Frank Turner - Be More Kind (May 4, 2018) Album • Page 7

Yea :/

 

Haven't listened to MAGA yet, but seemed like a bit of an awkward song to write/release.

Having said that, really liked Be More Kind and liked Blackout/1933, so still hopeful the rest of the album will be good.

 

Like the song, love the message, still very excited for the album. The titular line made me cringe a bit at first, but I love that he follows it up with "by making racists ashamed again."

Also lol'd at him holding the sign that says "stealing babies" next to a woman and her child

 

i love Glory Hallelujah. For me, his worst tracks are The Ladies of London Town and half of Poetry of the Deed.

 

This

MAGA is really bad

 

This is a take that I can not get on board with. Two great songs for me.

 

The sentiment behind this is very nice and very much needed in our country right now... BUT I can't lie, the title of this song being what it is, I was really hoping for something with more teeth. I don't know why, but when I read that title I envisioned a pissed-off and very angry takedown with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

Not sure how I feel about the song yet....

 

Yeah, I feel like Frank's initial "folk-punk" thing has just died away. This should be primetime to be writing an aggressive punk-inspired record, with teeth, with actual statements about the country. But so far we've gotten two relatively tame takes.

 

Only new song I've heard so far that I haven't been crazy about is There She Is. I really like the rest through and appreciate his willingness to sample new sounds/styles but it doesn't seem like he's overdoing it.

As far as MAGA goes, yeah the title sucks and I don't see myself singing the phrase "let's make America great again!" at a show, but the song itself and the video are fun and I appreciate the sentiment. He seems fully aware that not everyone's going to like it.

 

Glory Hallelujah is one of my favorite FT songs, so to each his own.

 

I always liked Glory Hallelujah and didn't realize it got such extreme backlash.

 

Same here. Personally, in terms of sequencing on EKMB, I would've switched it with "Redemption" to make that the closing track. Other than that, it's a fun song and a total jam when he plays it live.

 

MAGA (yuck) is probably my least favorite of the four released so far. I second the want for the song to be angrier and faster, but I appreciate what he was going for with the lyrics.

 

Why has like half of this album been released already and it’s still a month away

 

It’s not about the guy who said the words, more what the phrase means or how he feels about it.

Love that Frank did a more DIY idea again like the Road or Don’t Try this at Home. New album is a mix bag so far. Be More Kind is folkier, 133 is more punkish, There He Is is more ballad, Blackout more beat electric feeling and this has a mix Be More Mind and Black Out.

It’ll be good. Just different. I guess every album should be.

 

From what I gather looking at setlists and online, it went over well most place, but not the US. Guess Americans take their religion seriously aha.

 

I don’t like that song. It’s just feels preachy in being anti preachy. Like Frank is telling people that he actually knows people are wrong. I’m not American and And I’m
Not offended. He’s usually just more of a story teller and that ”The is no God” line sounds bossy. It’d be the same thing if the song Get Better was telling me Get Better, and not about himself getting better.

I prefer Kevin Devine’s approach, or Bad Religion’s.

 

I don't think I'd really listen to that MAGA song, but that video messed me up in a big way. People are so joyous and beautiful.

 

Apparently “Tape Deck Heart” turns 5 today. Gonna need to give it a full spin. I think it might be my favorite album of his.

 

I’m trying to avoid all Frank Turner before the album to make it feel fresh, but damn I wanna listen to TDH. It’s a solid album with him at his best. The only flaw, in my opinion, is that it feels too long.

So pumped to see him 3 times in June, despite the fact I’m nervous about Be More Kind.

 

I can see what you mean. It is a little long. It drags towards the end because of “Oh Brother” and “Anymore” but Broken Piano is a great closer.

 

He was really good last night. Blackout was really great live.

 

Got my advance of this last week, hoping to have a review up before this Friday. In the meantime, if anyone has questions or is interested in first reactions, let me know!

 

I'm mostly interested in how you would describe the sound of the album. Is it mostly in the vein of Blackout?

Also where do you think it sits in terms of the quality of his albums?

 

We’be heard 5 tracks of the album and none have blown me away. Are there gems waiting to be heard?