Review Summary: One of the Best of 2011
Frank Turner is a London based musician/songwriter who gained critical recognition with his brilliant sophomore album Love, Ire & Song, released in 2008. Turner is mostly known for his insightful, and at times cheeky, lyrics and his modernized rock n’ roll albums.
England Keep My Bones is Turner’s 4th album, and was released in June 2011. The album title is taken from a William Shakespeare play titled ‘The Life and Death of King John’. The album’s main theme seems to be mortality and about frankly being English. Turner focuses a lot on the meaning of having an English Identity, "it's something that I want to write songs about. I quite, self-consciously, want to make music that sounds English,” he stated once in an interview.
‘Peggy Sang the Blues’ was released as the lead single from the album, and is also the first real song on the album after the intro, ‘Eulogy’. The song is about Turner’s grandmother, the lyrics are really brilliant as Turner’s sings about dreams and taking chances in life. The song opens with a quite acoustic guitar before building up for the chorus, actually most songs follow this pattern.
‘I Still Believe’ is an anthem for all rock n’ roll lovers in the world, with a chorus going:
‘Something as simple as rock n’ roll would save us all’
‘I Am Disappeared’ is one of the best tracks on the album, and also one of the best songs recorded in 2011. An acoustic and distorted guitar start the song off, before a catchy drum beat comes in at about the one minute mark. Turner’s lyrics seem to be at face value to be about a dream he once had, but as one looks deeper the song goes further and becomes about life and regrets. ‘Rivers’ is another great track, Turner’s Englishness comes through here as he sings about no matter how much wonderful places his been too, England will always be his home. ‘Rivers’ is a beautiful acoustic number, and ‘If Ever I Stay’ is similar but a heavy distorted guitar comes in during the chorus. ‘One foot before the Other’ is an upbeat little song about death, with a heavy chorus and a great outro.
‘Redemption’ is THE masterpiece of the album. Once again an acoustic guitar starts the song off, with a very faint piano beat playing in the background. The lyrics are about a man who hurt his girl, and how he simply can’t live with it. After the first set of verses the piano becomes the focal point of the track as the track increases in intensity, before slowing down for the verses again. The track keeps picking up in intensity before the final emotional outburst at the end when a heavy distorted guitar accompanies the powerful, but catchy, piano beat.
‘Glory Hallelujah’ closes the album, and it’s by far the most controversial track on the album. The majority of the chorus consists of the lyrics:
‘There is No God,’
Even though some people might be put off by the atheist nature of the lyrics, if someone looks beyond the surface you’ll find a positive, happy and upbeat number. The song never really slows down, and it’s one of the only numbers on the track were the acoustic guitar really doesn’t play much of a part. ‘Glory Hallelujah’ is by no means an attack on the church or god, but really it’s a celebration of humanity and all we can achieve.
‘Forget about the crazy things that people have believed,
And think of wondrous things that normal people have achieved.’
England Keep My Bones is the sound of a man that has perfected his trait. The lyrics will spark interest and the instrumentals, even though quite simple at times, work perfectly in pretty much every song.
