• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

Frank: Here Together

Melodic Rock

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter YouTube
Independent/Unsigned
by Craig Hartranft,  04.09.2012

In the vernacular, 'to be frank' generally means to be honest or straight forward, not pulling any punches. Brooklyn band Frank is exactly that. On their third album, Here Together, they're not necessarily following convention or trying to be hip or modern. Yet, I wonder if the hipster crowd isn't digging this indie band while they sip their Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Frank: on the dock, waiting for the next delivery.

Frank could be twice removed from the Seventies or Eighties with their simple and direct, polished but minimalist, rock sound. These guys have well-paying day jobs. So this must be labor of love. Fortunately, for us they put out some easy listening melodic rock. Though the song Cracks gets a little heavy, and rowdy, in the latter third.

Honestly, the best characteristic of Frank is the simple genuineness of their music. I wouldn't say it's novel, different, or genre bending. But it is compelling for the very same reasons it's none of those things. Here's four musicians wanting to simply create music, hoping for an audience, but not caring if it shows up. This is music for music's sake, creativity at its noncommercial best. Good for them, and good for those who buy their stuff or experience them live.

Top picks: the aforementioned Cracks, and also Shine, Here Together, Peace Out, and Halo. Strong and entertaining music doesn't always make the mainstream. I don't know what Frank would do with the success anyway. Succumb to fame? I doubt. Recommended.

Frank's Here Together, by definition, is the result of four musicians simply doing what the love without regard to convention or trends. This is very nice and entertaining indie melodic rock.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]