Album Review: Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass - "Buddies II: Still Buddies"

 

It's always nice to see some new music from Frank Turner crop up in your review pile especially in trying times such as these. Buddies II is a follow up to the original Buddies which was a collaboration between Turner and Americana singer-songwriter Jon Snodgrass way back in 2010.

It's a short and sweet ten track album which is the sound of two friends knocking about and having fun in the studio as evidenced by Retractions, a musical apology for any factual inaccuracies on the first album and the humorous between song chat between the two of them (although I do get the impression this could start to grate upon repeated listening!). It's an enjoyably varied beast as well from the chilled West Coast shuffle of S-Bar (just try to put images of Jimmy Buffett out of your head while you're listening to it) through the downbeat folk lament of The Fleas to the short sharp pop-punk blast of Stephen Plays The Drums. Bad Times Good Vibes takes this whole principle to its logical conclusion with a fast punky intro before going into a blissed out countrified section.

While I suppose there's an argument that it has a slight hint of a novelty record about it and it's really more something you'd want to listen to once rather than repeatedly, Buddies II is still a very enjoyable listen with a few neat little tricks up its sleeve which will at least put a smile on your face during these dark and depressing plague-infested midwinter times. Give it a spin and cheer yourself up.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)