What About Frank – S/T / 2005 Self / 14 Tracks / http://www.whataboutfrank.com / http://www.myspace.com/whataboutfrank / Reviewed 08 January 2006

This five-piece act comes out of the gates with a style of rock that is very middle of the road, with a number of influences that are not overstated in any way. The disc’s first track, “The March of Elephants” mixes together a very clipped type of indie rock a la Franz Ferdinand, while there seems to be a falsetto that rivals that of any seventies arena rock act.

Different styles dominate at different points on this disc; for example, where the burning fury of emo comes through on tracks like “Too Bright to Understand”, a more mellow vibe (an almost jam-band type of thing) is the genre du jour during “Never You Mind”. It is impressive to see What About Frank doing something so innovative, as the amount of acts that spend decades attempting the same style is staggering. Something that is a constant during What About Frank’s music is a frantic energy that is present regardless of the tempo or general sound of the track. The sheer amount of influences that struggle for dominance during a What About Frank is a sight to behold; during a song like “Such A Sad Sunrise” , Donovan clashes with Rush and Boston while a Sublime type of vocals lead that front. In fact, the supersonic vocals achieved by Mark are more akin to those by Claudio (Coheed and Cambria).

It is true that What About Frank completely couches to vocals in an older set of styles than Coheed, but the sincerity of both vocalists are something that cannot be called into question. What About Frank is an act that deserves the limelight, and with radio-ready tracks like “Such A Sad Surprise” being common fare on the disc, there is little doubt that they will get noticed sooner rather than later. The ability of What About Frank to construct a track that is as emotionally compelling without vocals as what most bands are capable of with vocals shows the talent of this act; the arrangements of “On A Rooftop” being a tremendous story telling force. What About Frank comes out with a very strong album; aside from having singles that could be played on radio, the cohesion enjoyed by the CD as a whole is enough to ensure high replay value for years to come. Pick this up from the band and be swept away on waves of a rock that few have heard since the seventies.

Top Tracks: Such A Sad Surprise, Safer In September

  Rating: 6.9/10

[JMcQ]