WATCH: Frank Turner premieres ‘Make America Great Again’ video
He celebrates the US of A
Frank Turner has premiered the video to his new single ‘Make America Great Again’.
Giving his own spin on President Trump’s slogan, ‘Make America Great Again’ is both a comment on these turbulent political times and also a glorious celebration of the US of A.
Frank says: "This is obviously one of the more provocatively-titled songs I've released in recent years, but in a way, I'm not kidding. America is bloody great, one of my favourite countries in the world.
“Much like back at home, they've had a politically fraught time of late, and I wanted to say something about it. And for the video, I thought I'd make some new friends (in Texas!) to help out with the suggestions."
The accompanying video was filmed while Frank was in Austin, Texas for the South by Southwest festival last month and sees members of the public hold up signs listing the things they love about America.
‘Make America Great Again’ is the latest offshoot from Frank’s upcoming new studio album ‘Be More Kind’, which is released on Friday 4th May via Xtra Mile Recordings/Polydor Records.
The thematically weighty record is described as combining ‘universal anthems with raw emotion and the political and the personal, with the intricate folk and punk roar trademarks of Turner’s sound imbued with new, bold experimental shades.’
As the title suggests, one of the running themes of the album is empathy; even for your arch enemies.
Frank comments: “You should at least be able to inhabit the mental universe of the people you disagree with. If you can’t do that, then how do you communicate with people other than through force of arms, which is something we all agree is a bad idea.”
Impassioned lead single ‘1933’ was penned by Frank in reaction to an article he read that called the alt-right movement ‘punk rock’.
“That filled me with a mixture of incredulity and anger,” says Frank. “The idea that Breitbart or Steve Bannon think they have anything to do with punk rock makes me extremely angry.”
In support of the album, Frank Turner is embarking on an extensive tour of the UK throughout April and into early May. All dates except Belfast, Cambridge, Southend, Hull and Norwich are sold out.