Frank From Blue Velvet is a unique father-and-daughter-led collaboration, born from a journey of emotional healing and shared passion. When Andrew J Davies (the father) left the family home, the separation deeply affected the family dynamics. Ruby (the daughter) was left feeling angry and profoundly hurt, creating a rift between them. For a period, the two didn’t speak, and when they eventually did, the pain and unresolved emotions hung heavy in the air, making their interactions strained and difficult for both. Over time, however, their relationship began to mend. Their shared love of music had always connected them, but it ultimately became the bridge that brought them closer together. Ruby accepted her father’s invitation to join the band. Together with former Peter & the Test Tube Babies drummer, Og’s, they form the core trio which expands from time to time to include violin, cornet, and keyboards. They have a new album `I Am Frank` released this month.
We are introduced to the release via `Running Man` which is both reflective and dark. The film of the same name came to mind where the main character was running to freedom from a totalitarian state. There`s screaming towards the end but overall I felt it hinted at the redemptive phrase ” in the midst of dark there is light” a lesson of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. A rolling rhythmic beat leads us into `The Lullaby` which is a bleak bedtime story in anybody`s eyes. Ruby`s vocals in a language unfamiliar to me gave it a wonderful folk like sensibility.
`Empty` with it`s almost Latin cha cha vibe is delightfully introspective and expresses how life has changed significantly positively with the onset of a new romance. We enjoy a further meditative, contemplative submission with `Two Rolls of the Dice` which encourages us to take a chance or a risk with an uncertain outcome. The track really takes off at pace in the final minute.
`Last Chance Saloon` is a metaphorical expression of a final opportunity for someone or something to succeed or achieve a desired outcome. It`s delightfully odd and shifts and changes musical direction as it evolves in a chameleonic way with electronic tones and deep drum resonances and trumpet that give it an almost a Mexican feel. There`s an almost dystopian texture to `Falling` which starts with the narrator reading his own obituary which sets off a pattern for the day ahead before attending his own wake where there`s a small turn out of unfamiliar faces. Maybe a metaphorical tale of ironic self-examination.
`The Fog` is soulful and dreamy but at the same time pensive and brooding. There`s a superb line in the midst of this opus, one amongst many “a dog without a tail to wag, a fire without a flame, a kiss without a longing look, a man without a name” charmingly elegant. We enjoy a more satirical melodic pop like offering with the wonderfully titled `I Know You’re Damaged`.
We close out with the album`s title track `I Am Frank` where you can read into it what you want. Is it Frank from the film Blue Velvet or just an observation that we all have traits of that character within us. To me it even had a Frankie Laine texture although it took off in an ambient electro almost The Orb like soundscape at times.
`I Am Frank` is a sheer delight and just when you think it can`t get any better than this, it does. There`s many genres and styles within, with touches of electronica, country, garage rock, gothic noir and it is at times fairly experimental but throughout its both unique and captivating.
Rating 8.5/10
