Undefeated (Frank Turner album) explained

Undefeated
Type:	studio
Artist:	Frank Turner
Cover:	Frank Turner - Undefeated.png
Recorded:	2023
Studio:	No Mersea (Essex) SS2 (Southend-on-Sea) B-Note (Bern)
Length:	45:31
Label:	Xtra Mile
Producer:	Frank Turner
Prev Title:	FTHC
Prev Year:	2022

Undefeated is the tenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Frank Turner. It was released on 3 May 2024 through Xtra Mile Recordings.

Background

Turner wrote, recorded and produced Undefeated all by himself in his home studio on Mersea Island, only backed by his long-time band The Sleeping Souls: Ben Lloyd (guitar), Tarrant Anderson (bass), Callum Green (drums) and Matt Nasir (piano). It is also the first album of his without a big label involved in over a decade.^[1] The artist refers to the album as his "first back home with a global independent label setup" and celebrates the freedom of working as an "independent artist".^[2]

In a statement, Turner explained that there are "no clichés" about the album, which might be "liberating" to him but at the same time feels like having a "duty to justify writing and releasing" a tenth album.^[3] Undefeated was inspired by long-time influences, including Black Flag, Counting Crows, Descendents, The Pogues, Elvis Costello, and Billy Bragg.^[4]

Personnel

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

• Frank Turner – vocals, guitars, production, arrangement
• Ben Lloyd – guitar, harmonica, vocals, arrangement
• Tarrant Anderson – bass, vocals
• Matt Nasir – piano, keyboards, mandolin, string and horn arrangements, vocals, arrangement
• Callum Green – drums, percussion, vocals, arrangement

Additional musicians

• Pete Fraser – saxophone
• Sam Ewens – flugelhorn, French horn, trumpet
• George Shilling – cello
• Anna Jenkins – violin, viola
• Dougie Murphy – backing vocals
• Tre Stead – backing vocals
• Cahir O'Doherty – backing vocals
• Conor Mullan – backing vocals
• Johnny Stephenson – backing vocals
• Kris Lundberg – backing vocals
• Steve Brown – backing vocals

Technical

• Frank Arkwright – mastering
• Tristan Ivemy – mixing
• Cecil Bartlett – engineering
• Sam Duckworth – piano engineering
• Jay Malhotra – piano engineering
• Nicolas Müller – backing vocal engineering

Visuals

• Dougie Murphy – cover photo
• Phil D'Auria – tintype photos
• Craigy Lee – tattoo artist
• OneThirtyEight Ltd. – layout

Notes and References

1. Web site: Frank Turner announces new album Undefeated, shares "Do One". Sacher. Andrew. BrooklynVegan. 25 January 2024. 17 March 2024.
2. Web site: Frank Turner Announces Tenth Studio Album Undefeated. Coward. Teddy. Rock Sound. 25 January 2024. 17 March 2024.
3. Web site: Frank Turner Details New Album Undefeated, Shares "Do One". Lapierre. Megan. Exclaim!. 25 January 2024. 17 March 2024.
4. Web site: Frank Turner Announces 'Angry' Tenth Album Undefeated. Varvaris. Mary. The Music. 25 January 2024. 17 March 2024.