One of the reasons I am still a big advocate of CD’s is the packaging. I know, it’s not good for the environment blah, blah, blah but it’s part of the art form. It’s also gives record stores a reason to exist and why Blur have recently got back together to produce a couple of new singles. You can’t beat the pleasure of wandering around a record store, and taking a gamble with the random album just because it has a funky cover and then getting it home to find out that you have found a gem. AND, the quality is way better.
But another good reason for them to exist is to look at all of the people that got involved in the album. In this case, I’m talking about a producer on Ellie Gouldings debut album, “Lights“ – Frankmusik.
So based on the fact I though Ellie’s album was good and certainly well produced, I took a punt on Frankmusik’s “Complete Me”. And I have to say, I was not disappointed.
Frankmusik is Vincent Frank (Born Vincent James Turner). He is from Thornton Heath in Croydon which is a terrible place and I should know because I lived there for a bit before my family moved… OK, I was only 3 months old but I have been back since and I still don’t like it. Anyway, that aside, Complete Me is Frank’s debut album and to be honest, it’s a bit of a show-off album.
It starts off with some beautiful dance tunes such as “In Step” showing off the quality and complexity of his talent, and then drifts off for some downbeat stuff to prove he’s not a one trick pony such as “Your Boy”, then off for some more fun stuff with “When You’re Around” which samples “Golden Brown” by the Stranglers… and around we go again.
Actually, the whole sampling thing is a big theme here, and it’s clever. Apparently, some of his samples come from the Commodore C64 (and if you’re too young to know what that is, SHAME ON YOU!), and I can believe it. It’s produced almost in a tongue-in-cheek way but still with a desire to impress and if you need an album that makes you feel good no matter what you’re feeling, this is the one. The ultimate 2010 anthem album and my favorite of the year. Seriously, there isn’t a bad track on the album. Not one.
If you do decide to give it a whirl, make sure you get the version with “Re-Complete Me” on it. It’s basically the whole album again but remixed into one track and it a bit like watching Fight Club. You watch it once and see one film, then see it again once you know the end and you see everything completely differently. Re-Complete Me is the whole album but completely different whilst being the same… that doesn’t make sense does it? You’ll have to trust me on this one. It’s worth the extra pennies.
So I’m going to give this 4 G’s
GGGG
Enjoy.
G