Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song

Artist: Frank Turner

Album: Love Ire & Song

Label: Arbor Records Ltd.

In 2006, Frank Turner, the former frontman of hardcore outfit Million Dead, released his first solo record.  Contrary to Million Dead's rough style, Turner began pursuing musicianship through folk tunes.  His first release, Sleep is for the Weak, displayed Turner's quiet, reserved side.  In many ways he sounded like a younger, less angry Billy Bragg.   But while deeply compassionate, the frequency of his quiet love ballads pushed the album dangerously close to generic folk-pop territory.  But thankfully a handful of bouncier, more punk influenced tracks (musically and lyrically) saved the album from mediocrity.  For his follow-up, Love Ire & Song, Frank Turner sings about what he knows, with a delivery that sounds more intuitive than ever.

Despite not being of aged character, Turner's album feels like a reflective piece.  The opening track, "I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous" describes a lively music scene in a far from glamorous setting.  He describes a smiling group of friends sitting in a South Hampton bistro, all with varying musical backgrounds and talents - some are gifted poets, some are great vocalists, and others hold undefinable yet essential roles.  Yet, every one of them has a passion for their work.  Thirteen tracks later he concludes the album by frowning on those who hold out for fame and fortune - the type who only care about the end result.  The contrast effectively conveys (while admittedly sounding cliche) how in life the journey is more meaningful than the destination.  Based on the level of detail and optimism in a song about never quite making it, Frank Turner has enjoyed every moment of his career, and rather than dismissing his five years as part of Million Dead, he concedes that without his early career he wouldn't have anything to sing about.  Right from the opening track Frank Turner reveals a rare passion and self awareness that makes what follows both entertaining and captivating.

While slow, generic love ballads bogged down his debut, witty, upbeat and introspective tunes guide Love Ire & Song.  In redefining himself, Turner draws more heavily on his punk-rock past.  On songs like "Photosynthesis" Turner resembles a combination of Tom Gabel (Against Me!) and Billy Bragg, finding a vocal and lyrical middle ground.  Vocally he has a rougher edge than Bragg, and rather than sounding as gruff as Gabel, he simply channels Gabel's passion (which says quite a lot).  In songs like the title track, "Love Ire & Song," Turner keeps optimism despite realizations about how as one grows older, living by punkrock values and ideals grow less realistic.  "Substitute" finds Turner writing his most notable love ballad to date, which again, reaches such status by employing a bouncier tempo and exploring "love" through its relationship with music.  As previously mentioned, both songs retain a sense of believability and sincerity because of Turner's meticulous attention to detail and references to his past.  Unfortunately Turner has yet to completely ditch his dull love ballads ("A Love Worth Keeping" comes to mind), but thankfully the snoozers are few and far between.

With Love Ire & Song Frank Turner provides an easily accessible brit-folk album.  His quick wit and cynical optimism provides for great entertainment, guaranteed to make listeners smile  and think.