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Frank Turner

Sleep Is for the Weak
2007
Xtra Mile

Frank Turner - Sleep Is for the Weak (Cover Artwork)


Review by: nocigar
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Published on March 23rd 2007

I write this review to you in pure awe. After the final seconds went by on the thirteenth and final track off of Frank Turner's Sleep Is for the Weak, I was literally speechless. Too bad I'm not fingerless, right? Wrong, because I have a feeling if I hadn't reviewed this than nobody would have and that’s not right at all, because this album is just that damn good.

Just to get it out of the way, if you don't enjoy folk with large traces of pop-punk at its finest then you can post your "this shit sucks" comments right now and stop reading.

Along with Dive Dive as a backing band, Frank Turner is able to create an album that is packed full of incredibly catchy songs where stories of angst, love, loss, hate, and booze fall out of Turner’s mouth in a way which opens ears to somebody who takes passion in his work and really knows how to express it within song.

"The Real Problem" starts the album off, consisting of catchy acoustic guitar hooks combined with Turner's amazingly fitting voice spilling out lyrics that some of us can relate to: "I started the night with all my friends and I ended up alone / Oh yes I started out so happy now I’m hung-over and down / It was about then that I realized / I was half-way through the best years of my life."

This album is consistently entertaining and catchy throughout all tracks and has very little filler, if any, at all. The added elements of the violin (i.e."Vital Signs") and piano (i.e."The Real Problem") showcase that this is so much more than just another loner singing sappy songs on an acoustic guitar.

Amazing is an overused word these days; yet, I can’t help using it to describe this album. The amount of talent layered out through the music, lyrics, and vocals is immeasurable. You will understand what that means once you give this album a spin. If Turner keeps this up then watch out for his next release, because I have a feeling that things are only going to get better. So, kids, if you are looking for an album to enjoy, whether sitting around a bonfire smoking joints or sitting in your bedroom bored, I highly recommend Sleep Is for the Weak.

Standout tracks:

  • The Real Problem
  • Vital Signs
  • A Decent Cup of Tea
  • Father's Day
  • Worse Things Happen at Sea
  • Back in the Day
You can listen to a few of these songs at his MySpace page as well.



People who liked this also liked:
Osker - Idle Will KillSundowner - Four One Five TwoThe Black Keys - Rubber FactoryNirvana - MTV Unplugged in New YorkNothington - All InMineral - EndSerenadingMineral - The Power of Failing.The Indecision Alarm - The Indecision AlarmPilot to Gunner - Get SavedSmoke or Fire - This Sinking Ship



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    Posted by thirtyseconds on 2007-10-23 17:59:49

    Fucking inspirational.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 9:32 PM (EDT)

    I don't see the alleged pop punk in this album at all.

    Posted by SilentStorms on 2007-03-27 01:14:44

    I'm not trying to sound elitist, but after Saves The Day, early New Found Glory and early Ataris followed by the (literallly) thousands of carbon copies that came afterwards I find this genre bombed out and depleted (I stole that). But I just can't get into pop punk after it's serious mainstream raping. Maybe it's just me ... or everyone who listened to pop punk when it was first invented.

    Posted by axx on 2007-03-26 12:33:50

    often sad, not "said" is what I meant to write

    Posted by axx on 2007-03-26 12:33:07
    My Score:

    this album really is wonderfull, the lyrics are perfect, often funny, often said but always true, oh so true.. and they fit the music perfectly.
    The music is great too, solid songs and good choruses..

    The man has talent, and seeing him is the best proof of it..
    Frank Turner is genius, seriously..

    The review is right, you have to listen to the album to have a proper idea of the thing..

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 4:43 PM (EDT)

    That was a good review, thanks for saving me time and letting me know the shited sucked right off the get go.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 1:18 PM (EDT)

    This shit sucks.

    Well, you asked for it...

    Posted by mathrocker on 2007-03-24 21:54:16

    frank turner wrote fantastic lyrics for million dead, which itself was a kickass band, regardless of what high school drop out anonymous says below(who obviously doesn't understand what turner writes about 3/4 of the time), and his solo shit is just as good. Thatcher... is as good as mentioned below, but the rest is also great. I prefer the hyper delivery he used in MD but they are no more, and the guitar isn't jaw dropping but for a songwriter/vocalist it is just fine, kudos frank...oh yea i'm drunk right now...time to go bowling

    Posted by Deadpan on 2007-03-24 13:42:14
    My Score:

    Oops, forgot a score

    Posted by Deadpan on 2007-03-24 13:41:59

    This album is pretty great, but the music is too simplistic to merit the length of the album. It's a bit too "singer/songwriter strums an acoustic guitar". Basically, with more interesting guitar work, this could have gotten away with the 45 minutes running time. As it is, several of the songs are just a bit too long. Which is a shame, because it could have been fucking fantastic.

    Lyrically though, it's fab. Absolutely top-notch.

    And Thatcher Fucked The Kids is brill.

    Posted by nocigar on 2007-03-24 03:43:27

    yea shitty review, i definitely fucked up by calling the song "The Real Problem", but don't let that stop you from checking this out.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 7:03 PM (EDT)

    Boring. Ex member of a Borig band= lose.

    Posted by holy_hack_Ben on 2007-03-23 17:50:29

    Has a sort of Billy Bragg feel to it. Preety good.

    Posted by spoon_of_grimbo on 2007-03-23 13:19:02
    My Score:

    fucking great album, almost makes up for the fact that million dead are no more.

    btw, its "the real damage" not "the real problem."

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 12:20 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Shit review. If you're going to cream yourself that much over it, give it a ten. At least tell us a bit more about it than how fantastic it is and listing the stand-out tracks. It's good WHY, exactly?

    Not listened to it. Thatcher Fucked The Kids is a good song though.

    Posted by Hey_Asshole on 2007-03-23 03:13:17
    My Score:

    this actually does not suck.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 1:37 AM (EDT)

    decent review, it's a very good album

    he used to be the singer in british band million dead

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