Are You Listening? is the debut album from The Franklys, a four-piece comprising of members hailing from both Sweden and the UK, and it’s a funky listen that will get your foot tapping and your head nodding.
There are plenty of great elements to contend with on Are You Listening? – the songwriting is great and is very musically sound. The energy to the performance in particular is great. For instance, opener Castaway is an in-your-face punky little number that is a feisty start to the release that gets things off to a running start. Featuring punchy and emotive vocals that will really leave an impression on you, it’s one of those tracks that will get stuck in your head.
Another great inclusion is later track Tall which has an infectious guitar line and an ace solo, along with a really funky bassline underneath that really helps to keep the pace going and adds a little bit of extra depth to the track as well.
All in all, Are You Listening? is a good piece. There’s nothing that quite sets it apart from the crowd, as The Franklys haven’t quite found their own unique sound, but despite this it’s a decent and enjoyable listen – and is a good, solid starting point for this talented up-and-coming band.
7/10
