FRANK TURNER’S NEW TRACK “GIRL FROM THE RECORD SHOP” OUT NOW
NEW ALBUM UNDEFEATED TO BE RELEASED ON MAY 3 VIA XTRA MILE RECORDINGS
Frank Turner releases “Girl From The Record Shop”, the latest track following “No Thank You For The Music” and “Do One” to be taken from his tenth album Undefeated, out May 3rd via Xtra Mile Recordings. The breakneck “Girl From the Record Shop” is a brilliant Frankenstein’s mashup of messrs. Bragg and Costello. Two towering influences, for sure, but Turner wrestles them into something wholly his own. Speaking on the track, Frank explains, “’Girl From The Record Shop’ is a little power-pop flight of fancy, a teenage dream of romance for my inner music nerd, complete with an admission of my inevitable adolescent failure. Short, sharp, and to the point.”
“Now I’m surprised to report that as I enter my forties, I’ve returned to being an angry man,” he sings on the recent track. “No Thank You For The Music”. And that’s a concise statement as to what to expect from Undefeated, Frank’s follow-up to his first UK #1 album, 2022’s FTHC. Finding the sweet spot between youthful outspokenness and surviving midlife’s challenges, it’s a record that explores both emotionally compelling topics and lighter reflections on those troubles that eventually come to most of us. Who you are versus who you wanted to be in your youth; life-altering love; fading friendships; wistful nostalgia; the mental fallout and political consequences that still linger from the pandemic era; and the more prosaic issue of persistent backache.
Frank says, “There are no clichés about the difficult 10th album, so in some ways, that’s a liberating statement. But at the same time, I have a duty to justify writing and releasing a 10th album. That’s a lot of records for anybody. Also, I’m 42. Which is not a sexy, rock’n’roll age. But all through my career, I’ve been interested in writers like Loudon Wainwright III or The Hold Steady, people who write about adulthood, essentially.”
While thematically Undefeated is informed by this time in life, sonically it’s full of echoes to influences that Frank has touched upon at various moments in his kaleidoscopic career. It switches from Black Flag to Counting Crows, from Descendents to The Pogues, via Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg. Its freewheeling nature is reflective not only of his new-found independence, but also of the creative environment he found himself in. As usual, it was entirely written by himself, but this is the first album that he produced himself, recorded in the home studio that he and his wife, Jessica Guise, share on Mersea Island, Essex. It features his live band: Ben Lloyd (guitar), Tarrant Anderson (bass), Callum Green (drums) and Matt Nasir (piano).
The release of Undefeated will of course see this punk-rock road-warrior tour with the tenacity and intense schedules that he’s renowned for (such as the sprawling 50 States in 50 Days North American tour) but with even bigger ambitions that will be revealed in due course as he nears his 3000th (!) gig. But for now, anticipate the new album: a typically energising, literate, playful and provocative set from a musician who remains Undefeated after a quarter-of-a-century in the game.
Undefeated is now available to pre-order HERE.
Frank Turner’s award-winning festival, Lost Evenings, is coming to Canada for the first time on September 19-22, 2024 for its seventh and biggest instalment to date. Having successfully sold out events in previous years in London, Berlin, Boston and Anaheim, California – the four-day festival will take place at the brand new Theatre at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. Promoted by Live Nation, the multi-stage event will occupy many rooms of the new venue providing a full programme of live music, panels, workshops and more.
Weekend tickets for the event are now SOLD OUT. Day Tickets for Lost Evenings VII are on sale now HERE.
Running concurrently to the Main Stage across the weekend will be the second stage named as the Nick Alexander Stage. Named after the merchandise manager and long-time friend of Frank’s, who was tragically killed in the Paris, Bataclan attack in 2015 – the stage plays host to some of the best emerging acts – personally selected by Frank. Lost Evenings won the AIM Best Independent Festival award in 2017.
Augmenting the evening live performances will be a full programme of additional activities under the banner of ‘Last Minutes’. These include pop-ups, open mic sessions and the Xtra Mile Recordings daytime showcase as well as panels, masterclasses and workshops where leading industry insiders, musicians, experts and music professionals offer insight and advice to audiences. More information to come.
Tour Dates
Thursday, September 19: Acoustic Duo Set with Matt Nasir + Henry Rollins Spoken Word + Martha Wainwright
Friday, September 20: Losing Days – The First Five Albums + NOBRO + Northcote
Saturday, September 21: Hard Core – New Album ‘Undefeated’ & Punk Rock Set + The Dirty Nil + The OBGMS
Sunday, September 22: Greatest Hits + Bedouin Soundclash + Murder By Death
Artist Links
Photo Credit: Shannon Shumaker
SPILL FEATURE: FRANK TURNER TALKS UNDEFEATED, LOST EVENINGS AND WORLD RECORD ATTEMPTS – A CONVERSATION WITH SINGER/SONGWRITER FRANK TURNER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRANK TURNER – UNDEFEATED
SPILL NEWS: FRANK TURNER’S NEW SINGLE “LETTERS” OUT NOW | NEW ALBUM ‘UNDEFEATED’ TO BE RELEASED ON MAY 3
SPILL NEWS: FRANK TURNER’S NEW ALBUM ‘UNDEFEATED’ TO BE RELEASED MAY 3 VIA XTRA MILE RECORDINGS | NEW SINGLE “DO ONE” OUT NOW
