Various Artists – ‘Silver Patron Saint – The Songs Of Jesse Malin’ (Sweet Relief)

Various Artists – ‘Silver Patron Saint – The Songs Of Jesse Malin’ (Sweet Relief)

Wow, simply wow. Talk about PMA when I first got wind that a Various Artist record was coming out to help Jesse with his medical bills I thought that was so cool and being something he’d be fully behind if it was one of his peers but hell, I wasn’t expecting a triple album with quite so many platinum artists rallying around and all adding their own twist on Jesse’s songs in such a majestic way.

Often a contributor to other people’s causes, Malin being the humble human he is must be blown away by all the musicians who have rallied around him, from Springsteen, Billie Joe Armstrong, Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello, The Hold Steady, Tommy Stinson, Alison Mosshart (with the late Wayne Kramer), Tom Morello, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr., The Wallflowers, Spoon, Susanna Hoffs, Frank Turner, Rancid and many more. The full album tracklisting is a proper trawl through his career from the glorious D Generation days right up to the very recent past.

Anyone whos seen Jesse live knows how funny and compelling his performances are be it so or with a band he is a commanding spirit who also knows how to introduce a song with a special story and a superstar clang here and there. Rolling Stone magazine editor David Fricke, said it best when he wrote that “Jesse Malin knows about scars, from his youth, observation and more. They all carry tales, and he’s not done telling them. ‘Silver Patron Saints’ is the gang back at the bar, coming to the stage to toast the composer and his story so far.”

I don’t want to overstate how good this is and to go through every song would be a war and peace review so I’ll focus on first impressions and the stand-out cuts. Sure Springsteen owning ‘She Don’t Know Me Now’ is a stunning Americana interpretation and showing how damn good a writer Jesse is both lyrically and musically. I also love ‘Oh Sheena’ covered by Counting Crows frontman Adam. Also, Green Day frontman Billie Joe really cranks it up on ‘Black Haired Girl’ and it sounds so good it could easily have been a stand-out track on ‘American Idiot’ or 21st Century albums.

Hearing a ragged ‘Brooklyn’ absolutely owned by Dinosaur Jr is stunning. Owning a song but retaining its beating heart is no easy task and changing it without going too far from its roots is a fine art but Mascis does it superbly. The supergroup that dusts the cobwebs off ‘Turn Up The Mains’ Wayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Steve Van Zant Mike Watt and Joey C join Alison Mosshart for a blistering rip through the song. Lucinda Williams has been a long-standing collaborator with Malin and here shes joined by Elvis Costello for ‘Room 13’. Frank Turner plucks out a tune before Spoons takes a stroll through ‘The Way We Used To Roll’.

As the first half of this release takes a breather with the beautiful Rocky O’Rourden interpretation of ‘Shane’ you take in the diversity and consistently strong songwriting Malin has dished up for decades. Sure he’s surrounded himself with some awesome musicians from the D Gen days right to the here and now but his lyrics are also noticeably excellent, I always hear a line and smile at just how good it was and there are plenty on offer here and some I’d probably forgotten but hearing these talented artists shine a new light is stunning.

Butch Fuckin Walker twists ‘Modern World’ and owns it before Susanna Hoffs freshens up ‘High Lonesome’ beautiful song. One of my favourite recent Malin songs is ‘Greener Pastures’ which is owned by Graham PArker who turns it into a simpler harmonica and acoustic folk song. Alejandro Escovedo takes ‘Meet Me At The End Of the World’ somewhere I wasn’t expecting. The Hold Steady followed by Tommy Stinson dish up their usual high-quality interpretations on ‘Death Star’ and ‘Riding On The Subway’ respectively and to hear Ian Hunter own ‘Dead On’ and take it on a late-night sleazy walk is fantastic. The fact is there isn’t one single letdown on the whole twenty-seven tracks on offer and that is nothing short of miraculous. There are so many more songs I’d have loved to hear versions of which leaves the question of when can we hear Volume Two and who will be on that? It has to happen, doesn’t it? Willie Nile rocks it up before Rancid digs deep into the archive for a thrilling ‘No Way Out’, Man D Gen were a band and a half and this version is a belter.

Before this record finishes the old guard of the Bowery turn it up and open up a circle pit with the mighty Agnostic Front knock-out ‘God Is Dead’ before the album is disintegrated by Murphy’s Law own ‘Frankie’ and a more diverse line up you won’t find anywhere do justice to the living legend that is Jesse Malin, I’m sure he will be humbled by this record (or three) and shows that good guys do get helped when they fall down and having so many icons of music rally round is a beautiful thing. Buy this record, and you will marvel at its content regardless of whether you are a Malin vet or new to his music Jesse Malins’s music is in safe hands and a full recovery is all we want and if buying a copy of this helps that reality then I’ve don’t my small bit now what about you? PMA

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Billy Liar – ‘Crisis Actor’ (Pirates Press Records)

Billy Liar – ‘Crisis Actor’ (Pirates Press Records)

If anyone deserved a break due to their hard work, high standards, and passion it was or should I say is Billy Liar. Signing to Pirates Press is proof that hard work can and will pay off – with a determination and unwavering belief in what he does is his just deserts. Billy has been gaining well-deserved praise from high places such as Tim Armstrong and we’ve always seen the talent and great songs he’s written and on ‘Crisis Actor’ he’s indeed taken it to the next level from the tub-thumping chest beating opener ‘Oblivion’ through the organ swirling rampant beast that is ‘Baltimore’ Billy has the sound that can and should break through big time Stateside. Its no accident Pirates Press recognised that talent and have released this new record.

Billy’s songs detail some outstanding storytelling, where every lyric has you hanging on his every breath its like turning the pages of a great book you simply can’t put down and you’re wondering where it’s heading next. The energy of ‘Negroni’ is superb (With added Frank Turner). The sound is arena-filling and also a breath of fresh air if you were in say the Black Heart in Camden watching him rip through these songs on his acoustic guitar it would still sound huge.

‘Phantom Limb’ is thunderous but then again the energy bursting through the speakers from the likes of ‘Osterich’ it’s no surprise to hear mr Frank Turner join Billy on this LP because I’m sure Turner will be looking over his shoulder at Liar as he steams up on the inside track. ‘Starlight On Main’ is more of the same but the highlight is ‘Cheyne Stoking’ with its chest-beating brilliance with a broken-hearted melody sung with vim and vigor Billy is stepping up here.

But hold on its not all thunder and attack there are also softer songs for tough guys like the jarring ‘Don’t Trust Anyone’ that wakes from its harsh abrasive into into a heaving monster. This is one of the finest half hours I’ve heard all year and the hoe down that is ‘Hogmanay’ if The Pogues had written never mind the bollocks and turned up the guitars instead of whistles. Simply a stunning record and one that should propel Billy Liar to being a household name in punk rock circles. Be it leading a raucous band or standing in the spotlight with just his acoustic guitar Billy Liar has hit paydirt with ‘Crisis Actor’ Man I thought ‘Some Legacy’ was good but this is on another level. Buy It!

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Author: Dom Daley

Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass – ‘Bad Times, Good Times’ Video

Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass – ‘Bad Times, Good Times’ Video

FEATURING STEPHEN EGERTON (DESCENDENTS/ALL) AND TODD BEENE (LUCERO, CHUCK RAGAN)

TAKEN FROM UPCOMING COLLABORATIVE ALBUM: BUDDIES II: STILL BUDDIES VIA XTRA MILE RECORDINGS ON FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2020

RECORDED, MIXED AND MASTERED ENTIRELY BY FRANK TURNER

THE FOLLOW-UP TO 2011’s ‘BUDDIES’ AVAILABLE ON VINYL/CD/DIGITAL
– PRE-ORDER HERE

Ten years ago, the two acclaimed musicians hung out, drank whisky and wrote & recorded an album together called Buddies – a lighthearted hang between friends that became a hit with fans of both artists. Fast forward a decade and the pair are still buddies, so they decided to write a follow-up.

As with the original, Buddies II: Still Buddies was written in just one day, although this time, however, Turner and Snodgrass had to do it over the Internet due to lockdown. With more time on their hands than usual, they were able to flesh out the album, musically, and recruit other buddies – Stephen Egerton (Descendents/ALL) on drums and Todd Beene (Lucero, Chuck Ragan, Glossary) on pedal steel – for added instrumentation. The result is a funny, warm and at times poignant album that’s part talk show, part music.

Touching upon themes such as Jon having children, their travels across the U.S., name-checking other songwriter “buddies” like they did on the original LP and more, the album is a charming and playful reflection on a friendship 10 years on. From the punk-turned-country of the album’s lead single, “Bad Times Good Vibes” to referencing George Carlin’s infamous “Saving The Planet” on “The Fleas,” Buddies II: Still Buddies also stands as the first album Turner has recorded, mixed and mastered entirely on his own.

“Lockdown has been such a blow to the music industry, and such a drag that we were all looking for things to do. Jon and I have been buddies a long time, and I noticed the 10-year anniversary of our collaborative album was coming up. Technology is such that we were able to reprise the writing method remotely, and indeed it turns out we’ve got a lot better at it in the intervening decade. I’m really, really proud of the record.” 

And Snodgrass adds: “BUDDIES II was somehow even more fun to make. It even sounds better too! Frank mixed it & we enlisted Todd Beene & Stephen Egerton. So yeah, 2 more buddies. It’s twice as good, imo. I can’t wait until 2030! It’s gonna be three times better & we’re gonna do it at sea!!”

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Frank Turner

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Jon Snodgrass

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A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer

A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer

Gates of the West & Dark Horse Records present ‘A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer’ on Friday, August 21 at 8pm BST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT.

Taking place on Joe’s birthday, the event will honor Joe’s legacy and feature performances and testimonials by many of the former Clash front man’s friends and notable names in the music & arts community, as well as never-before-seen Joe Strummer live footage.

“To see so many musicians and artists come forward to honor Joe is really touching,” says Joe’s wife Lucinda Tait. “Community was always important to him. Whether it was playing music with friends, organizing all night campfires, or hijacking festivals, Joe was always focused on bringing people together. Even though we can’t all be in the same room together, I cannot think of a better way for us all to feel united. Joe would have loved this.”

Joe Strummer (never before seen live footage), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Beto O’Rourke, Bob Gruen,Bob Weir, Brian Fallon, Bruce Springsteen, Butch Walker, Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues), C.C. Adcock, Cherry Glazerr, Craig Finn & Tad Kubler (The Hold Steady), Dave Hause, Dhani Harrison, DJ Scratchy, Dropkick Murphys,
Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello), Frank Turner, HR (Bad Brains), Hinds, The Interrupters, Jesse Dayton, Jesse Malin,
Jim Jarmusch, Joe Ely, Josh Cheuse, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Lucinda Williams, Lyza Jane, Matt Dillon, Nikolai Fraiture (The Strokes),  Ray Gange (Rude Boy), Richard Dudanski (101ers), Sara Driver, Shepard Fairey, Spider Stacy (The Pogues), Steve Buscemi, Tom Morello , + very special guests

This free event will benefit Save Our Stages, which is being spearheaded by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to preserve and protect the USA’s independent live music venues and promoters.

Save Our Stages
The mission of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues and promoters throughout the United States. NIVA is making a final push to Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act and the Restart Act in order to keep independent venues nationwide from closing permanently. Take action here.
Gates of the West 
Jesse Malin & Jeff Raspe created Love It To Life and the Gates Of The West shows to bring together some of the best musicians and celebrate the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash. Every show is a benefit for The Joe Strummer Foundation, Music & Memory and other charities. The six sold-out shows to date, have featured many special guests performing songs written and performed by Strummer and The Clash.

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NOFX & Frank Turner – ‘West Coast v’s Wessex’ (Fat Wreck Chords)

NOFX & Frank Turner – ‘West Coast v’s Wessex’ (Fat Wreck Chords)

the project brings together for the first time ever the long-running Los Angeles punks and the London-based singer and ex-Million Dead frontman, for many years now both friends and fans of each other’s music. With supporting live shows also shortly to be announced, the 10 strong track-listing of ‘West Coast vs Wessex’ captures NOFX tackling five selections from Turner’s sizeable solo back catalogue, with Frank reciprocating with recordings of five of his personal favourites picked from NOFX’s 37-years-and-counting career.

Both artists have sizable followings it would be hard to predict who’d still be standing if they were to slug it out.  To be fair maybe Fat Mike wouldn’t get past the drug test but he’d probably hide a horseshoe in his glove anyway but the walk-in music is sorted as they could both play one of these tracks.  Now to be fair I have to say I’ve seen Frank live a few times and although I enjoyed what I heard and I also have some of his records I’ve never been drawn in and become a fully-fledged fanboy but I do love ‘Thatcher Fucked The Kids’ and although NOFX do a sterling job its way below the original even if they’ve taken it somewhere dark and pulled its pants down and spanked it with a ska trombone and I’m good with that. And The same has to be said of NOFX I’ve seen them a few times and own the records but no fanboy and would it rude to say the best or rather my favourite release was the split they did with Rancid!  (Flame me now NOFX fanboys) Not ‘Punked in Drublic’ and I do like Fat Mikes alter ego Cokie The Clown a lot.  Anyway, I digress.

First half lets introduce tracks one to five and in the USA corner its NOFX and five Frank Turner tracks that manage to have their melons twisted (quite considerably at times) yet they still maintain the vital “Frank” ingredient which isn’t easy and they treat the songs rather well before devouring them NOFX style. ‘Substitute’ is skanked and the harmonies are great and when it breaks out it sounds fantastic. Angry love songs always work.

‘Worse Things Happen At Sea’ is no longer the picked melancholy its a slobbering beast that builds really well and Fat Mike and co have really worked on these and I’m impressed, no I’m really impressed. MAn these guys should do a collaboration and be done with it they are in tune – seriously. ‘Thatcher’ gets the ska skank treatment and to be fair it really works I’d never have called it as the keys dance and that horn bows almost as much as Thatcher did.  Let’s not forget either kids, these lyrics are so spot on and what’s more depressing when it was written Frank never could have predicted Cameron and his austerity and then May before Boris well and truly fucked everyone not just the kids. Respect.

‘The Ballad Of Me & My Friends’ isn’t a folky sing-along its a blast through NOFX style.  They get Turner in for a rip through ‘Glory Hallelujah’ like they’re Queen writing a musical for the west end  big bold and quite beautiful.  You have to take your hat off to Fat Mike hes reconstructed five of turners songs and given them a NOFX makeover and most enjoyable they are too.

In The ‘Wessex’ Corner is the very English Frank Turner and his band the Sleeping Souls and to be fair they’ve also entered into the spirit of things and taken five NOFX tunes and given them a “this side of the pond” English make over.

It is indeed the ying to Fat Mikes yang as ‘Scavenger Type’ get the punked-up acoustic style treatment as the ‘Punked In Drublic’ gets a good shoeing.  I guess ‘Bob’ was a free hit for Turner but he takes ownership and if I was to pick a knockout blow on this release then this might well be it.  Sublime, to be fair a great song handled with much love and respect.

‘Eat The Meek’ is taken somewhere totally different and reinvented and to be fair I didn’t see that coming either. That’s the pattern though and like ‘Perfect Government’ is another uppercut from Turner who winning this on points. Finally bowing out with his rendition of ‘Falling In Love’ this caps off a pretty impressive split.  Exactly how it should be done and much respect to Frank Turner and NOFX who manage to knock each other out at the same time Rocky style.  Give it a try then go check out the originals and then give them both a round of applause for their bravery, talent and execution.

 

Let’s hope for a rematch somewhere down the line or how about a full-on collaboration ‘West Coast vs Wessex’ has been an emotional box office success. Get on this pay per view kids its a big hitter for sure.

 

Buy ‘West Coast vs Wessex’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Here’s a couple of proper rainy days songs taken from a new split we’re reviewing this week on RPM its Frank turner & NOFX.

NOFX and Frank Turner will release a split covers album, ‘West Coast Vs. Wessex’ on July 31, 2020. Due for release via Fat Mike’s own Fat Wreck Chords label, the project brings together for the first time ever the long-running Los Angeles punks and the London-based singer and ex-Million Dead frontman, for many years now both friends and fans of each other’s music. With supporting live shows also shortly to be announced, the 10 strong track-listing of ‘West Coast vs Wessex’ captures NOFX tackling five selections from Turner’s sizeable solo back catalogue, with Frank reciprocating with recordings of five of his personal favourites picked from NOFX’s 37-years-and-counting career.

Just how often does the leader of one of your favourite bands ask you to do a split album? One where his band covers your songs? It’s the situation Frank Turner found himself in last year, when Fat Mike of NOFX asked if he wanted to do a split covers album. “And I shit the bed and said, ‘Fucking of course I do! That sounds incredible,” Turner recalls.
‘West Coast Vs. Wessex’ does sound incredible: NOFX filtering five of Turner’s songs through their singular sensibility, with Turner doing the same on five NOFX songs. But these aren’t simply double-time versions of Turner’s folk-punk tunes or slow, acoustic re-workings of NOFX’s iconic SoCal punk anthems. Both NOFX and Turner took time to play with the possibilities each other’s music presented.

“I listened to all his records, and I picked the ones that I thought I could make more interesting,” notes Fat Mike. “What I did is change a lot of chords. Frank, he beats me in the singing department. So I can’t sing better than he can, but I can maybe throw in a melody here or there or chord that he hadn’t thought of.”

Turner took a similar approach. “I didn’t want to just do straight covers of anything. I wanted to try and pick songs where I felt like me and my band could bring something different to the table,” he says. “But it did strike me that it would be cool to demonstrate to the casual NOFX fan, who doesn’t know who I am, that I am actually a fan. I didn’t just go to Spotify and pick the five most-listened-to songs.” For the record, only one of his choices appears on Spotify’s top five for NOFX: ‘Bob’, which Turner here transforms into a wistful country song. He pulled from deeper album tracks for his other covers: a punk-ed up ‘Scavenger Type’, a barroom singalong ‘Perfect Government’, the post-hardcore ‘Eat the Meek’, and a spare, haunting ‘Falling in Love’.

“Everything he picked was from the ’90s, so I took that as it’s okay to mostly do his early stuff too,” says Fat Mike, who channeled ‘90s NOFX for their interpretations. “People who hear it, they all say it sounds like old NOFX.” The band’s climactic take on ‘Substitute’ could’ve fit on ‘Punk in Drublic’, whilst ‘Worse Things Happen at Sea’ simmers with an ominous portent. The jaunty ‘Thatcher Fucked the Kids’ sounds like a companion to NOFX’s ‘Philthy Phil Philanthropist’. ‘The Ballad of Me and My Friends’ – lilting and bittersweet in Turner’s original – goes balls-out here. “Glory Hallelujah” sounds like a lost track from Fat Mike’s Broadway musical, ‘Home Street Home’.

Turner and his band, The Sleeping Souls, recorded their songs between their rehearsal space and during tour commitments, with Frank tracking his vocals from his bunk on the bus. NOFX recorded at Fat Mike’s Six Floggs studio, with production by the D-Composers (Fat Mike, Johnny Carey, BAZ Bastien, Yotam Ben Horin).

“It’s difficult to describe quite how it feels to hear back a song that you wrote played by NOFX, one of your favourite bands, in a style that is unmistakably theirs,” Turner says. “It tends to make me just laugh in a really elated kind of way. It’s just like, ‘Holy shit, this is ‘Substitute’ done by NOFX! This is fucking insane!’” Fat Mike was similarly psyched. “When Frank picked ‘Falling in Love,’ I was so fucking stoked,” Mike says. “Then I heard it, and I go, ‘Holy shit, he just kicked our ass.’ I was pleased with all of them. I thought he did a really good job – and not such a good job that we couldn’t beat him on a few songs.”

But there are no losers on West Coast Vs. Wessex. The Frank Turner-Fat Mike Mutual Admiration Society has produced 10 hooky re-imaginings of each others’ music. The novelty may pique listeners’ curiosity, but the songs will keep them coming back.

“I have always thought and always maintained, well before we were friends, that Mike is a great, classic songwriter,” Turner says. “And that’s what sets NOFX apart from many of their peers.”

What about him?

“Just for me to be able to stand up in front of the mirror and look at myself and say, ‘You’re doing a fucking split with NOFX’—that is an absolute dream come true for me,” he says, laughing. “I mean, I don’t quite know where my career goes from here.”

Punk in Drublic Festival 2021 European Tour Dates Feat. NOFX and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls

13 May FRANCE Chemillé, Théâtre Foirail à Chemille
15 May BELGIUM Boom, De Schorre Open Air
16 May GERMANY Berlin, Zitadelle
21 May AUSTRIA Wiesen, Wiesen Open Air
23 May ITALY Milan, Carroponte
4 June GERMANY Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle
5 June GERMANY Hannover, Faust Open Air
10 June FINLAND Turku, Vanha Surrtori 5
12 June NORWAY Oslo, Oslo Spektrum
13 June SWEDEN Malmö, Folkets Park

Frank Turner Website /   https://twitter.com/FrankTurner / http://instagram.com/frankturner / 

http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/ // https://twitter.com/fat_wreck // https://www.instagram.com/fatmikedude/

Frank Turner – ‘No Man’s Land’ (Xtra Mile Recordings)

Frank Turner – ‘No Man’s Land’ (Xtra Mile Recordings)

Everyone’s favourite Etonian punk poet Frank Turner is back in familiar territory on album number 8, musically anyway. Turner has stated that he does not want to repeat himself with each album and ‘No Man’s Land’ sees the troubadour approach writing an album from a different angle. ‘No Man’s Land’ is a concept album based on the tales of forgotten women in history. From a 17th century Camden landlady who poisoned and cooked her lovers, to a Dutch courtesan, executed by firing squad, onto the tale of an Egyptian feminist, history buff Turner has done his homework .

A series of podcasts entitled ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’ accompany each song, and the themes of strong women stretch further than just the lyrical content. Gone (for now) is his band The Sleeping Souls, replaced by a full female backing band and producer to boot.

 

Frank’s canny lyricism and his knack of telling a fine tale does have a tendency to draw you in, and you can’t help but immerse yourself in the lives of these women. Some you will have heard of, some you won’t have a clue about, but after a few listens you will find yourself reaching for Wikipedia to find out a bit more. While over the course of a 3 and a half minute song the songwriter can only say so much, the point is made, and it’s up to the listener to find out more. Sometimes it works a treat and other times… not so much.

Opener ‘Jinny Bingham’s Ghost’ is a mighty fine, upbeat drinking song. Fiddles and skiffle beats fill the air like The Urban Voodoo Machine partying with The Pogues, as Frank reels off the first of many tall tales. Interestingly, the story is set in Camden Town, at The Underworld, on the spot where Jinny Bingham ran the tavern where she committed her dirty deeds.

The following ‘Sister Rosetta’ is typical Turner radio fodder. A pop-laced, perfect single about the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll, who I first learned about through the teachings of Alabama 3. A nifty accompanying guitar riff and a crisp production job courtesy of Catherine Marks makes this song sparkle and shine.

The jazzy ‘Nica’ is a complete contrast from anything else and works really well. Full of brass, woodwind and smoky juke joint vibes, it mirrors the subject matter perfectly. Elsewhere, the album falters in just a few places. ‘Silent Key’, about tragic Challenger Space Shuttle astronaut Christa McAuliffe, is a song that first featured on the album ‘Positive Songs For Negative People’. It’s a bit of a (space) oddity to be honest. Frank just seems to be going through the motions here with a lazy vocal melody that doesn’t really go anywhere. And closing track ‘Rosemary Jane’, a song about his mum, while heartfelt and personal to Frank, is just plain dull.

But there certainly are flashes of brilliance to behold. The stripped back country of ‘Eye Of The Day’ closes side one ‘Nebraska’ style, just the man and his acoustic laid bare, recounting the tragic tale of Mata Hari and her untimely death. Simple, heartfelt and probably my favourite track right now.

Soaring choruses in the likes of ‘I Believed You, William Blake’, written through the eyes of his long suffering wife Catherine, and the epic feel of side 2 opener ‘The Death Of Dora Hand’ stay with me long after my white vinyl album has stopped spinning and I turn my attention to find more about these remarkable women.

 

‘No Man’s Land’ is a perfectly executed album, to be listened to from start to finish as a body of work. The podcasts are interesting, though not essential to enjoy the album to its fullest. Some have labelled the concept of this album as ‘gimmicky’ before even hearing the fruits of his labour, but I say this album is far from it. Is it Frank’s best album? No, but it’s up there with his best and has already had the most plays since ‘England Keep My Bones’ was released for me, so he must be doing something right. A lot of thought has gone into the production, the concept and the lavish packaging and it makes ‘No Man’s Land’ a welcome addition to anyone’s collection. Fascinating stuff indeed.

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Buy No Mans Land Here

Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

FRANK TURNER RELEASES NEW TRACK AND LATEST PODCAST EPISODE

FRANK TURNER RELEASES NEW TRACK AND LATEST PODCAST EPISODE

FRANK TURNER
RELEASES NEW TRACK AND LATEST PODCAST EPISODE
STREAM ‘EYE OF THE DAY’: Here 

LISTEN TO THE NEW EPISODE OF ‘TALES FROM NO MAN’S LAND’:
9 DATE UK HEADLINE TOUR
INCL. LONDON ALEXANDRA PALACE THEATRE:
NOVEMBER 30 AND DECEMBER 3, 2019 – BOTH SOLD OUT
NEW ALBUM ‘NO MAN’S LAND’- AUGUST 16TH 2019
Preorder album here:

FRANK TURNER today releases ‘Eye Of The Day’, the latest new track to emerge from his forthcoming eighth album, ‘NO MAN’S LAND’ (out August 16th on Xtra Mile Recordings/Polydor Records), produced by Catherine Marks and featuring an all-female cast of musicians. Frank has recently revealed details for a 9 date UK headline tour showcasing material from the new project – including two sold-out dates at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre on November 30 and December 3, 2019. The tour will see Turner put a new twist on his formidable live set up, featuring a solo set followed by an unplugged band performance in seated venues. Stream ‘Eye Of The Day’ here: https://FrankTurner.lnk.to/MataHariPR.

Arriving alongside the fourth episode in Frank’s popular companion podcast series, ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’, ‘Eye Of The Day’ pays tribute to the life of Mata Hari in one of the album’s most starkly affecting tracks. Originally born Margaretha Zelle in late 1800s Netherlands, Mata Hari became celebrated as a dancer in turn-of-the-century Paris, taking her stage name from an Indonesian term meaning ‘Eye Of The Day’. Following the outbreak of World War One, however, Mata Hari was arrested by the French authorities on suspicion of involvement in espionage, and following a perfunctory trial was identified as ‘Agent H21’ and executed.

‘No Man’s Land’ is dedicated to the vital stories of women from history whose lives have all too often been overlooked by dint of their gender. Hailing from across wide geographical and historical lines, they also include Byzantine princess Kassiani (The Hymn of Kassiani), Egyptian feminist activist Huda Sha’arawi (The Lioness), and Resusci Anne (Rescue Annie) an apocryphal drowned virgin whose face was used as the model for the medical CPR mannequin across the world. There’s the serial killer from the Deep South who plucked her victims from lonely hearts pages (Nannie Doss), the jazz-obsessed heiress who fought for the Free French (Nica Rothschild) and a rowdy coach house landlady from 17th century Camden Town accused of witchcraft (Jinny Bingham).

“It’s bringing together my two main interests in life, which have always been separate from each other – history and songwriting,” explains Turner, who can be found seeking out long-forgotten historical sites on self-guided psychogeographical strolls when he’s not packing out arenas or headlining festivals.

The ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’ podcast is available from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast and all other podcast platforms.
NO MAN’S LAND features thirteen tracks:

  • Jinny Bingham’s Ghost
  • Sister Rosetta
  • I Believed You, William Blake
  • Nica
  • A Perfect Wife
  • Silent Key
  • Eye of the Day
  • The Death of Dora Hand
  • The Graveyard of the Outcast Dead
  • The Lioness
  • The Hymn of Kassiani
  • Rescue Annie
  • Rosemary Jane

FRANK TURNER – ANNOUNCES 9 DATE UK HEADLINE TOUR

FRANK TURNER – ANNOUNCES 9 DATE UK HEADLINE TOUR

 

 

Tickets and pre-sales Here

NEW ALBUM ‘NO MAN’S LAND’- OUT AUGUST 16TH 2019
Details for a 9 date UK headline tour – including two dates at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre on November 30 and December 3, 2019 – in support of his forthcoming eighth album, ‘NO MAN’S LAND’ (out August 16th on Xtra Mile Recordings/Polydor Records). Produced by Catherine Marks and featuring an all-female cast of musicians, ‘No Man’s Land’ is dedicated to the fascinating stories of women whose incredible lives have all too often been overlooked by dint of their gender. The album is accompanied by a new 13 part podcast series, ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’ (created in collaboration with Somethin’ Else), which hit #2 on the Apple UK podcast chart upon launch. Tickets for the UK headline tour will go on sale on July 19, with a special fan pre-sale via Frank’s store – https://store.frank-turner.com/.

The tour dates will see Turner put a new twist on his formidable live set up, featuring a solo set followed by an unplugged band performance in seated venues. Speaking about the format, Frank says; “For this tour, I thought it would be good to give the new album some proper attention, so the first set of mine of the night will be a solo run through some of those songs and stories; once the Souls are up with me, we’re playing around with a slightly more stripped back, thoughtful folk approach to some of the older material, which feels different and powerful. Looking forward to sharing a slightly different show with everyone for this run.”

The women featured on ‘No Man’s Land’ come from across wide geographical and historical lines. They include Byzantine princess Kassiani (The Hymn of Kassiani), Egyptian feminist activist Huda Sha’arawi (The Lioness), and Resusci Anne (Rescue Annie) an apocryphal drowned virgin whose face was used as the model for the medical CPR mannequin across the world. There’s the serial killer from the Deep South who plucked her victims from lonely hearts pages (Nannie Doss), the jazz-obsessed heiress who fought for the Free French (Nica Rothschild) and a rowdy coach house landlady from 17th century Camden Town accused of witchcraft (Jinny Bingham).

“It’s bringing together my two main interests in life, which have always been separate from each other – history and songwriting,” explains Turner, who can be found seeking out long-forgotten historical sites on self-guided psychogeographical strolls when he’s not packing out arenas or headlining festivals.