If Frank So’s debut single Better were a weather forecast, it’d be partly cloudy with a chance of cathartic bursts
Meet your next fav band – Frank So – there is a lot to love about this band – who are refreshingly good at what they do – and feel real – really real.
The Manchester-based four-piece – made up of ragtag office-bound freelancers, shadowboxing their way through 9-5 existence – are already making their mark with a track that feels equally at home in the realms of indie-rock nostalgia and modern lo-fi energy.
The band, who met through various quirky happenstances (family parties, the University of Salford, and even Hinge), have delivered a song that doesn’t just sound like a journey of self-discovery – it feels like one too.
Better is a bittersweet reflection on finding clarity in the chaos, complete with the kind of haunting violins you’d expect from a group who are still grappling with more questions than answers.
From the outset, it’s clear Frank So have done their homework – there’s a wisp of The Smiths’ melancholic charm, Talking Heads’ kooky energy, and Sun Kil Moon’s existential wandering.
But Better isn’t a pastiche – it’s fresh, with just enough rough edges to keep you interested. Its indie-beat brilliance is topped off with a chorus that’ll stick to your bones, invoking the same kind of satisfaction as hearing a track on repeat without it ever getting old.
Vocalist (and the heart of the group) charms effortlessly, delivering lyrics like “Don’t give up just yet, the future’s never set” with a sincerity that makes it feel like a rallying cry for anyone navigating the daily grind.
It’s this mix of vulnerability and conviction that makes the track resonate. And then there’s the quirky poetry of lines like the begginning “Up in the morning, with the rabbits running,” which honestly, they had me “Up in the morning” which brings to mind images of simplicity and joy in the mundane.
There’s a touch of post-punk and a subtle Pogues-esque screamo, punctuating the track and adding layers of unpredictability.
It’s this element that suggests Frank So are determined to toe the line between the playful chaos of life and the deeper introspection of their influences.
Whether they’re harmonizing in sync or riffing on a distorted pedal, it’s clear they’re unafraid to explore the unexplored.
Ultimately, Better shows Frank So’s potential for making a mark with a sound that doesn’t just sit comfortably in today’s indie scene – it dares to be unpredictable and a bit messy, in all the best ways.
Fans of lo-fi indie and post-punk will find plenty to love, but there’s a wider audience to be had.
A debut this compelling means Frank So are only just getting started.
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