Is there anything more embarrassing than the last song of an
album being entitled Final Song? It didn’t work for Rihanna (Last Song – ‘Rated R’) or Clare Maguire
(This Is Not The End - ‘Light After Dark’) and it doesn’t work for
Frankmusik. Even the opening track of ‘Between Us’, Chasing Shadows, begins with the line “The sun appears”. It’s hardly a subtle way of bookending an
album.
Between these tracks, this third album from Vincent Turner
(and the first to be self-released) is a mixed bag. It doesn’t match his exciting debut ‘Complete
Me’, but it’s a darn sight better than ‘Do It In The AM’.
Turner has always been at his best when writing hyperactive,
neon-charged electro pop sung in his sweet falsetto. It’s no wonder
he was influenced by J-Pop acts like Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and her energetic,
cartoonish performances. As such, the
obvious album highlights are Cake and
Captain: the former an appropriately
sugary pop track that’s as close to J-Pop than anyone in the UK has come close
to creating, the latter a frenzied yet infectious slice of electro pop (even
with his annoying pronunciation of “Cap-i-turn”).
After parting ways with Island Records in 2011 (following
the disappointing ‘Do It In The AM’), much of this new material is a not so
subtle jab at his former label. Fast As I Can and Life (Is My Revenge) are clear statements of intent, not only
running as fast as he can from his past but stating “I’m trapped within your
walls and I hear you call and I know I can find the strength to leave”. Map takes
a similar stance with its chorus lyric “I never wanna find my way back”. ‘Between Us’ definitely sees Turner in a
newfound state of liberation, but production-wise the music doesn’t contain the
same thrilling idiosyncrasies as ‘Complete Me’.
Where Turner excels at up-tempo tracks, he falls down with
ballads. The duet with Cara Salimando, How Do We Know?, feels laboured and,
with its predominantly piano instrumentation, lacks the creative production
Turner is known for. The lyrics of Stronger, meanwhile, are as soppy as a
wet dishclosh.
‘Between Us’ reveals both the strengths and weaknesses of
Frankmusik. In that respect, Turner’s
freedom has undoubtedly resulted in his most honest album to date.
3/5
Gizzle’s Choice:
* Cake
* Captain
* Fast As I Can
Listen: ‘Between Us’ is available now.