Be More Kind

Turner's past music often expressed political views with passion, but this time is different. He's not sloganeering or pointing fingers as much as personally engaging with the world in which he finds himself.

Beautifully arranged and commandingly composed, Be More Kind is a great work from an expert in his craft. [5 May 2018, p.55]

Be More Kind is musically inventive in its use of punk, folk, soul, and electronica but deceptively simple in its message, which is as complex as the times we live in.

Be More Kind is certainly a step in a different direction, it still retains much of what everyone fell in love with, while appealing to a much broader audience than ever before.

Overall, the album is thought-provoking and relevant. It’s an enjoyable listen and one which morphs and draws deeper messages with each listen. The moderate changes in sound only serve to highlight the poignance of the words through unassuming backing.

There’s plenty more evidence here that Frank remains one of our most consistently punchy, stirring and chaff-free songwriters.

The melancholy, almost-'80s-esque chug of "There She Is" and the gentle acoustic lament of "The Lifeboat" are album highlights, two songs that that ably demonstrate Turner's ability to connect on an emotional level but also which show his growth and evolution as a musician.

Be More Kind is another slight evolution in Frank Turner’s career. He takes some big steps and bigger lyrical swings, but ultimately you end up with reliable Frank Turner.

It’s by no means flawless, with tracks such as Going Nowhere and There She Is too earnest for their own good, while his political comments are not hugely controversial – which is hardly surprising considering he was burned for his views on socialism back in 2012. Despite this, however, the record is refreshingly honest and delivers a timeless message with passion and plenty of anthemic hooks.