Million Dead - Lock 17, London, 17/4/2006

  by Daniel Cressey

published: 16 / 4 / 2006

intro

Never afraid to show his influences, former Million Dead frontman Frank Turner incorporates both country/folk numbers and also acoustic anthemic rockers. Dan Cressey enjoys an energetic, but short set at London's Lock 17

Never afraid to show his influences, Frank Turner capped off this impressive gig by offering the crowd a choice of two cover versions - nu-folk poster boy Chris TT’s ‘When the Huntsman Comes a Marchin’’ and rock-god Shellac’s ‘Prayer To God’. That he can pull off the first is no real surprise – Turner’s country/folk styling could have been modelled on Chris TT’s and they’ve even played together. That he can pull of the latter is only slightly less surprising. An acoustic version of an anthemic rock number – complete with a chorus that runs “fucking kill him” over and over – could probably be expected from a former punk rocker gone rootsy. That he can segue from one to the other without losing momentum and yet infuse both with both passion and integrity is a surprise. Combined with his own wryly humorous material the night’s short set flies past too quickly for the small but enthusiastic crowd. It’s not a complicated formula but there’s more to most of Turner’s simple songs than most bands’ more complex offerings.

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