Album Review: By Nicole

Frankmusik, also known as Vincent Turner, is one of those singers you’ve probably never heard of. He’s an incredibly talented musician who has been a part of the dance-pop and synthpop scene for about five years, and each album he puts out is even better than the next. His last album, Between, was astonishing; filled with amazing vocal ability, incredibly relatable and clever lyrics and music so catchy the songs wouldn’t leave my head for weeks. Naturally, I was expecting something similar – if not better – on his new album, By Nicole. After listening to it, however, I was a bit let down.

There are tracks on By Nicole that rank among his strongest to date and the vocal talent and songwriting is as apparent as ever, but it’s that magic melodic touch that’s missing from the majority of this album. It’s a shame because without those catchy melodies, the album falls a bit flat.

The beginning of the last album blew me away, I came into the beginning of this record with great anticipation. The last album was fast-paced and frenetic, yet melancholic – it worked so well for me. The first three songs of this album, however, are the opposite of the last one. They meander, albeit with quality, but still go nowhere in terms of tempo and melody. Nothing hooked me as a listener.

“Go,” however, is one of the best Frankmusik songs I’ve ever heard. It’s emotional, honest and you can tell that it comes from a place very close and very real to Turner. The chorus is gut-wrenching with a melody that is out of this world. This one is a must-listen, especially if you’re new to Frankmusik.

“Crash and Burn,” which features Natasha Bedingfield, is another must-listen. The song has a great, subtle buildup followed by an explosive chorus that hooks you right from the start. Bedingfield is a strong singer, and she complements Frankmusik’s vocals very well. They crafted a great song together that I thoroughly enjoyed.

After a certain point, there are songs that have great potential, but perhaps not through my ears. Songs like “Uh Oh,” “Stabilizher” and “Fled” all have strong rhythms and melodies that are right on the brink of being great, but never quite got there for me. Despite my opinions, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen. There’s a lot of potential for other listeners.

“Ephemeral Summer” and “Dear Nicole” are songs that finish the record off, and they starkly contrast the electric pop sound of the other tracks. Both tracks are slower ballads and use great atmosphere and texture to draw you in. I would definitely recommend both, though they certainly aren’t the strongest on the album.

The one thing I have to say about the album is this: I believe in Frankmusik. His emotion and passion is so palpable in every one of these songs that I have a hard time giving it a low rating. On this album, he has talent, lyrics and heart. Even though he slowed the pace from his last album, that’s fine with me. When a melody is weak, you lose something special. That’s what gives songs their sticking power.

Frankmusik is a talented singer and musician nonetheless, and his music deserves to be heard. If you’re looking for a place to start, I wouldn’t recommend this album. Begin with Between, where you’ll find Frankmusik’s melodic and vocal genius.

Music you should be listening to: Steven Wilson

Steven Wilson has changed my perspective on how music is written and performed and how lyrics can touch the very recesses of a part of ourselves we think is lost. I can almost guarantee most people have never heard of this man and his many projects, but he is an unsung hero of modern progressive and art rock and really the purest example of a modern musical hero. Wilson is an English musician who started as the sole member of a “band” called Porcupine Tree. Later, this band became an established force in the modern progressive community, and today it is on the forefront of cutting-edge music. Wilson is the leader of at least five other bands, including the acoustic band Blackfield, which redefined the love song for me, and his own solo project under his name.

Wilson’s first band Porcupine Tree is the epitome of modern art/progressive rock and deserves to be at the front of the class for song construction and pure emotive songwriting. As the frontman of the group, Wilson has written every song and every lyric the band has ever produced, and as a whole, it is life changing.

The words are unlike anything I’ve ever heard; they both abstractly and directly cut to the heart of you at the same time. The music itself can range from the ambient and dark, to the dreamlike and acoustic, to hard hitting. There is literally something for everyone in this group, if you’ll just have a little patience and give a bit of effort.

Its albums often focus on concepts not obviously visible on first listen, but if you give it some time (as its songs tend to be long and many of its albums are meant to be heard from beginning to end), they could grow to be the best band you’ve ever heard. The album Deadwing is a great place to start.

Wilson’s “pop” project Blackfield was his attempt to change the way love songs were written, expressing his feelings in a simpler, yet no less beautiful context. This band is for fans of soft, acoustic music with amazing texture and with lyrics that center around relationships, attachments and loss.

His words and music, co-written and sung with Israeli musician Aviv Geffen, makes for an absolutely breathtaking listening experience. These songs are some of Wilson’s best yet most accessible songs, and this is a side project that may end up being your favorite of his work. My recommendation: Start with the album Blackfield.

Wilson’s solo project, made up of progressive albums through and through, tends to show his darker side. The songs are some of the most complex and intellectual of his collective work. Like the Porcupine Tree project, however, his solo work requires some patience and time but is perhaps his most meaningful and beautiful work. My recommendation: Try the Insurgentes album.

Wilson and his many projects may be under the radar for the majority of students here, but he is one artist above all others that deserves your time. His artistry and songwriting skills are unparalleled, and the musicianship is astounding.

It’s pure art and pure emotion, and I guarantee if you have a little patience and really listen – which is oh so hard to do in a world of bits and bytes – his music may be the most rewarding thing you’ve heard to in a long time.

Album Review: Inside Llewn Davis

The soundtrack for the new Coen Brothers movie Inside Llewyn Davis is chock full of wonderful renditions of folk songs by both new and old musicians. The movie tells the tale of a struggling folk musician in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, and its soundtrack is a real treat to listen to, with a few hard-hitting surprises along the way. The first five songs on this album are the standouts without a doubt. “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me” is a moving melancholic song with actor and singer Oscar Isaac at his heart-wrenching best. It’s just a man and his guitar, but that’s what makes the best folk music really stand out. It’s honest, pure and tells a memorable story.

The next track “Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)” appears twice on the album. The first time it features both Isaac and Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons and is catchy that it could very well have been on a Mumford record. The second time, at the end of the album, features Isaac in a solo, for what I think is a more honest, performance. The track as a whole is a must-listen in either case, with sweet harmonies and some great guitar nuances.

“The Last Thing On My Mind” is a sweet love song from Broadway star Stark Sands, and though his voice is polished and very clean, it certainly doesn’t diminish the power of the words – if anything, it makes it more pleasing to the ear.

Justin Timberlake sings “Five Hundred Miles,” made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary. Yes, you have to hear this one to believe it. Timberlake does a great job on this track, as do Sands and actress Carey Mulligan. Somehow, the combination works, as does the strange combination of Isaac, Timberlake and “Girls” star Adam Driver on “Please Mr. Kennedy.” This one is a kooky, fun track that simply needs to be heard to understand.

The next part of the album takes a bit of a turn but still holds its own with melancholic and darker tracks like “The Death of Queen Jane,” sung beautifully by Isaac with an absolutely haunting melody. For a cappella Irish folk fans out there, “The Auld Triangle” is a great little piece sung by half of the band Punch Brothers with help from Mumford and Timberlake – none of whom are Irish. It’s really something to hear the harmony during the chorus in this one.

“The Storms are On the Ocean” is a song filled with wonderful layers of guitar, auto harp and many other folk instruments, sung very sweetly by Nancy Blake. This was the biggest surprise of the album for me without a doubt. It will catch you off guard with how good it is.

The album ends with “Farewell,” an early cut from Bob Dylan. It’s a nice track, and really shows how most folk singers of the time really sounded: raw and unpolished, but perhaps more honest than many singers are capable of today. This and the final Dave Van Ronk track “Green, Green Rocky Road” bring the album full circle and really convey its message as a whole.

This soundtrack is a great collection of folk songs put into a more modern perspective. The songs are timeless and really explore the notions of storytelling. It’s up to us to give these songs of the past another listen and to explore and find meaning in them for ourselves. Sometimes we need to re-explore the past and bathe it in a new light to understand it, and this is exactly what this album has done – and quite successfully at that.