{"id":7766,"date":"2019-08-26T05:00:35","date_gmt":"2019-08-26T05:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=7766"},"modified":"2019-08-23T21:33:49","modified_gmt":"2019-08-23T21:33:49","slug":"frank-turner-no-mans-land-xtra-mile-recordings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=7766","title":{"rendered":"Frank Turner \u2013 \u2018No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 (Xtra Mile Recordings)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Everyone\u2019s 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 \u2018No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 sees the troubadour approach writing an album from a different angle. \u2018No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 is a concept album based on the tales of forgotten women in history. From a 17th<\/sup> 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 .<\/p>\n

A series of podcasts entitled \u2018Tales From No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

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Frank\u2019s canny lyricism and his knack of telling a fine tale does have a tendency to draw you in, and you can\u2019t help but immerse yourself in the lives of these women. Some you will have heard of, some you won\u2019t 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\u2019s up to the listener to find out more. Sometimes it works a treat and other times… not so much.<\/p>\n

Opener \u2018Jinny Bingham\u2019s Ghost\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

The following \u2018Sister Rosetta\u2019 is typical Turner radio fodder. A pop-laced, perfect single about the godmother of rock \u2018n\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

The jazzy \u2018Nica\u2019 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. \u2018Silent Key\u2019, about tragic Challenger Space Shuttle astronaut Christa McAuliffe, is a song that first featured on the album \u2018Positive Songs For Negative People\u2019. It\u2019s 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\u2019t really go anywhere. And closing track \u2018Rosemary Jane\u2019, a song about his mum, while heartfelt and personal to Frank, is just plain dull.<\/p>\n

But there certainly are flashes of brilliance to behold. The stripped back country of \u2018Eye Of The Day\u2019 closes side one \u2018Nebraska\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Soaring choruses in the likes of \u2018I Believed You, William Blake\u2019, written through the eyes of his long suffering wife Catherine, and the epic feel of side 2 opener \u2018The Death Of Dora Hand\u2019 stay with me long after my white vinyl album has stopped spinning and I turn my attention to find more about these remarkable women.<\/p>\n

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\u2018No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 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 \u2018gimmicky\u2019 before even hearing the fruits of his labour, but I say this album is far from it. Is it Frank\u2019s best album? No, but it\u2019s up there with his best and has already had the most plays since \u2018England Keep My Bones\u2019 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 \u2018No Man\u2019s Land\u2019 a welcome addition to anyone\u2019s collection. Fascinating stuff indeed.<\/p>\n

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Buy No Mans Land Here<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: Ben Hughes<\/p>\n