Review Summary: The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle
The original Positive Songs For Negative People (PSFNP) was, in many ways, a disappointment. Frank successfully nailed the positive vibe he was striving for, but in doing so adopted simplified lyrical themes, a slightly more band-orientated stadium rock style and, seemingly, simplified instrumentation that felt underwhelming compared to the stellar one-two punch that was ‘England Keep My Bones’ and ‘Tape Deck Heart.’ Indeed, it seemed that PSFNP took one step too far from Franks roots. Until this point Frank had carefully balanced his original acoustic sound with his newer band-driven style, keeping the personal touch of his earlier projects whilst incrementally increasing the Sleeping Soul’s involvement to great effect. Whilst PSFNP didn’t lose all of the charm of Frank’s earlier projects in increasing the band’s role, and whilst it contained some great songs, it lost a part of what made Frank, well, Frank. Fortunately, this acoustic variant of the record reigns things in slightly and reunites us with our acoustic toting singer songwriter.
The record is one of the most stripped down projects Frank has ever produced; it’s just Frank and his guitar here, and it’s a wonderfully personal experience. Importantly, this isn’t merely an acoustic re-skin of the original. It’s all re-recorded and the pacing and tone of some of the songs are completely different. ‘Demons’, for instance, has a far slower and more pessimistic feel to it than the original, a wonderful contrast and a lesson in the subtleties of songwriting given that the lyrics remain identical. Indeed, most songs lack the positive hue found on their original counterparts, all feeling more urgent, desperate and passionate. Frank sounds more emotionally engaged than he has in years, from his wonderfully delicate performance in ‘Mittens’ to the pained yelps and goosebump-inducing cries found on ‘Josephine’ and ‘Love Forty Down’. The instrumentation found here is crisp and subtle, the guitar work in tracks like ‘Glorious You’ so beautifully fragile that it feels like a slight disturbance would bring the whole thing crashing down. This is sharply contrasted by Frank furiously wailing at his guitar on tracks like ‘Get Better’ and ‘Out of Breath’, every bit as engaging as the originals.
Admittedly some songs do suffer from the loss of the splendor that a full band experience brought, namely ‘Silent Key’ and ‘The Opening Act Of Spring’ whose reliance on the Sleeping Souls was tasteful and integral to the songs’ successes. However, this is not a crippling criticism given that such an experience can be found on the original if desired. Instead, the main failing of the record remains how tightly tethered it is to the original. Some deeper lyrical content would have fit perfectly with the record’s tone and is unfortunately lacking. That being said, the fact that the core of the record remains the same has its own appeal, and it would have been a fairly tall task for Frank to change the songs even more than he has done given his time constraints. Consequently, such failings are forgivable and don’t detract from what is largely a resounding success.
The acoustic version of PSFNP is enjoyable in and of itself, acting as a pleasant little nostalgia trip in the way it replicates the vibe found on ‘Sleep Is For The Week’. However, its appeal goes further than that, acting as a sort of missing piece of the puzzle in giving context to the original release. Just as the creation of Frank's hardcore side project ‘Mongol Horde’ explained the softer vibe of ‘Tape Deck Heart’ in comparison to ‘England Keep My Bones’, the acoustic variant of PSFNP provides an explanation for the creative choices made in the original and enriches the enjoyment of it. In splitting the PSFNP in two, Frank granted himself the freedom to create the simply positive original whilst not disappointing those looking for something more intimate, raw and solemn in releasing the acoustic version. It’s a record recommended to both those that loved and hated the original, and if you’re one of the latter it may just change your mind.
