Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart

Being totally new to this Frank Turner fella, I picked this record out of the lineup simply for the title. He's several albums in, with a punk career before his current singer-songwriter phase. When I read that the album was going to be about breakups, I was wondering if we were going to be subjected to another punker-turned-pansy Dashboard Confessional type of emo.

 
What we find instead is a fairly sunny collection of acoustic pop, not unlike a British Rhett Miller. Musically, the album stays with safe acoustic chord strumming with occasional band accompaniment. One exception is a Babys' kind of arrangement on the the near-closer "Oh Brother".  But the greatest effort that Frank spends are on the lyrics, and there are some clever ones. But then, he tacks on a chorus, seemingly not because he has a love for the classic feel of a pop chorus, but because he has to. Many of the songs end up sounding like the Goo Goo Dolls pulled out a thesaurus.
 
The album definitely has merit and I'm sure that girls will stab each other to get to the front of the stage. A highlight for me was a ballad that judged:

"Fuck you Mötley Crüe
For charming us with access and with excess
For telling tales that leave out all the dark sides
For bringing out the lowest drive in everyone"

And another track, "Four Simple Words" is an almost embarrassing pop-punk sing-along which seems to precious, but at the same time, fuck it, it's fun. The words: "I want to dance" and the song is just a declaration of dedication to the fun. "This shit wasn't fashionable back when I fell in love, so if the hipsters move on why should I give a fuck?"

And I try to separate my album reviews here from bonus tracks and such, but even without being a KISS fan, "Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons"  is a killer deluxe edition cut.

But on the whole, you will appreciate Frank's sincere likability. I mean, shit, through twleve tracks you pretty much feel like you have an intimate connection with twelve of his relationships. And if it was a little darker, I'd probably feel closer to it. But Frank stays sentimental and nice, focusing on the remembrances that we want to have. (3 of 5 stars)