Adam Franklin - Spent Bullets

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 10 / 8 / 2009

Label: Second Motion
Format: CD

intro

Thoughtful second album from Adam Franklin, the former frontman with Creation Records band Swervedriver and currently Magnetic Morning

Adam Franklin fronted Creation Records band Swervedriver between 1990 and 1998. Last year they had their back catalogue remastered and reissued and also reformed and toured. Between 1999 and 2006 Adam recorded and toured under the moniker of Toshack Highway. In 2006 he formed a new band Magnetic Morning with Sam Fogarino of Interpol, and this year, which also saw their debut album come out in January, also sees the release of the second album under Adam's own name, 'Spent Bullets'. Its sleeve has a mad Gothic look, but the music isn't Gothic at all. 'Spent Bullets' opens with Surge, which sounds like a classic Boo Radleys track. It is full of big pop moments with extra smooth guitars, and very much sounds like the work of a Creation Records artist. On 'Teardrops Keep on Fallin' Out My Head', Adam sounds like a reflective Lennon on a downer of a trip. 'Bolts of Melody' is very reflective with trippy guitar and is another moody number. 'Autumn Leaf' is a thoughtful piano ballad and a song to lose yourself in. 'Winter Girls' is a dark 1970's-style Pink Floyd number, while 'It Hurts to See You Go' is a song that just drags itself along. 'Big Sur', which is named after a Jack Kerouac novel, is a slow burner, with a very 1970's-sounding funk guitar solo. 'Champs' is smooth in tone and has an early 90s Creation feel to it. 'End Credits' sounds like Scott Walker playing Blur's 'To the End', while 'Two Dollar Dress', which closes the album, sounds like a thoughtful Teenage Fanclub on downers.

Track Listing:-