Album Rating: 2.5

I haven't heard any of this but I'm expecting well-intentioned dreck.

Album Rating: 3.5

You may be surprised, who knows. He's still a good songwriter and overall the album is as catchy as anything else he's released.

this is really good and has some of the most interesting tracks he's done in years

even get a bit of a Paul McCartney vibe here and there

Album Rating: 2.5

Listened to it last night. It's fine but doesn't hold a candle to anything pre-Tape Deck Heart.



Today, I can't really remember anything memorable from it unfortunately, which even BMK had some small element of despite it being the hottest of hot garbage from start to finish.



The history nerd in me likes the stories in the podcast series and FT remains an incredible live performer (even though ticket prices have gone up to ridiculous prices these days!) but it's going to take a lot for me to fall in love with any of these songs.

haven't really enjoyed a frank album since england keep my bones but i might check this idk

I understand wanting to break away from one's niche as an artist, but in the case of Be More Kind, there were moments lyrically that were cringeworthy, and especially when he tries to be political (which makes him sound like the most naive and ignorant middle-class liberal imaginable). Even the songs where he focuses on how relationships are becoming more and more remote with the growing influence of technology and social media, they fall into the most tired tropes imaginable, and offer nothing new to the table in terms of insight or framing. At least that with a band like MGMT, the lyrics on their last album are more or less the same as Turner's and explored the exact same themes, yet they are done with such camp and self-awareness that they made for fun and interesting songs. Turner's on the other hand, completely lacks the element of fun which made his first few albums so charming and enjoyable. It also doesn't help that he mostly abandoned folk in favour of the most bland and tiresome indie-pop/rock imaginable, so I am hoping that this album managed to be as different from Be More Kind as possible. I am getting the impression that this is not the case however.

Album Rating: 3.5

I mean lyrically it's incredibly different, at least. I would say sonically too. It's much closer to his other work than Be More Kind (remember, it was written before that album was).

I hope so, and I really hope that the music is more stimulating and fleshed out this time. I think that experimenting with different styles is completely welcome, so long as that experimentation results in a fun set of tracks that are comparable to LI&S and EKMB (and ideally not with songs are horrible as Make America Great Again)

Album Rating: 3.0

This is definitely better than his last 2 album but leaning towards thinking that Tape Deck Heart remains his most recent good one

vivid video?

Album Rating: 2.5

Just gave this a listen. I admit, it wasn't what I was expecting - except for "Lioness" which was exactly the type of corniness I assumed the whole album would be.



What it was was boring. I'm just not hearing anything as catchy as even "Get Better" or "Next Storm," let alone the stuff on his actually great albums. The concept of the record feel totally flat for me, it honestly sounded more like an assigned school project than something he was really passionate about.

I'll give this a try but I can't shake the feeling that my relationship with FT ended with England Keep My Bones

I've decided I don't like any of Frank turner's new stuff and he is a boring and bad musician now.

Album Rating: 3.5

i am surprised at how many of you have dismissed tape deck heart and positive songs. i think they both have a lot of his strongest tracks on them.



on an unrelated note, the podcast episode about 'silent key' came out today. he spoke with catherine marks, who produced the record, and they revealed that the vocal track on "sister rosetta" is literally a guide track. that's why he sounds like he isn't putting much effort in (because he literally isn't). a strange choice.

for clarification: By "new stuff" I meant "Be More Kind" and now this.

positive songs definitely has some tight tracks.

tape decks and positive songs are both pretty good

Tape Deck Heart is a brilliant album, Positive Songs is where the decline hits, but half of that album is still classic Frank.

Album Rating: 3.0

not as bad as be more kind but probably more boring

Album Rating: 2.5

Tape Deck is endearing and a fun folk-pop album. Some great memories with that one.



Positive Songs is definitely a decline, some good stuff but a lot of schmaltzy crap.