Frank Turner Releases New Single "1933", Plots New Album

Videos by American Songwriter

“You can’t fix the world if all you have is a hammer,” Frank Turner sings on his new single, “1933.”

The English singer-songwriter, once dubbed “the people’s prince of punk poetry” by British magazine NME, has announced the upcoming release of his seventh studio album Be More Kind, out May 4th.

In advance of the album, Turner has released the single “1933,” a furious and clattering anthem.

When Turner saw articles and news pieces linking the alt-right to punk rock, he was incredulous and angry. “The idea that Breitbart or Steve Bannon think they have anything to do with punk rock makes me extremely angry,” Turner said. So, in response, he wrote “1933.”

Be More Kind, which will combine the political with the personal and channel raw emotion into universal anthems, aims to veer into the experimental while holding to Turner’s signature blend of punk rock and folk, according to the press release.

“I wanted to try and get out of my comfort zone and do something different,” Turner said.

Originally, Turner had planned to write a concept album honoring forgotten women throughout history. But then, as he puts it, “the world decided to go collectively nuts.” He abandoned the concept album and began writing the songs that would make up Be More Kind. While a central theme is politics, the album also focuses on empathy, even for enemies.

“You should at least be able to inhabit the mental universe of the people you disagree with,” he offered. “If you can’t do that, then how do you communicate with people, other than through force of arms?”

In support of Be More Kind, Turner will embarking on his first worldwide headlining tour. Check out the dates below and listen to “1933.”

North American Tour Dates:

Thu April 05	Mexico City, MX	Caradura
Thu May 31	Detroit, MI	The Fillmore
Fri June 01	Pittsburgh, PA	Stage AE
Sat June 02	Columbus, OH	Express Live^
Sun June 03	Baltimore, MD	Pier Six Pavilion
Tue June 05	Philadelphia, PA	The Fillmore
Wed June 06	New York, NY	Playstation Theater^
Fri June 08	Charlotte, NC	The Fillmore
Sat June 09	Atlanta, GA	The Tabernacle
Sun June 10	Orlando, FL	House of Blues
Tue June 12	Dallas, TX	House of Blues
Wed June 13	Austin, TX	Stubb’s
Fri June 15	Phoenix, AZ	Van Buren
Sat June 16	Los Angeles, CA	Hollywood Palladium
Sun June 17	San Francisco, CA	Warfield Theatre
Tue June 19	Salt Lake City, UT	The Complex
Thu June 21	Kansas City, MO	The Truman**
Fri June 22	Minneapolis, MN	Myth
Sat June 23	Chicago, IL	Aragon Ballroom
Sun June 24	Cleveland, OH	House of Blues
Tue June 26	Boston, MA	Royale
Wed June 27	Boston, MA	Royale
Mon July 30	Big Indian, NY	Campfire Punk Rock
Tue July 31	Big Indian, NY	Campfire Punk Rock
Wed Aug 01	Big Indian, NY	Campfire Punk Rock
Thu Aug 02	Big Indian, NY	Campfire Punk Rock
Fri Aug 03	Denver, CO	Red Rocks*
Thu Sep 06	Portland, OR	Crystal Ballroom
Fri Sep 07	Seattle, WA	Moore Theatre
Sat Sep 08	Vancouver, BC	The Vogue Theater
Sun Sep 09	Victoria, BC	Alix Goolden Performance Hall
Tue Sep 11	Edmonton, AB	Winspear Centre
Wed Sep 12	Calgary, AB	MacEwan Hall
Fri Sep 14	Saskatoon, SK	O’Brians
Sat Sep 15	Winnipeg, MB	Burton Cummings Theatre
Tue Sep 18	London, ON	London Music Hall
Wed Sep 19	Toronto, ON	The Phoenix Concert Theater
Sat Sep 22	Montreal, QC	Corona Theater
Mon Sep 24	Ottawa, ON	Bronson Centre
Wed Sep 26	Burlington, VT	Higher Ground
Sat Sep 29	Asbury Park, NJ	Hear Me Sea Festival
Sun Sep 30	Ithaca, NY	State Theatre
Mon Oct 01	Charlottesville, VA	Jefferson Theater
Wed Oct 03	Asheville, NC	The Orange Peel
Thu Oct 04	Nashville, TN	Cannery Ballroom
Fri Oct 05	Cincinnati, OH	Bogart’s
Sat Oct 06	Milwaukee, WI	Pabst Theate