"Feeling more like a last plea to rekindle the success of his past rather than an attempt at something new, To Be Frank is a faceless collection of material that leaves you wondering if anyone even cares anymore."
-All Music Guide
First of all, I'd like to know who hires these people to write reviews. While Nelly Furtado's mediocre effort "Loose" received an 8 out of 10, this under-looked masterpiece filled with pop classics that never were received a disappointing 3. Nik Kershaw is an incredible singer, songwriter, guitarist, and an amazing producer. There are maybe one or two filler tunes on this album, and out of 10 tracks, this means that 8 or 9 of them are top-notch. The pop superstar that once was had a big hit in the 80s with a classic 'Wouldn't It Be Good'. His songwriting skills have clearly not faded, and I will agree with AMG on that. However, AMG believes that once you've gotten a hit in the 80s, there's no career afterwards, and using an example of a 5 that Duran Duran received, I can safely say that they aren't looking for songwriting in an album. The opener 'Wounded' is a kaleidoscope of orchestration, with any instrument possible flying around your earbuds. The following track 'Get Up' is better, the best being 'Jane Doe'. In fact, the only two tracks I didn't really care for were 'Take Me To The Church' and 'Die Laughing'. These songs weren't even bad, they just didn't make an impression on me. The closer 'Show Them What You're Made Of' is a great ballad, and the way every album should end; it makes them want to play again from beginning to end. Last year, when I went into school early, my dad would have the album on repeat. From calypso to funk-rock to acoustic, this album seems to bring everyone into a good mood. This under looked album, at end, leaves you wanting "to be Frank" just one more time.
Sample:
"Wouldn't It Be Good"
No comments:
Post a Comment