Frank Turner - Be More Kind (May 4, 2018) Album • Page 13

After first full listen, my overall thoughts are that, in the future, nobody is going to want to re-live these present day politics/political conversations so this album just will not age that well.

I like "Little Changes" and "Blackout". That's really about it.

 

If these are the best political punches Frank can throw, then it turns out when he got to be that teacher's age he was such a coward.

 

I don't want to say artists can't write about politics, but I think it's important to imbue those songs with larger narratives or personal angles. That's what always made Springsteen's political writing so effective, and that's why American Idiot lives up for me 14 years later. These songs don't have that, which makes it feel like they've got an expiration date.

 

It’s just weird that THESE were the lyrics he brought to the table. After a first listen my two thoughts are:

1. This album lacks energy. Frank brings an energy to his songs every time and that’s just missing.

2. These fucking lyrics. I actually like the production and strings and I get that’s what he focused on...but for someone of his caliber to release something with these lyrics is depressing. The message is fine, but Frank has always had an edge to him and it is truly missing here.

 

Or just take a listen to LI&S. 10 years later that album is still relevant. So Frank has shown in the past that he *can* do politics that stands the test of time... he just hasn't done it here.

This album brings nothing new or original to the table. In its best spot, it simply has ideas that have already been said before and in its worst spots it has some harmful ideas that breed complacency and normalization. Even the non-political stuff is just middle of the road rock that, while decent, doesn't come close to cracking Franks best stuff.

I should probably give it a second listen before completely writing it off, but its not looking good

 

It's hard for me to be too upset about this album right now, given the fact that another reliable standby artist of mine (Mat Kearney) released a genuinely terrible album today. Compared to that, Frank's is pretty damn enjoyable. But yeah, it sucks that there's just nothing here that's really hitting me. On the last record, I still can't make it through "Song for Josh" without tearing up. There's nothing like that here.

 

yeah outside of make america great again, the album is perfectly listenable. But its also not at all notable.

reminds me in a lot of ways of the latest album by the national. It doesn't suck. It just lacks anything that would make me want to listen it over the other albums the band has put out.

 

A lot of people loved the National record. I thought it had a few really fantastic songs, but was kind of a snooze as a whole. Glad I'm not alone on that.

 

Wow, I really like this album. FT is one of those guys who i've always wanted to like a lot, but couldn't really get into. This album might change that.

 

Enjoying this one - it's a little cheesy at some points, but I think that was done to lighten the mood a little bit. I mean after listening to 1933 you kind of need something like Little Changes to cheer you up a bit.

And I think that's the message of this album - the world may be going to shit around you, but that doesn't mean you can't give up on living your life and enjoying the things that make you happy. Sure, get out in the streets and fucking do something about what's going on, but also realize that there are still things to be happy about.

 

Frank does good videos for the most part. MAGA and Changes are both charming.

 

Not that they're really comparable in any other sense (aside from maybe the political aspect), but Sleep Well Beast is leagues ahead of this

 

The Lifeboat is the only song that's minorly interesting here and it's not even that good, just a little different to what came before.

This is proper supermarket music, utterly dull.

 

loooooool

yeh this is not a good record. I think the title track is the best song. Don't Worry pretty good, and 1933 and Blackout have some positive bits. The rest...

 

I like this album. It’s definitely not at the top of his discography for me, but it’s still enjoyable for what it is. There are a few top notch songs on here, and a few I probably won’t return to all that often. Regardless, I’m happy to have some new Frank Turner songs to listen to.

 

“I’ll be there, in there like swimwear.”

 

Same. I had barely head of him before this album and I was actually really liking all the singles, so I decided to give the full album a try. I like it quite a bit, even though it's certainly poppier than what I normally listen to.

 

Yeaaaah. When I first heard that I was like “ugh Frank, I understand the message here but did you really just say that?”

 

I've tried giving this a few more listens. This album just strikes me as being primarily made up of songs that would be my least favorite tracks on any of his other albums. Either the ones I get rid of altogether and never listen to again, or the ones that just aren't as good as surrounding songs but sort of work for the album as a whole.

I am shocked at how low-energy the whole thing is. I guess I never realized how much I appreciate all the energy and passion Frank usually brings to his songs. He's never struck me as the most technically talented vocalist per se, but usually I feel like there's nobody on earth who could sing his songs better than him if that makes any sense. I don't find the music on here incredibly interesting, his singing doesn't really blow me away, and what he's saying is nice and all but really kind of boring and not that deep. The whole thing is sorta like he's just reading inoffensive, inspirational greeting cards over some pleasant and mildly diverting music.

His music usually hits me so much harder than this. 'Polaroid Picture' almost always brings me to tears by the end after the suicide of a very close friend, and like Craig pointed out earlier, there's a part in 'Song For Josh' that always starts to get me misty eyed and choked-up before a moment a little later on has me full on weeping out loud.

 

I just feel so bad I don’t love this. What’s mostly confusing is Frank Turner, notorious for his high energy & passion, released such a boring album. I’m left just kind of confused how this happened?

 

I like the album. I don't have the same longevity as probably most of you as I dove into his pre-TDH discography mid last year so perhaps my attachment to his older material isn't as strong. I know this won't be my favorite album of his (EKMB or PSFNP), but there's songs on here I absolutely love. I think "Blackout" is the perfect single for the album and it's been stuck in my head ever since it came out. "Common Ground" might be my favorite of the songs not released before yesterday. The minor electronic flourishes on the percussion work well.

MAGA and Little Changes might my least favorites on the record. I expected MAGA to be an angrier, aggressive song, but Frank's delivery of his lines throughout the song is kinda robotic and flat. Little Changes on the surface appears hollow; there's not much going on that gives the song life.

Can't wait to see him live on his upcoming US tour. I'm sure the songs he'll play will end up being better live than record.

 

Oh this man will somehow make MAGA sound fantastic live. He always, always delivers live.

 

I agree with the 'grocery store music' description. For an album I was hoping would have more bite to it, much of it is just kind of bland and inoffensive.

 

I enjoyed it but the last 3 songs, if I recall, felt like bonus tracks or something imo.

 

I think it's better than most seem to think, although I think tracks 11-12 are not good. My biggest complaint is that, taken as a full collection of songs, it's just too soft. Who would've guessed that a political Frank Turner album would only have one real rock song ??? I'd rather hear his version of American Idiot, all piss and vinegar.

Taken individually, I think most of the songs themselves are fine. But collectively.......it's very low energy for me as an album.