Tape Deck Heart (Album) - Frank Turner

I can say of all Frank Turner albums that I tend to enjoy about two thirds of their content. This latest one is no exception, and that is certainly not a criticism. There is more good than bad on this album – as has been the case with all his albums thus far – which is admirable for an artist who releases new material as frequently as Mr Turner. 

Opener ‘Recovery’ starts the album off strongly, juxtaposing the lyrical content of recovering from a break up, with a typically catchy and upbeat tune. I can’t help but indulge in a bit of immaturity whenever the line “And you know your life is heading in a questionable direction” comes in, and I can’t help but replace the following line with “When you’re just into your thirties, yet you can’t get an erection”! Joking aside though, it is one of the best tracks on the album, and a solid choice for the first single (please also check out my single review of the track).

This is followed by ‘Losing Days’ which a solid track, revolving around the theme of getting older and no longer being care-free and youthful. The inclusion of a mandolin prompted one reviewer to make comparisons to ‘Losing My Religion’ which I think is a little bit too much. The track is far more Hootie and the Blowfish than it is R.E.M., and if you don’t agree then listen to this track side by side with ‘Hannah Jane’ from “Cracked Rear View”. If this seems like a criticism, it is not intended to be, as I said the track is solid enough but I wouldn’t put it amongst my absolute favourite Frank Turner songs. 

The second single ‘The Way I Tend To Be’ is up next, and is a fine showcase for Frank’s song-writing. The break-up theme of the album is continued here, and done very well. Being an avid fan of Game of Thrones I misheard one of the lyrics as “you stood apart in my khalasar” as opposed to “calloused heart” the first time I heard the song.

After a solid opening three tracks, the album unfortunately loses me on the next three. I’m aware that these may be a lot of people’s favourites, but they really don’t work for me. Both ‘Plain Sailing Weather’ and ‘Good & Gone’ overuse the word “fuck” in a manner that just seems excessive, and lacks the satisfaction of a more effective deployment of the same word (such as ‘Love, Ire and Song’). It is something that irks me about Frank Turner sometimes. ‘Tell Tale Signs’ opening line of “God dammit Amy” is immediately jarring, and the rest of the song hasn’t really won me over, either.

Things then pick up again, and the bombastic, arena-filling choruses that are a staple of Frank Turner’s albums, make their presence felt on ‘Four Simple Words’. I wasn’t too keen on this track when I first heard it, but repeated listens make it hard to really dislike because Frank is clearly having a great time singing it. If I wanted to be really nitpicky, I could draw attention to the fact that Frank says “I wanna dance” far more often than he says “I want to dance”, which wouldn’t be much of an issue if the song title, and introduction drew so much attention to the fact that it’s four simple words, and not three. Not a major issue, just something I wanted to point out.

‘Polaroid Picture’ is a curiosity, as I have a fondness for songs centred around nostalgia, but the rockier edge to the choruses seems a bit gratuitous, not quite complimenting the subject matter. No matter though, as the next two tracks really show off Frank really getting it right. ‘The Fisher King Blues’ is my favourite track on the whole album, starting with a catchy repeated phrase on the guitar, and gradually building into a triumphant five-minute-long anthem, with a powerful refrain to close it out: “All you broken boys and girls/ With your tattered flags unfurled”. Then Frank proves that he is fully capable of understatement – which is something I’ve often wondered at – on the beautifully simple ‘Anymore’. There is no grand arrangement, or catchy stadium-filling chorus required on this short, sad, break-up themed song.

‘Oh Brother’ follows, and like ‘Polaroid Picture’ it is something of a mixed bag, as the lyrics tend to venture between being really good at certain points, but then clunky at others; the lyrics in the opening verse are structured really strangely, and in my opinion should have done with some additional fine-tuning before this track was taken into the studio. The album then rounds off with ‘Broken Piano’ which has a more ominous tone rumbling throughout, than previous album closers have had. This song takes its time to build, and it is not until after the three-minute-mark that Frank’s lonely voice is supported by a pounding drum-beat, and additional backing vocalists. 

“Tape Deck Heart” is a solid fifth album, containing several standout tracks, and venturing into some less-familiar territory, whilst also retaining a lot of what has made him so popular to begin with. I have my misgivings about certain tracks, but on the whole there is a lot that I like about the album. Frank Turner is clearly an artist who knows exactly what he’s doing, and is very good at it. I’m already looking forward to whatever is coming next, and considering the work-rate of this man, I may not have to wait for very long to find out what that will be.

Game of Thrones - Season Three: The Rains Of Castamere

The Red Wedding!

I knew that it was coming. And I knew that once I’d seen it, I would not be able to un-see it!

I read ‘A Storm of Swords’ before season 2 was broadcast, so I have known for quite some time where Robb’s storyline was heading. I have also been sitting on this colossal spoiler for over a year and a half, and – unlike about a million online commenters – I didn’t choose to reveal what happens to everyone that I know who’s a fan of the show but hasn’t read the books. 

It’s a shocker; arguably the most infamous event in George R.R. Martin’s epic saga. The end of the Northern Rebellion. The end of Robb Stark’s reign as King in the North. The end of Robb, Grey Wind, most of the northern bannermen, Talisa and her unborn baby (something that didn’t even happen in the books, which made it even more horrific) and as if that wasn’t enough, the episode concluded with Catelyn’s death as well!

I watched this episode with a queasy feeling in my stomach, and as I watched the events unfold it became even worse, because I knew exactly where it was leading. Whenever there was a shift in tone to lighten the mood; such as Blackfish glancing across at Walder Frey’s other daughters; some of Walder’s darkly comic bluntness; or even the moment elsewhere when Sam finally got to realise his dream of being a wizard; it just made the feeling even worse as the inevitable tragedy drew ever nearer.

The episode began on a more optimistic note, as Robb and Catelyn made peace with one another, and agreed to take Casterly Rock. Although he had never lost a battle, Robb’s war effort was failing. The loss of Winterfell, the betrayal of the Karstarks, and the apparent deaths of Bran and Rickon (the viewers know otherwise, but remember that as far as Robb and Catelyn are aware, the two youngest Starks are dead) all devastated Robb’s cause. If he were able to take Casterly Rock from the Lannisters it would likely reignite many Northerners whose faith in Robb was waning. But of course, when things start to look optimistic for people in Westeros, it is normally a sign that things are going to take a turn.

The episode then moves into The Twin’s, where Robb and all of his companions undergo the tradition of ‘Guest Right’, which guarantee’s protection under a stranger’s roof. This is all part of Lord Walder’s plan, as the Northmen would never suspect betrayal once such a traditional and sacred oath has been taken. Robb is then confronted by all of Lord Frey’s daughters, to whom he apologises for breaking his oath, whilst Edmure glances at them all to try and figure out which one he’ll be marrying (but she isn’t present). Having apologised, Robb then appears to make peace with Walder Frey – though not before the creepy old man leers over Robb’s young wife – and the wedding is set to begin.

There is some deviation from the wedding storyline, as two paths converge (albeit briefly) when Jon Snow’s Wildling conquest collides with Bran’s journey to the Wall. Sadly the two are not reunited, but this circumstance allows for Bran to save Jon’s life. Jon’s allegiance is to the Night’s Watch, and that became clear when he refused to kill an old man who was a friend to the Watch. The Wildling’s then turned on him, and a fight ensued. Jon was fighting alone – since Tormund held Ygritte at bay – and so would not have been able to survive a battle with the whole group of Wildling’s, but fortunately Bran discovered the extent of his powers as a Warg, and took possession of his direwolf’s mind in order to give Jon an assist. Mackenzie Crook then made his exit from the show, as Jon ran through Orell with his sword. Bran wasn’t the only Warg around though, and Orell took possession of his eagle once more before dying and savaged Jon’s face. Jon escapes, but leaves Ygritte behind. The look on her face spoke volumes.

This was a very impressive scene and a satisfying pay-off to this storyline (for now), my only criticism was that it took place during a very busy episode and could have been saved for the finale. Having said that, I don’t know what is going to take place next week, presumably it will also be a very full episode, in which case I will retract this minor criticism.

There was also a very sad separation of the two youngest Stark boys. Rickon suddenly found himself with more dialogue than he’s ever had, which hinted at a significant development in his storyline. Bran is going to venture beyond the Wall with the Reed’s and Hodor, while Osha will take Rickon to House Umber (one of the remaining loyal Northern households). I don’t actually know what this will lead to, but maybe this will result in another appearance from Clive Mantle as the Greatjon (whose absence after the first season was never really explained).

Also taking place was conflict in Yunkai, where Dany’s latest ally: Daario Naharis, showed off his prowess as a warrior, alongside Grey Worm and Ser Jorah. It was nice to finally see Jorah in action, for the first time since the first season, as the older Knight held his own, alongside his younger allies. Sadly for Jorah, the woman he loves and has kept safe for such a long time now has eyes only for Daario. Jorah risked his life for Danaerys in this episode, but received no congratulations for it.

Significant events abound this week, but they are all outdone by the Red Wedding. Edmure agreed to marry a girl he didn’t know, and had never seen before, and was granted some smugness when she was eventually revealed to him. The two were then married, and the celebrations began. All seemed well, and playful dialogue was exchanged between Catelyn and her Uncle (who was fortunate enough to get himself out before everything went horribly wrong). 

There was also a very moving scene between Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin – as Robb and Talisa respectively – as they finally had a moment to enjoy their relationship. The chemistry between them was very strong, and they were very believable as a couple. Then she revealed that she would name her baby Eddard after Robb’s father. This inclusion was not even in the books, as Talisa (or Jeyne as she is called there) doesn’t attend the wedding. She is not pregnant in the books either, but the show’s creators decided to increase the levels of tragedy even more.

Once Edmure and his new wife were carried from the room for the bedding, as per the rather strange tradition of Westeros, the doors of the hall were sealed and Catelyn suddenly heard the familiar strains of “The Rains Of Castamere” being played by the musicians. Nobody else heard it, but by this point it was too late. Catelyn sat beside Roose Bolton, who gave her a calm look, indicating that he was in on the terrible scheme, and she realised that he was armoured underneath his clothes. She slapped him and screamed a warning to Robb, but the musicians revealed themselves to be sellswords armed with crossbows and unloaded their bolts into Robb and his allies, whilst one of the Frey sons stabbed Talisa repeatedly in the stomach.

Outside the castle Arya arrived with the Hound, just in time to see the Northmen be massacred. She then saw Robb’s direwolf Grey Wind, trapped inside a kennel. She didn’t have enough time to let the wolf out though, because Frey bannermen fired crossbow bolts into the direwolf, and Arya saw Grey Wind’s eyes close. She was then knocked out by The Hound and carried away, curiously she’s safer with him than with just about anyone else right now.

Back inside the castle, Lord Frey raised his hand to cease the bloodshed, as Robb crawled over to his wife as she died. Catelyn knew that she was lost, but tried desperately to barter with Lord Walder to let her son go free. She grabbed Walder’s young wife and threatened to kill her unless Robb be allowed to leave. Unfortunately, Lord Walder didn’t have much affection for his wife. Robb rose to his feet, just in time for Roose Bolton to step up and stab him in the heart, declaring “The Lannister’s send their regards”. Robb dies and collapses beside his wife, and Catelyn goes wild with grief and slits the throat of Walder’s wife. She then remains completely motionless in light of all that has happened, until one of the Frey’s steps up behind her and slits her throat too.

There are a lot of shocking events that take place throughout “A Song Of Ice And Fire” but I don’t think that any of them are as shocking as The Red Wedding. Before this season began George R.R. Martin had said in an interview that he would have to find a remote island somewhere, to hide away from the backlash that these events may inspire from fans.

This was an absolutely stunning episode, bold, brutal and absolutely devastating. Nothing will ever be the same after this.

Game of Thrones - Season Three: Second Sons

There were no Robb, Bran or Jon Snow scenes this week, which allowed the storylines that were present to get more focus and attention. This made for a very satisfying episode overall.

The episode began with a short scene involving Arya and The Hound, wherein she contemplates killing him – he is after all one of the men whose name she recites every night – but decides against doing so, even though he made no physical attempt to stop her. He then reveals to her that he is no longer working for Joffrey through a short, sharp reminder of his resignation speech last season: “Fuck Joffrey!” before they head towards The Twins for Edmure’s wedding. 

There was a lot more from Daenerys’ storyline this week, as she was introduced to the sellsword (mercenary) army The Second Sons. Their leader Mero: The Titan’s Bastard managed to endear himself to audiences during his first scene, coming across as a vastly complex and likeable figure. Ultimately though he wasn’t really the important new character to be introduced in this episode; that honour went to Daario Naharis, supposedly Mero’s subordinate. There were some nice little moments from all of Dany’s advisers during the negotiation scene, although I do hope at some point we’ll get to see Jorah or Barristan or even the Unsullied army in action. 

Daario then proved his skill by easily sneaking into Daenerys’ tent, where he could have very easily killed her. But that was not his intention. Instead he presented her with the heads of the other captains of the Second Sons. I suppose that the average audience member can only take in so many new characters at such a late stage, killing off two new characters in the same episode in which they were introduced seems as good a method as any I suppose. I appreciated the use of the term “lovely girl” spoken by Daario, as it was somewhat reminiscent of Jaqen H’Ghar from last season. He then pledged his allegiance to Danaerys’ offering her the Second Sons as well. As much as I’ve enjoyed Dany’s storyline this season, she is starting to show such little emotion in her scenes, it may become difficult to invest in her character. Maybe all she needs is a new love interest...  

After what felt like a lengthy absence there was a decent development for Stannis in this episode, and also the return of Davos. I really like the relationship between these two, and have been looking forward to seeing them share more dialogue. I think it has literally been the length of a whole season since they last had a proper exchange, as it was during the eighth episode of season two when Stannis talked with Davos about his involvement in Robert’s Rebellion, and also promised to name him ‘Hand of the King’. This scene proved that there is still a friendship between these two characters, even though Stannis had Davos imprisoned. Stannis also values Davos’ counsel, and visits him to be the voice of reason concerning the issue of sacrificing Gendry to R’Hollor (The Red God) as a part of his cause. Stannis also revealed what he saw in the flames during the finale of the second season: a great battle in the snow. Winter is coming, it would seem.

Also, in case people are curious or perplexed, there is a reason why Davos is learning how to read, it’s not simply a way to make the character more sympathetic.

Gendry shared a scene with Melisandre, during which he was seduced. I’m sure at the start of the season people wouldn’t have predicted this being where his character would end up. Perhaps an awkward romance angle with the much younger Arya would have been a prediction, but not being seduced by an older woman as part of her religious practice. Gendry was not killed – proving that Davos’ influence was put into effect – instead he had some of his royal blood sucked out by three leeches. While gross, this is infinitely preferable to being dead. Stannis then threw the leeches into the flames one by one, naming each ‘false king’ as he did so: Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy (Theon’s father in case anyone has forgotten, as he has not appeared in a long time) and Joffrey Baratheon.

The majority of this week’s episode was placed onto the wedding between Tyrion and Sansa, during which there was a return to form for both Joffrey and Tyrion. Joffrey has always been horrible, but there have been several satisfying moments during this season when he has been put in his place, or shown to be weak. During the wedding though, he was more malicious and reprehensible than ever. Also, I have felt that Tyrion has been somewhat muzzled as a character, having to take on more of a serious role (which Peter Dinklage has done very well) but during the wedding, he was allowed to show off more of the ‘awesomeness’ (for want of a better word) that people love about his character. I really enjoyed his drunkenness during the wedding feast, especially the grin on his face as he filled his cup right up to the brim. Then the power of his threat to Joffrey was delivered with such conviction, I reckon that people watching may have thought for a moment that he would actually follow through on it. 

There was no Jon Snow this week, but there was a highly significant moment for Sam, as he was required to overcome his cowardly nature to rescue Gilly’s baby. While the two of them discussed different names, a glimpse into Sam’s past was offered, as he revealed his fear of his own father Randyll Tarly. There was an eerie tension to this scene, as a large flock of crows (I think the collective term is ‘murder of crows’) gathered and made increasing amounts of noise. Then suddenly the noise stopped, and a White Walker emerged. Sam attempted to do the honourable thing and put himself between the Walker and Gilly, but it was revealed that normal weapons are completely useless against White Walkers, as it shattered Sam’s sword as if it were made of glass. Then the true purpose of the obsidian dagger Sam had found, was revealed, and ‘Sam the coward’ became ‘Sam the Slayer’ being the unlikely first person to kill a White Walker so far this season. Unfortunately he rather stupidly left the invaluable and rare obsidian dagger on the ground as he and Gilly ran off into the credit sequence.

This was a very good episode, delivering the first wedding that has been built up so far. There were a lot of nice little interactions between other characters during the King’s Landing scenes. Cersei decided that she is no longer going to pretend to get on with Margaery and the Tyrells, openly threatening Margaery after telling her the full story behind the “Rains of Castamere” song. Another highlight of the episode was the look on Bronn’s face as he gave Sansa a courteous nod as she made her way up to the altar. I don’t know why, but that moment really made me laugh!

Normally I try to end my entries by briefly summing up, and then looking ahead to the next episode, but I’ll say nothing more for now. The next episode should speak for itself.

Recovery (Single) - Frank Turner

I only recently came to discover Frank Turner, about a year and a half ago. I discovered the song ‘Isabel’ from his third album “Poetry Of The Deed” which was enough to spark my curiosity, and shortly after I bought that selfsame album. There was a lot of good tracks on there, and because of my ‘late arrival’ to the Frank Turner bandwagon, the rest of his albums were inexpensive and easy to get hold of. I have to say that “Love, Ire and Song” is the best of his albums to date, and although he has released consistently solid material since then, he set himself the difficult task of surpassing that one (something I don’t think he’ll be able to do).

I am currently on the fence as to whether to buy his latest album “Tape Deck Heart” or not, because I am currently very short on money and even simple joys such as purchasing an album make me think twice. I’m sure the album is a good one – indeed the response from fans and critics has been almost universally positive – but I think I’ll have to wait until the album goes down in price before I add it to my collection. If someone can convince me that the album is an essential purchase, then by all means do so, and I’ll stop meandering.

In the meantime there is the lead single, ‘Recovery’ which is also the opening track from “Tape Deck Heart” which sets the tone for a ‘break-up’ album. Frank’s lyrical touch is unmistakable right from the start, telling the story from a first person perspective, detailing the depressive states of a break up and the regret-laden memories of simpler times. The backing group – The Sleeping Souls – add plenty of bombast to the track with pounding drums and fast guitars, all conjoining to give this song the lively, sing-a-long tone that is a mainstay of all Frank’s albums. It is a fun and enjoyable track, offsetting the darker lyrical content, one that I’ve listened to a bunch of times.

I'll write a review of the album eventually, if someone can convince me that it is worth the money.

Game of Thrones - Season Three: The Bear and The Maiden Fair

For the most part this episode seemed more like a transitional one, developing storylines and character arcs, as opposed to providing action. However the final scene should certainly allow this episode to remain a memorable one.

It turns out that I was wrong in my review of last week’s episode ‘The Climb’, when I said that all of the expendable wildlings were killed when part of The Wall broke away, as a fairly sizeable group made their way through Westeros amongst less snowy terrain. There were tensions between Jon and Orell concerning the Warg’s attempt to cut him loose during the climb. Orell then had a scene with Ygritte when he revealed that he has feelings for her, and so has even more reason to dislike Jon Snow (in addition to not trusting his allegiance). 

This lead to several scenes between Jon and Ygritte; where the woman who supposedly ‘knows everything’ mistook a windmill for a palace. Unfortunately Jon Snow lacked the sass to pay her back for all the many times she has told him that he ‘knows nothing’, with a catchphrase of his own. Then again, I don’t think that sassiness would suit his character very much. After some playful dialogue between the two, Jon told her that the Wildlings will fail, revealing his concern for her wellbeing. She reminded him that they have to remain loyal to one another no matter what happens, and that if they are both going to die, then they should live first.

Jon Snow’s progress has had a significant effect on Bran’s journey, as he’s no longer heading for Castle Black, instead going beyond The Wall to find the mysterious Three-Eyed-Raven which has been appearing to him ever since his fall. Surely his visions and dreams must mean something, and if he is able to find the Three-Eyed-Raven then perhaps he can find out what it really means. Osha has her misgivings about this plan, however, and reveals that she loved a man once. Unfortunately she had to kill the man she loved when he became a wight. As a result of this she has no desire to journey beyond The Wall, because nothing good can come from travelling to a place where dead men come back to life.

Bran is not the only character to have notions of a higher purpose, as Melissandre revealed to Gendry who his real father was. This is a completely new scenario that doesn’t take place in the books, so I’ll be very interested to see where this is heading. This scene also showed the wreckage of Stannis’ fleet, which was destroyed by the wildfire during the Battle of the Blackwater.

Torrential rain slowed down Robb’s progress en route to The Twins for the wedding between Edmure and Walder Frey’s daughter. Blackfish revealed that he has no love for Lord Frey, eloquently comparing him to “wet shit”. There was then a scene between Robb and Talisa when Robb finally had something go right for him for the first time all season, when Talisa revealed that she was pregnant with his child. Robb has suffered a great deal this season, as his war effort has been slowed down by his grandfather’s funeral, the Karstark betrayal, and the news that Winterfell was burned down, so it’s about time he had something go right for him. He was even allowed to ‘leave the war for one night’ to spend time with his Queen.

In King’s Landing talk revolved around the upcoming marriages. Sansa revealed her displeasure at the idea of being married to Tyrion, although the counter-argument was posed by Margery, pointing out that she has to marry Joffrey, so who’s truly getting the worst deal? Tyrion meanwhile had a discussion with Bronn, who didn’t exactly offer his sympathies. Speaking of Bronn, where the hell has he been these last few weeks? Receiving no helpful advice from the sellsword, Tyrion attempted to make amends with Shae by giving her expensive jewellery (well, why not?) but this doesn’t work out so well either. Tyrion has allowed himself to grow too attached to Shae, but because she is a whore their relationship will always be complicated. 

The best scene in King’s Landing this week though, was between Joffrey and Tywin. I’ve been looking forward to this scene all season, and it did not disappoint. With barely any effort at all Tywin was able to make Joffrey look completely pathetic – which he obviously is! It’s high time someone was able to put Joffrey in his place, and this scene was truly satisfying. Jack Gleeson has done a great job of making Joffrey such a detestable character, but seeing him unable to look Tywin in the eye, and hearing the shakiness in his voice was a thing of wonder. Also, Joffrey has always been surrounded by guards which have given him confidence, but here he looked completely helpless and alone, and when Tywin climbed the steps towards the Throne and stood above him there was no doubt as to who is really ruling the Seven Kingdoms. Tywin’s casual formality at the end of the scene was such a great sign-off, I found it more satisfying than seeing Joffrey getting slapped!

Once again Theon had a scene which had me preparing to look away from the screen, knowing where it was eventually leading. At first it appeared that Theon was being offered some relief, and also HBO must have come to the conclusion that there hasn’t been enough nudity these past couple of weeks! But of course it was all just a trick, and after reminding Theon of how much he loved whores, his assailant – STILL unnamed – pulled out a very ugly looking blade and prepared to remove his ‘most precious body part’. Fortunately this wasn’t shown! 

Then we come to the final scene, where Jaime Lannister had a moment of heroism, revealing than in spite of himself he has grown attached to Brienne. Having been released by Roose Bolton – who is now heading to The Twins for Edmure’s wedding – Jaime left Harrenhal without his female companion. Qyburn revealed to Jaime that Locke had plans for Brienne, which were not going to be anything good, especially since his trick with the sapphires was revealed to be a lie. Jaime then returned to Harrenhal, claiming that he had left something behind, and discovered Brienne still wearing her pink dress and attempting to fend off a bear with a wooden sword. The last time someone was armed with a wooden sword on this show it was Syrio Forel, and he took down a group of Lannister soldiers with it, however a wooden sword is not so effective against a bear, nor is Brienne as fast as Syrio. This prompted Jaime to leap into the pit and make the save. I thought for a moment that Jaime was going to push Locke into the pit, but instead he simply signed off with the line “sorry about the sapphires”.

Syrio’s presence was also felt during a short scene between Arya and Beric, where she revealed that she believes in the God of Death, and not the Lord of Light. Feeling betrayed by the Brotherhood she ran away, only to be caught by The Hound. He may have had a soft spot for Sansa, but he doesn’t have the same affection for the younger Stark daughter.

After being absent from last week’s episode Danaerys revealed her newfound power, and that Jorah’s statement back in season one that “having a few dragons makes things easier” is certainly true!

This may not have been the most exciting episode of the season, but the scene between Joffrey and Tywin is worth the proverbial ‘price of admission’ alone! There was a lot of character development, as things continue to build towards the season finale.