ourselves to keep on pushing, even when others try to knock us down. ‘Do One’ is the ultimate introduction to Frank Turner’s latest project.
As mentioned previously, the record itself doesn’t conform a specific style, but instead is full of a number of different sounds which are all expertly executed. The first instance of this comes with the stark contrast between the opener and the second track. ‘Never Mind The Back Problems’ is fairly different in style to ‘Do One’, yet a similar message remains: Turner is here to keep making music. The track itself is extremely fast paced and is almost reminiscent of bands like the Pogues in its post-punk, folk-y sound. It’s excellent and shows the versatility of Turner.
Of the singles which were released ahead of the record, one has proved to be a real fan favourite. ‘Letters’ is the track in question, and it’s popular for good reason. As a musical piece, it’s stunning, with an epic bassline driving the number, topped with some expert guitar riffs throughout which really build the tension as Turner’s voice builds to climactic choruses. Lyrically, it’s extremely gripping. The singer-songwriter explained that: “’Letters’ is a song that I’ve been working on for a long time; in some ways I’ve been writing it since a genuine pen-friendship of mine dried up when I was a kid, when the mix-tapes stopped coming through the post. It’s a song about communication and its breakdown, about the nostalgia for teenage romance, and about how reassessing those things as an adult can be the start of a healing process.”
‘Letters’ is beautiful, and the lyrical inspiration is something that many will relate to. Turner pours his heart out on this one, and his incredible vocal range displays this as he goes from reserved verses to straight-up bursts of emotion in the choruses. His words recount the friendships of old which he speaks about. All in all, ‘Letters’ is simply breath-taking.
Turner has gone on record to say that: “there are no clichés about a difficult 10th album, so in some ways, that’s a liberating statement. But at the same time, I have a duty to justify writing and releasing a 10th album. That’s a lot of records for anybody.”
Any potential pressure on the writing and recording of ‘Undefeated’ is far from evident. The record oozes class and is brimming with tracks which feel to be effortlessly perfect.
One of those that seems to have been beautifully crafted is ‘East Finchley’. It begins with a grand, full-band display, before it becomes an almost-exclusively acoustic track that is soft, tender, and sure to have crowds singing along with torches alight at live shows. The track feels extremely reflective, with Turner delving into stories of the past. Yet again, we see the versatility of the expert musician, as he works his way through a track which is carefully paced and extremely emotive.
While Frank Turner is the name we all know and love, the band that work with the man himself need their plaudits. Ben Lloyd on guitar, Tarrant Anderson on bass, Callum Green on drums and Matt Nasir on piano come together to produce some stunning tracks across the board. ‘International Hide and Seek Champions’ is one of those where the band really do transcend the number. Their combining makes for a rich, rock n’ roll sound that is full and compliments the voice of Turner perfectly.
The fourteenth and final track on the record is the titular number. ‘Undefeated’ is a slow, piano-led song that is soft, reflective and the ultimate way to close out a record that has it all. Frank Turner’s voice graces listeners’ ears for one last time on the album, and it really does feel to be a triumphant track that looks back at the work of Turner. Its triumph is embodied by the words he sings: “independent, undefeated.” It’s stunning. The band erupt as the track closes out, with ‘Undefeated’ proving to be a real grand finale.
With that, Frank Turner’s tenth album comes to a close. It’s fair to say, his musical ability is incredible. Turner knows how to muster up brilliant music, and he’s done it yet again, with the aid of his phenomenal band.
Fans will be eager to catch Frank Turner and co at their upcoming live dates at some of the UK’s biggest festivals, including Cheltenham’s prestigious 2000 Trees Festival.
Words by Matthew Caslin
