As it's been 10 years since his first solo gig and nine years since his first solo recordings – it seems a fitting time to unveil the next installment 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.
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 stripped back and raw 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 appropriate, final, full-band live version 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)