Frank Turner - Positive Songs for Negative People

Frank Turner
Positive Songs for Negative People
2015

Punk rock is a young man's game. This is a lesson we have learned all to well as aging punks attempt to either move on in new musical directions or hold on to their teen angst to mixed reception. Frank Turner has seemingly handled this transition well on his sixth solo studio album Positive Songs for Negative People. He manages to maintain a punk rock sensibility and vocal sound while allowing his music to grow up and move on. The energy is still there especially on "Out of Breath" which is the closest to a pure punk song as they get on this record. However the rest of the album is very grown up and quite beautiful while never loosing out on a rich sense of hardcore history. Much of the album is looking back at a wild and exciting youth but not disregarding the moment we are currently in. What is really special about this record is Frank's willingness to really go for it, whether than means including a piano hammering in the background or singing until his voice cracks you can feel the heart and soul filling every inch of space on this album. The title is also quite apt because the songs in their essence are quite bright, fun and emotional but you can tell they were written by someone and for someone who more often than not gives in to sadness.

It is quite easy to get lost in Positive Songs for Negative People, before you know it you have lazed through all 12 tracks and you can't remember how you got there but you know you've enjoyed it. Even a song about death like "Silent Key" Turner screams "We're Alive, We're Alive, We're Alive!" as an affirmation of the life that is still left to live once someone leaves. The one misstep on the record is perhaps the final track "Song for Josh". It is an acoustic live track about a fallen friend and for an album so full of life and love to end with an all acoustic song about suicide ends it on a sad note. Positive Songs for Negative People though is more than a live track at the end, it is a great record that works on many many level. If you haven't listened to Frank Turner before this can certainly be your first, but I'm sure it won't be your last.

8.9 out of 10