Frank Turner has just released a cover of NOFX’s ‘Falling In Love’, taken from the forthcoming split covers album West Coast Vs. Wessex between himself and NOFX, which is due for release via Fat Mike’s own Fat Wreck Chords label on July 31, 2020. Both artists take five tracks each.
As well as Franks five covers, West Coast Vs. Wessex, captures NOFX filtering five songs from Turner’s sizeable solo back catalogue through their singular sensibility.
“I listened to all his records, and I picked the ones that I thought I could make more interesting,” notes Fat Mike. “What I did is change a lot of chords. Frank, he beats me in the singing department. So I can’t sing better than he can, but I can maybe throw in a melody here or there or chord that he hadn’t thought of.”
Turner took a similar approach. “I didn’t want to just do straight covers of anything. I wanted to try and pick songs where I felt like me and my band could bring something different to the table,” he says. “But it did strike me that it would be cool to demonstrate to the casual NOFX fan, who doesn’t know who I am, that I am actually a fan.
“I didn’t just go to Spotify and pick the five most-listened-to songs.” For the record, only one of his choices appears on Spotify’s top five for NOFX: ‘Bob’, which Turner here transforms into a wistful country song.
Taken from NOFX’s 1997 album So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes, Frank’s version of ‘Falling In Love’ takes into stark, affecting territory with a near unrecognisable vocal. Speaking about the approach behind his version of the track, Turner notes: “When Mike asked me to do a covers split with NOFX, I was blown away, and immediately knew that one of the songs I’d do would be ‘Falling In Love’. I’ve long thought it was one of his best compositions, it’s a beautiful lyric and melody, and I wanted to come at the song in a way that would lay that bare and highlight the beauty of the writing. I think it came out pretty good.”
This track is testament to the brilliance of Turner and also the great songwriting of NOFX. Could are the quick stepping drums and bass lead line. Instead there is figure picked guitar emotional heavy vocals which bring out those wonderful sad lyrics of a plane crash.
Check it out, here
Find out more about Frank Turner via his Website and find out more about NOFX via the bands Website.
Pre order the album here
West Coast Vs. Wessex track-listing
1.Substitute
2. Worse Things Happen At Sea
3. Thatcher Fucked The Kids
4. Ballad Of Me And My Friends
5. Glory Hallelujah
6. Scavenger Type
7. Bob
8. Eat The Meek
9. Perfect Government
10. Falling In Love
Catch both acts as follows;
Punk in Drublic Festival 2021 European Tour Dates Feat. NOFX and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls
13 May FRANCE Chemillé, Théâtre Foirail à Chemille
15 May BELGIUM Boom, De Schorre Open Air
16 May GERMANY Berlin, Zitadelle
21 May AUSTRIA Wiesen, Wiesen Open Air
23 May ITALY Milan, Carroponte
4 June GERMANY Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle
5 June GERMANY Hannover, Faust Open Air
10 June FINLAND Turku, Vanha Surrtori 5
12 June NORWAY Oslo, Oslo Spektrum
13 June SWEDEN Malmö, Folkets Park
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