Ten years since his first solo gig and nine years since his first solo recordings, it's a fitting time to unveil the next instalment of Frank Turner's compilation of non-album rarities, The Third Three Years. Released on 24 November 2014 through Xtra Mile Recordings, it will be available on CD and digital at all shops and online retailers.
You can preorder the digital album at iTunes and Xtra Mile Recordings and instantly receive the exceptional alternative version of ‘The Way I Tend To Be’ for free.
You can also preorder the physical album from Amazon and Banquet now. Xtra Mile Recordings will be offering a bundle of the album with an exclusive t-shirt very soon - more details on that to come.
You can sample a snippet of The Third Three Years here with a stream of a beautiful piano version of 'The Way I Tend To Be'. Full tracklisting of the album at the bottom of the page.
The past three years have been astonishing for Frank Turner. It has seen his album Tape Deck Heart enter the UK Charts at Number 2; previous albums England Keep My Bones and Love Ire & Song being certified gold and silver respectively, selling out Wembley Arena, playing the London Olympics Opening Ceremony and headlining his own UK arena tour. And, (probably) most importantly, winning Celebrity Mastermind. It’s testament to his relentless work ethic that he’s also managed to amass a variety of non-album recordings that makes up this 20+ track selection. Comprised of original songs, live takes, covers, digital only tracks and songs from tribute albums, iTunes sessions, guest spots and collaborations, unreleased or unheard demos and radio sessions – this is a must have for any Frank fans and collectors alike.
Photo by Gregory Nolan
Kicking off with a studio version of live favourite 'Somebody To Love' by Queen, Frank dips into a lively rambling trip around our fair isle with EP track 'Sweet Albion Blues', strips back for a rousing yet level-headed take on the 2011 London riots on 'Riot Song' (naturally) and reveals a hidden gem from the Tape Deck Heart demos, ‘Something of Freedom’.
The next slab of music is Frank’s more recent covers and collaborations ranging from the sublime (Emily Barker’s ‘Fields of June’, contributing vocals) and the affecting ('Big Foot' by The Weakerthans, previously unheard) to the raucous (‘Happy New Year’ with Jon Snodgrass), and the unexpected (a Noel Coward cover). Throw in some true American classics in ‘American Girl’ by Tom Petty and ‘Pancho & Lefty’ by Townes Van Zandt and you have an intriguing glimpse into Frank’s diverse musical leanings.
The compilation concludes with a number of live and alternative versions of Frank’s songs, and one Springsteen cover, the timeless ‘Born To Run’. Matt Nasir from The Sleeping Souls accompanies Frank on incredible new, rawer versions of ‘Plain Sailing Weather’, ‘Tell Tale Signs’ and ‘The Way I Tend To Be’, while the rest of the Souls get an outing on the full-band live performance of 'Dan’s Song'.
Full tracklisting is below:
1 Somebody To Love (Queen cover – RSD '12 7”)
2 Hits & Mrs (Losing Days EP)
3 Sweet Albion Blues (Polaroid Picture EP)
4 Riot Song (Fuck the Fire EP)
5 Something of Freedom (demo)
6 Fields of June (w/ Emily Barker/Red Clay Halo)
7 Happy New Year (w/ Jon Snodgrass)
8 American Girl (Tom Petty cover – home demo)
9 There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner (Noel Coward cover – Franz Nicolay split EP)
10 Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Zandt cover – Spotify Session EP w/ Jim Eno)
11 Big Foot (The Weakerthans cover – home demo)
12 Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney/Wings cover – iTunes session)
13 The Corner (Cory Branan cover)
14 Keira (Tony Sly cover – 'The Song of Tony Sly' tribute album)
15 Plain Sailing Weather (w/Matt Nasir – The Cutting Room sessions)
16 Tell Tale Signs (w/Matt Nasir – iTunes sessions)
17 The Way I Tend To Be (w/Matt Nasir – iTunes sessions)
18 The Ballad of Me and My Friends (live from Twin Cities, Minnesota)
19 Broken Piano (home demo)
20 Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen cover – The Cutting Room sessions)
21 Dan's Song (full band - live)
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