The singer-songwriter gig is a hard one. You have to be the center of attention, captivating your audience from start to finish. Yes, Frank Turner plays with a backing band (The Sleeping Souls), but the focus is always on Turner, be it on stage or on a 14 song LP. And he’s willing to put it all out there. Many of the topics on this record are built on that feeling of having all eyes on you, balanced with the challenges and blowback it sometimes receives. I’m painting with broad strokes, but the record as a whole is about finding self-confidence as you face life’s problem: big and small, personal and political. It’s about fighting for yourself and coming out ahead, standing tall as if you’re undefeated.
It’s ultimately singer-songwriter style or rock-folk, with electric instrumentation and a strong punk ethos. Throughout you’ll get an anti-authority tone, communal vibes and singalong choruses. It’s pretty blunt on tunes like the pub stomper “Never Mind The Back Problems,” the less than subtle “I’ve returned to being an angry man” theme in “No Thank You For The Music” or the almost folk-oi structure of “The Leaders.” Turner’s background in the punk scene leaves a pretty clear stamp. That said, the record is a lot more diverse than that. For the most part, his voice is front and center, dominating the mix even when the songs get heavier in the background. About half the record is more of the solo-style balladry approach you expect of the genre, with those songs tending to get more personal in topic, like “Ceasefire” or “Letters.” “Girl From the Record Shop” is a straight-up pop jam (meant in the best way).
I think a somewhat throwaway line in “Never Mind The Back Problems” really brings it all together when Turner proclaims, “I’ve got a taste for techno and I like Counting Crows.” The song itself is about being an aging punk, but the namedrops also highlight the diverse influences that weave throughout this record.
The biggest downside here is that when it’s just one voice, it takes a lot to captivate and 14 songs is a lot. The changing tempos help, but it feels like the last few songs drag a little. Undefeated is another strong entry in Turner’s discography and it checks every box you’d expect if you know his work. Personal standouts include “International Hide and Seek Champions,” “Never Mind The Back Problems,” and “Do One.” “Somewhere Inbetween” is maybe the best example of his range. There’s essentially a song for every mood on here, and Turner is not to keep his opinion to himself. While the music is ultimately positive in a let’s-raise-a-pint-together tone, there’s an underscored bitterness or snarl that captures the complexity of real life that goes beyond simple genre labels with a unique twist on folk-inspired rock.
