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Try This At Home: Adventures in Songwriting
*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
The brand new memoir from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Road Beneath My Feet. Taking 36 songs from his back catalogue, folk-punk icon Frank Turner explores his songwriting process. Find out the stories behind the songs forged in the hedonistic years of the mid-2000s North London scene, the ones perfected in Nashville studios, and everything in between. Some of these songs arrive fully-formed, as if they've always been there, some take graft and endless reworking to find 'the one'. In exploring them all, Turner reflects with eloquence, insight and self-deprecating wit on exactly what it is to be a songwriter. From love songs and break-up songs to political calls-to-arms; songs composed alone in a hotel room or in soundcheck with the Sleeping Souls, this brilliantly written memoir - featuring exclusive photos of handwritten lyrics and more - is a must-have book for FT fans and anyone curious about how to write music.
The brand new memoir from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Road Beneath My Feet. Taking 36 songs from his back catalogue, folk-punk icon Frank Turner explores his songwriting process. Find out the stories behind the songs forged in the hedonistic years of the mid-2000s North London scene, the ones perfected in Nashville studios, and everything in between. Some of these songs arrive fully-formed, as if they've always been there, some take graft and endless reworking to find 'the one'. In exploring them all, Turner reflects with eloquence, insight and self-deprecating wit on exactly what it is to be a songwriter. From love songs and break-up songs to political calls-to-arms; songs composed alone in a hotel room or in soundcheck with the Sleeping Souls, this brilliantly written memoir - featuring exclusive photos of handwritten lyrics and more - is a must-have book for FT fans and anyone curious about how to write music.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published March 21, 2019
81 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 24, 2019
At risk of coming across as a biased fangirl, I thoroughly enjoyed Frank Turner's 'Try This At Home'.
The book shares the stories behind how a selection of his songs from his long (and ongoing) career came into being, from the initial spark of inspiration to the riffs and chord sequences. As a lover of words I was especially interested in the evolution of lyrics and the images of early drafts of songs such as 'There She Is'. It was interesting to hear which songs were written quickly and which took time to hone and was a reminder that a) creativity happens within its own time and b) outsiders who have only known the completed polished work cannot tell which have been slaved over and which arrive in their creator's lap fully formed.
My musical skills are limited so the talk of chord sequences and key shifts was beyond me, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment as Try This at Home looks not just at the mechanics of song writing but also at the impact relationships, politics and the world have on creativity. All this alongside witty and personal anecdotes and Frank's (at times unflinching) honesty pulls together a must-read book for fans.
As an aside, my list of 'must listen to' bands has doubled in size as a result of this book, not to mention reigniting my love of songs that have fallen from my playlists over the years...
The book shares the stories behind how a selection of his songs from his long (and ongoing) career came into being, from the initial spark of inspiration to the riffs and chord sequences. As a lover of words I was especially interested in the evolution of lyrics and the images of early drafts of songs such as 'There She Is'. It was interesting to hear which songs were written quickly and which took time to hone and was a reminder that a) creativity happens within its own time and b) outsiders who have only known the completed polished work cannot tell which have been slaved over and which arrive in their creator's lap fully formed.
My musical skills are limited so the talk of chord sequences and key shifts was beyond me, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment as Try This at Home looks not just at the mechanics of song writing but also at the impact relationships, politics and the world have on creativity. All this alongside witty and personal anecdotes and Frank's (at times unflinching) honesty pulls together a must-read book for fans.
As an aside, my list of 'must listen to' bands has doubled in size as a result of this book, not to mention reigniting my love of songs that have fallen from my playlists over the years...
January 2, 2020
First off, if you haven't listened to Frank Turner or better yet experienced one of his live shows you are seriously missing out! In this book, Frank takes us inside many of his classic songs and explains the inspiration, composition, and details the maturity process each song underwent. Even attempting to explain music theory along the way. Great read especially when following along the supplemental playlist on Spotify!
April 23, 2019
Oh Mr Frank.
This is such a personal and honest reflection of your work, and has entirely restructured my way of thinking about your work - and, in fact, music itself. Whilst I've been a fan of yours for quite a while, and know most of your discography by heart, it's easy for us non-musos (even those with a background in music) to be simply unaware just how many conscious choices go into making music. It's easy to forget that songs don't just come from nowhere - every choice in a song is exactly that, a choice. A choice made for a purpose, an aim. And as you said in your book, the lyrical meaning of each song is up to interpretation of the audience, however you've given us a brief insight into your process in building feelings, emotions, tones, ideas and crossing that barrier of human communication into something deeper and more rewarding.
Your inclusion of tracks you still aren't happy with, your acknowledgement of errors or regrets or even just your own self-proclaimed immaturity at the time, offers a fresh perspective and grounds you in the real, and makes you that much more relatable as an artist.
I'm listening to all your music with a whole new ear - to the crafting of it, to the way each layer builds and how it makes you feel.
And not just that, Mr Turner, but your writing is absolutely incredible. I would happily read a thousand pages of you just talking (if you were ever inclined to write such a beast) - you have a frank (hah) honesty and beautiful turn of phrase (which I guess isn't such a surprise when you consider the poetry of your music) and just getting those insights into the stories and feelings and thoughts behind your music has been an absolute privilege. Thank you for taking the time to make such a beautiful book.
This is such a personal and honest reflection of your work, and has entirely restructured my way of thinking about your work - and, in fact, music itself. Whilst I've been a fan of yours for quite a while, and know most of your discography by heart, it's easy for us non-musos (even those with a background in music) to be simply unaware just how many conscious choices go into making music. It's easy to forget that songs don't just come from nowhere - every choice in a song is exactly that, a choice. A choice made for a purpose, an aim. And as you said in your book, the lyrical meaning of each song is up to interpretation of the audience, however you've given us a brief insight into your process in building feelings, emotions, tones, ideas and crossing that barrier of human communication into something deeper and more rewarding.
Your inclusion of tracks you still aren't happy with, your acknowledgement of errors or regrets or even just your own self-proclaimed immaturity at the time, offers a fresh perspective and grounds you in the real, and makes you that much more relatable as an artist.
I'm listening to all your music with a whole new ear - to the crafting of it, to the way each layer builds and how it makes you feel.
And not just that, Mr Turner, but your writing is absolutely incredible. I would happily read a thousand pages of you just talking (if you were ever inclined to write such a beast) - you have a frank (hah) honesty and beautiful turn of phrase (which I guess isn't such a surprise when you consider the poetry of your music) and just getting those insights into the stories and feelings and thoughts behind your music has been an absolute privilege. Thank you for taking the time to make such a beautiful book.
November 29, 2023
A songsmith explains the craft
For anyone curious about the songwriting and recording process, at least as experienced by Frank Turner as I am sure every artist has a different process, this is a fascinating read. You don’t need to be familiar with the songs beforehand, though I highly recommend giving them a listen, to enjoy the book as he goes into depth the development of the lyrics and music through multiple drafts and demos and the work his band The Sleeping Souls bring to the songs. Some of it was a bit outside my knowledge when it comes to the technical aspects of music but he explained it well and I was able to learn as I read.
For anyone curious about the songwriting and recording process, at least as experienced by Frank Turner as I am sure every artist has a different process, this is a fascinating read. You don’t need to be familiar with the songs beforehand, though I highly recommend giving them a listen, to enjoy the book as he goes into depth the development of the lyrics and music through multiple drafts and demos and the work his band The Sleeping Souls bring to the songs. Some of it was a bit outside my knowledge when it comes to the technical aspects of music but he explained it well and I was able to learn as I read.
December 13, 2024
I wish all musicians would do this, absolutely fascinating stuff, but not all musicians are brilliant orators like Frank Turner.
Basically those song commentaries you see on Spotify every now and then, but for 40 of this best songs and 10-15mins each rather than a sound bite.
Basically those song commentaries you see on Spotify every now and then, but for 40 of this best songs and 10-15mins each rather than a sound bite.
November 8, 2025
As someone who has inevitably learnt the words to most albums over the last 15 years, listening to songs on repeat at the bus stop, while running, while driving my car, in the shower, or lying in bed 'with the lights down low'... hearing snippets of the back stories behind these songs made for really enjoyable reading! But even if you don't have the same connection to the songs, this is a great book - which, like the music/poetry reminds others to try to live authentically, feel the negative parts of human experience but still move forward with a sense of hope. Thanks for writing this! I would have loved the audio reading even more if it was interspersed with the songs :)
October 17, 2024
Very readable and fun, have unlocked plenty of Frank lore and discovered some new songs :)
January 12, 2020
Frank Turner is one of my favorite artists. This book is a terrific exploration of many of his songs, their origins, and songwriting/recording techniques. I loved it.
April 15, 2019
Take a bright child brought up in the elite English academic mills who goes on to forge his own identity as a punk rocker before moving into a sustainable singer-songwriter career, what you eventually get is a troubadour who punctuates his - currently - fifteen-year solo career with a 300+ page book of self-analysis, and of course it's fucking erudite and brilliant. The sheer length of this book is impressive. Turner has a lot to say about his own work, and just like I want one of his shows to just never end, I also kept wanting more and more of this, so the length, breadth, and scope of 'Try This at Home' are points in its favour. Along the way, the fan of Turner will learn a lot about his career and his biography, but any reader, fan of Frank or not, will learn about the topic of the book, songwriting.
There's that quote - I thought it was David Byrne but looking it up now I find it's been attributed to many musicians - that "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture". It seems intuitively correct. Turner sidesteps this problem in the beginning of the book by drawing a distinction between the art and the craft of songwriting. About the former, he says nothing and avers that it might not be explicable. About the latter, he speaks at length. Each chapter tells the story of a specific song, and each story circles its song viewing it through the vantages of: how it appears in Turner's own biography, its place in his career, the story behind the lyrics, very technical musical stuff that a lot of people will love and a lot of people will not at all understand, how he arranged the song with the Sleeping Souls, the (re)recording of the song for an album, and how the song has lived on in its performance live.
Looking at the detail Turner brings to his analysis of his own craft and particularly of the way he handles a song once it leaves the aether of his mind and starts to exist in the real world with backing bands, labels, and audiences, it seems to me that in this book he is really addressing the next 18-year-old Frank Turner, the kid out there who's got a ton of ambition and desire, a bit of work ethic, but no know-how and no experience. The amount of name-checking in this book - really, it's overwhelming - makes clear that the success Turner has achieved as a songwriter is very much due to his serious study of his predecessors, and the book reads like his attempt to make available to the next generation a "Here's how I did it" textual guide to accompany their listening to his musical output.
While the distinction between art and craft lets Turner write about the craft of songwriting while leaving the elusive art unspoken, the book on its whole makes clear that the engine of Turner's musical output is the idea captured in the line about music from 'I Still Believe': 'We're not just saving lives, we're saving souls'. 'Try This at Home' demonstrates at length that Turner is very serious about songwriting. He studies the greats, he practices his craft, he hones his skills, and in the book he conveys what he's learned to the next generation. What he can't impart, and what makes him stand out so brilliantly in this generation of musicians, is how the technicals of the music, the need to tell stories, the drive to perform for live audiences, are all fueled by his own personal core of what I'd call musical philanthropy. Any fan of his knows that that's there, and while the book might not be able to teach a young songwriter, or anyone else, how a love of humanity can engender musical art, it does let us know that that's exactly where Frank Turner's music comes from.
There's that quote - I thought it was David Byrne but looking it up now I find it's been attributed to many musicians - that "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture". It seems intuitively correct. Turner sidesteps this problem in the beginning of the book by drawing a distinction between the art and the craft of songwriting. About the former, he says nothing and avers that it might not be explicable. About the latter, he speaks at length. Each chapter tells the story of a specific song, and each story circles its song viewing it through the vantages of: how it appears in Turner's own biography, its place in his career, the story behind the lyrics, very technical musical stuff that a lot of people will love and a lot of people will not at all understand, how he arranged the song with the Sleeping Souls, the (re)recording of the song for an album, and how the song has lived on in its performance live.
Looking at the detail Turner brings to his analysis of his own craft and particularly of the way he handles a song once it leaves the aether of his mind and starts to exist in the real world with backing bands, labels, and audiences, it seems to me that in this book he is really addressing the next 18-year-old Frank Turner, the kid out there who's got a ton of ambition and desire, a bit of work ethic, but no know-how and no experience. The amount of name-checking in this book - really, it's overwhelming - makes clear that the success Turner has achieved as a songwriter is very much due to his serious study of his predecessors, and the book reads like his attempt to make available to the next generation a "Here's how I did it" textual guide to accompany their listening to his musical output.
While the distinction between art and craft lets Turner write about the craft of songwriting while leaving the elusive art unspoken, the book on its whole makes clear that the engine of Turner's musical output is the idea captured in the line about music from 'I Still Believe': 'We're not just saving lives, we're saving souls'. 'Try This at Home' demonstrates at length that Turner is very serious about songwriting. He studies the greats, he practices his craft, he hones his skills, and in the book he conveys what he's learned to the next generation. What he can't impart, and what makes him stand out so brilliantly in this generation of musicians, is how the technicals of the music, the need to tell stories, the drive to perform for live audiences, are all fueled by his own personal core of what I'd call musical philanthropy. Any fan of his knows that that's there, and while the book might not be able to teach a young songwriter, or anyone else, how a love of humanity can engender musical art, it does let us know that that's exactly where Frank Turner's music comes from.
March 23, 2024
Five stars for the content, one star off for the publishers presentation of it (I’ll come back to this in a bit).
This—this was the book I had wanted “The Road Beneath My Feet” to have been, I think (despite knowing that they were written with different goals in mind—one about songwriting, one about touring). We still got stories, learned about Frank’s life, so many insights into a variety of aspects of being a musician and performer but centered around the music. And coming from a musician who has read this genre of book before, I am SO so glad that he decided to go really in depth into the musical decisions, talking about chords and reasoning for the drum parts and not just on the surface, but deeply (I don’t think I’d ever seen someone start naming A6 and Bsus4 in a book like this, or how the chord shapes came about). It made the musical discussions even more fascinating for me. Some of these definitely made me notice parts of his songs that I had noticed before, like how a chord progression can give the feeling of an Escher painting always lifting despite not really going up more than one octave. I especially loved the description of where the intervals of “Broken Piano” came from and how that song came about. It’s always been a favorite.
Also, he gives legitimately practical advice for songwriting at times (how to move past solipsistic approaches, how to make sure the message of the lyrics aligns philosophically with what you’re trying to say, etc.) and I have a ton of new notes for approaches to songwriting now, too. This was endlessly readable and I had so much fun listening along with this book and it even inspired me to write a new song while I contemplated bits of my own songwriting method.
My reason for the four stars has nothing to do with Frank’s words, and I debated whether or not to knock the stars down or keep them. But the layout and the printing of this was not good. I’ve never before noticed the blocks of words being slanted, not centered to the page but I did for this book (towards the end it was particularly egregious, with the top part like half an inch from the margin, and the bottom part nearly an entire inch in) and that is just poor printing. Also, the choice to have the lyrics in tiny italic font and grey color instead of black made them nearly unreadable. For a book about songwriting that discusses the lyrics in depth, this is unforgivable. The same happened with some of the images — especially ones of the first drafts of lyrics, often so tiny that you’d need a magnifying glass to read them. Why incorporate these images if you can’t actually read them? Disappointing. Frank, next time pick a different publisher who will set a book properly.
I hate to knock a book for something like this, but if I’m being fair in my review the way it’s published detracts from the enjoyment of the overall whole so here we are. And yet, I still highly recommend this for musicians who would like to see inside the mind of a great songwriter and get some fresh tips on the craft along with some interesting stories.
This—this was the book I had wanted “The Road Beneath My Feet” to have been, I think (despite knowing that they were written with different goals in mind—one about songwriting, one about touring). We still got stories, learned about Frank’s life, so many insights into a variety of aspects of being a musician and performer but centered around the music. And coming from a musician who has read this genre of book before, I am SO so glad that he decided to go really in depth into the musical decisions, talking about chords and reasoning for the drum parts and not just on the surface, but deeply (I don’t think I’d ever seen someone start naming A6 and Bsus4 in a book like this, or how the chord shapes came about). It made the musical discussions even more fascinating for me. Some of these definitely made me notice parts of his songs that I had noticed before, like how a chord progression can give the feeling of an Escher painting always lifting despite not really going up more than one octave. I especially loved the description of where the intervals of “Broken Piano” came from and how that song came about. It’s always been a favorite.
Also, he gives legitimately practical advice for songwriting at times (how to move past solipsistic approaches, how to make sure the message of the lyrics aligns philosophically with what you’re trying to say, etc.) and I have a ton of new notes for approaches to songwriting now, too. This was endlessly readable and I had so much fun listening along with this book and it even inspired me to write a new song while I contemplated bits of my own songwriting method.
My reason for the four stars has nothing to do with Frank’s words, and I debated whether or not to knock the stars down or keep them. But the layout and the printing of this was not good. I’ve never before noticed the blocks of words being slanted, not centered to the page but I did for this book (towards the end it was particularly egregious, with the top part like half an inch from the margin, and the bottom part nearly an entire inch in) and that is just poor printing. Also, the choice to have the lyrics in tiny italic font and grey color instead of black made them nearly unreadable. For a book about songwriting that discusses the lyrics in depth, this is unforgivable. The same happened with some of the images — especially ones of the first drafts of lyrics, often so tiny that you’d need a magnifying glass to read them. Why incorporate these images if you can’t actually read them? Disappointing. Frank, next time pick a different publisher who will set a book properly.
I hate to knock a book for something like this, but if I’m being fair in my review the way it’s published detracts from the enjoyment of the overall whole so here we are. And yet, I still highly recommend this for musicians who would like to see inside the mind of a great songwriter and get some fresh tips on the craft along with some interesting stories.
November 28, 2025
A full star added simply because I love Frank's music and hearing about how the songs came to be was very interesting.
The main thing I learned from this book though, was the existence of different British phrases and spelling. Let me take a moment to cite the moments I marked with tabs. For example, "practise" (55) is later spelled as the American "practice" (195). I guess it could have to do with the context in which it's used... I'll have to research. In addition, the way a British guy mentions the Radiohead song "Weird Fishes" struck me as very British, and I also used my tabs to mark the spelling of "programme" (176). A few others phrases, quickly: "I'm like a mechanic, taking a quick peak under the hood of a tasty-looking car" (67) caused me to take a moment before continuing, and "listening back... kind of makes my teeth hurt" (196) was interesting but in the end confusing. I assume its a British thing?
Overall, besides Frank throwing shade to Billy Idol (204), I loved the book. I even started a game of checking the front and back of the book every time Frank mentioned a specific tattoo to see if I could find it (my favorite being the 1381 finger tattoos from page 113, which I'm very proud of myself for finding on the back immediately).
On the last page of the book, Frank writes that fans often ask him permission to cover his songs, and I'm reading this after asking (and gaining) permission myself. I thought this really tied the book together and made me feel apart of the art - which is the main point of the conclusion chapter.
To sum up, putting aside my rant about British phrases... just as Frank quotes in the book, "'Writing about music is like dancing about architecture'"(144). And I think he managed it admirably.
The main thing I learned from this book though, was the existence of different British phrases and spelling. Let me take a moment to cite the moments I marked with tabs. For example, "practise" (55) is later spelled as the American "practice" (195). I guess it could have to do with the context in which it's used... I'll have to research. In addition, the way a British guy mentions the Radiohead song "Weird Fishes" struck me as very British, and I also used my tabs to mark the spelling of "programme" (176). A few others phrases, quickly: "I'm like a mechanic, taking a quick peak under the hood of a tasty-looking car" (67) caused me to take a moment before continuing, and "listening back... kind of makes my teeth hurt" (196) was interesting but in the end confusing. I assume its a British thing?
Overall, besides Frank throwing shade to Billy Idol (204), I loved the book. I even started a game of checking the front and back of the book every time Frank mentioned a specific tattoo to see if I could find it (my favorite being the 1381 finger tattoos from page 113, which I'm very proud of myself for finding on the back immediately).
On the last page of the book, Frank writes that fans often ask him permission to cover his songs, and I'm reading this after asking (and gaining) permission myself. I thought this really tied the book together and made me feel apart of the art - which is the main point of the conclusion chapter.
To sum up, putting aside my rant about British phrases... just as Frank quotes in the book, "'Writing about music is like dancing about architecture'"(144). And I think he managed it admirably.
April 7, 2019
Just when you think you can't become an even bigger fan of Frank Turner... He comes out with this book. This book is full of stories that give Turner's songs more depth and meaning to our already personal interpretations.
April 15, 2023
I was on the hunt for songwriting books when I came across this in the Amazon store. I’ve been a Frank Turner fan for a while after seeing him playing live in Hull’s City Hall. I bought the book because it made sense to combine the two interests and I hoped it would make the learning experience more enjoyable. In the end I’m glad I decided to read this instead of some of the more educational texts on songwriting.
I enjoyed this book because it taught me a few things about songwriting and I got the chance to follow Frank Turner on some of his adventures as a musician and performer.
I enjoyed this book because it taught me a few things about songwriting and I got the chance to follow Frank Turner on some of his adventures as a musician and performer.
December 26, 2024
3.5 stars. I think Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls are one of the best live acts out there and I’ll always go to see them when they’re local to me. Regarding his albums I tend to think of his songs as 1/3 fantastic, 1/3 ok, 1/3 whatever (to be fair that’s standard for many bands) and this book was pretty similar to that. Some entertaining anecdotes and interesting insights with a little bit of self-indulgence at times. If you’re a fan you’ll enjoy it, if you don’t know his music then have a listen first or else you’ll be a bit lost.
April 21, 2019
Definitely try this at home
It's not a shock that I love Frank Turner, so it should also come as no surprise that I love his writing as well. This book goes back through some of the songs he's written,and goes through the musical and lyrical theory. So, double bonus. Triple bonus? IT'S INDEXED! Be still my nerdy librarian heart
It's not a shock that I love Frank Turner, so it should also come as no surprise that I love his writing as well. This book goes back through some of the songs he's written,and goes through the musical and lyrical theory. So, double bonus. Triple bonus? IT'S INDEXED! Be still my nerdy librarian heart
September 18, 2021
I love books about the creative process and the stories behind song writing. This one didn’t disappoint.
November 20, 2023
Yah this is a just read for any fan of Frank Turner. Hes my favourite musician for a reason. He balances discussing the background to the song, the composition, and the lyrics well. It reads like you are sat with a music nerd friend who is excited to have a space to talk they don't always get. Because interviews are always timed and structured, but here Frank is calling the shots and it's all the better for it.
It's interesting not just for the songs, but as it is inevitably also a form of autobiography, detailing his journey from the early days of his solo career to the release of his seventh album. It alludes to the personal experiences, as well as explaining what is already known and out there. Staying true to both folk and punk (sorry Frank, but even the blurb describes you as folk-punk, it is what you are) in terms of being honest and forthright, you also get to see the professional side to Frank in understanding the thought and care that goes into each song. At times he is defensive, from explaining his polticis as an ex-anarchist centrist when he knows many of his fan base are (radical) leftists - to one point defending his bachelor days and the hook ups that occurred (dw Frank, there is nothing to judge there). I did have to laugh when he explains he toned down the "aggression" of his song 'Make America Great Again' by not wanting to use the line 'make racists afraid again', but then goes on to say 'we had to be bold about it' when defending the song to his producers. Classic liberal.
There's also some funny surprises, such as learning his inspirations can derive from other musicians amd writers (ofc), or notes written by friends, or even the hum of a microwave. A true artist.
It's interesting not just for the songs, but as it is inevitably also a form of autobiography, detailing his journey from the early days of his solo career to the release of his seventh album. It alludes to the personal experiences, as well as explaining what is already known and out there. Staying true to both folk and punk (sorry Frank, but even the blurb describes you as folk-punk, it is what you are) in terms of being honest and forthright, you also get to see the professional side to Frank in understanding the thought and care that goes into each song. At times he is defensive, from explaining his polticis as an ex-anarchist centrist when he knows many of his fan base are (radical) leftists - to one point defending his bachelor days and the hook ups that occurred (dw Frank, there is nothing to judge there). I did have to laugh when he explains he toned down the "aggression" of his song 'Make America Great Again' by not wanting to use the line 'make racists afraid again', but then goes on to say 'we had to be bold about it' when defending the song to his producers. Classic liberal.
There's also some funny surprises, such as learning his inspirations can derive from other musicians amd writers (ofc), or notes written by friends, or even the hum of a microwave. A true artist.
May 26, 2020
This book was, to say the least, disappointing and it made me like Frank Turner less. To be honest, I always thought that Frank Turner is the type of musician that has 3 or 4 good songs per album, while the rest are just plain boring and bland. Indeed this is true for this book as well: some chapters are great, but others are just utterly boring or pretentious.
His constant justifying of why he did things, sometimes sounding almost like an apology, or his annoying string of insecurities is dull and repetitive, to say the least.
There’s only a number of limited times you can mention listening to punk as a teenager, your previous bands and how much you want to distance yourself from them, or the counting crows, or metal, or folk without coming across as whiny!
Also, I loved how a self-proclaimed history nerd fails to understand recent history events. For someone who likes to point out “cop-outs” in songs and even in this book, claiming to be a brexit agnostic is the ultimate cop-out!
Dude, stop justifying every little thing you do, every little thought you have, or decision you make, and stop giving a damn about what everyone might think. This whole book comes across as an attempt to justify god knows what.
Ultimately, Frank comes across as someone that lacks conviction and also as someone who can't pick sides. If you have strong convictions, like he says he does, then you can't have one foot on one side and one on the other - you have to pick one. However, I agree with him that we shouldn't write someone off just because we don't agree on everything (...and so, Frank, if you read this, let's grab a beer in north london).
His constant justifying of why he did things, sometimes sounding almost like an apology, or his annoying string of insecurities is dull and repetitive, to say the least.
There’s only a number of limited times you can mention listening to punk as a teenager, your previous bands and how much you want to distance yourself from them, or the counting crows, or metal, or folk without coming across as whiny!
Also, I loved how a self-proclaimed history nerd fails to understand recent history events. For someone who likes to point out “cop-outs” in songs and even in this book, claiming to be a brexit agnostic is the ultimate cop-out!
Dude, stop justifying every little thing you do, every little thought you have, or decision you make, and stop giving a damn about what everyone might think. This whole book comes across as an attempt to justify god knows what.
Ultimately, Frank comes across as someone that lacks conviction and also as someone who can't pick sides. If you have strong convictions, like he says he does, then you can't have one foot on one side and one on the other - you have to pick one. However, I agree with him that we shouldn't write someone off just because we don't agree on everything (...and so, Frank, if you read this, let's grab a beer in north london).
July 25, 2019
This was a fantastic read. For those who do not know, Frank Turner is a British singer/songwriter who has been putting his own punk-influenced spin on folk music for a bit over a decade now. In "Try This At Home", Frank breaks down 36 of his songs in both auto-biographical and technical ways; he delves in to the stories that lead to the songs, as well as the songwriting process behind them. The songs span from his first recordings as a solo artist to his most recent album, "Be More Kind." The stories he tells are witty, raw, revealing, vulnerable, and sincerely conveyed.
I became more of a fan of Frank's work through this book. While the lyrics are reprinted for easy reading, the real fun comes from listening to each song that is going to be covered prior to each chapter. Frank covers how the songs went from concept to reality, explaining the chords used, tempos, and pretty much everything you would want to know about how a person can grow as a songwriter by honing the craft of writing songs.
For ease, I have created a Spotify playlist of the songs covered in the order they appear in the book. You can find that playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6yE...
I became more of a fan of Frank's work through this book. While the lyrics are reprinted for easy reading, the real fun comes from listening to each song that is going to be covered prior to each chapter. Frank covers how the songs went from concept to reality, explaining the chords used, tempos, and pretty much everything you would want to know about how a person can grow as a songwriter by honing the craft of writing songs.
For ease, I have created a Spotify playlist of the songs covered in the order they appear in the book. You can find that playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6yE...
April 27, 2019
Having read Frank Turner's previous book The Road Beneath my Feet, I knew that Try This at Home would be of the same caliber. However, I was surprised by how much more I actually liked Frank's second foray in writing a book. He gives readers insight into his songwriting process, breaking down songs and elaborating on how his words, chords, musical structure, etc. came to be. He is also critical of his own work and of himself, constantly reflecting on whether songs can be misinterpreted and miss their mark, or if they will be classic and long-lasting.
I found it particularly striking how funny Frank is (in particular, I laughed very hard at the footnotes on page 98 in the fan edition) and how he seems like a very down-to-earth, approachable person. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Bruce Springsteen's autobiography Born to Run, where I just thought, "Yeah, I would love to have a beer with him and just chat."
I will probably re-read this at some point and take note of all the inspirations that I wasn't familiar with before. But this is definitely a must-read for Frank Turner fans.
I found it particularly striking how funny Frank is (in particular, I laughed very hard at the footnotes on page 98 in the fan edition) and how he seems like a very down-to-earth, approachable person. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Bruce Springsteen's autobiography Born to Run, where I just thought, "Yeah, I would love to have a beer with him and just chat."
I will probably re-read this at some point and take note of all the inspirations that I wasn't familiar with before. But this is definitely a must-read for Frank Turner fans.
April 25, 2020
Like many people who read this book, I will probably be biased. I am a huge Frank Turner fan dating all the way back to his days in Million Dead but it’s his work as a folk singer and with The Sleeping Souls that has captivated me the most.
I have seen the man live many, many times, his songs are often what I beat out in the shower, or the kitchen or the garden. You get my point.
So, this book was a dream for me, whilst I enjoyed his previous book about his touring antics, it is the reasons and the journey to the songs that I was most excited to read. This book did not disappoint. Written beautifully with such poise and humour, much like his songs this was expertly crafted.
If you are a fan, this is a must read. And if you’re not, read the book, listen to the songs and let Frank Turner into your life. You will not be disappointed.
An excellent foray into Frank’s (and the sleeping souls) world.
I have seen the man live many, many times, his songs are often what I beat out in the shower, or the kitchen or the garden. You get my point.
So, this book was a dream for me, whilst I enjoyed his previous book about his touring antics, it is the reasons and the journey to the songs that I was most excited to read. This book did not disappoint. Written beautifully with such poise and humour, much like his songs this was expertly crafted.
If you are a fan, this is a must read. And if you’re not, read the book, listen to the songs and let Frank Turner into your life. You will not be disappointed.
An excellent foray into Frank’s (and the sleeping souls) world.
June 2, 2019
This was the book that I wanted him to write in the first place—the stories behind the vast majority of my favorite songs and how they were created. In that, though, I kind of failed to realize how deeply personal it would be for me to read it, as there are a lot of reasons why these songs mean so much to me. It was incredible, honestly,earning why he wrote some of these songs because they matched up so well with why I love them so much.
Aside from that, this book was frankly hilarious—he brought so much humor and sarcasm into the writing of this that it felt like I was at a concert all over again. (Also this book made me really want to go to a concert all over again)
All in all, this book was incredible and I am so glad I forked over the extra twenty books to get the special edition of it, as it will be one I want to keep for probably the rest of my life.
Aside from that, this book was frankly hilarious—he brought so much humor and sarcasm into the writing of this that it felt like I was at a concert all over again. (Also this book made me really want to go to a concert all over again)
All in all, this book was incredible and I am so glad I forked over the extra twenty books to get the special edition of it, as it will be one I want to keep for probably the rest of my life.
July 7, 2019
Frank takes 36 of his songs and describes the songwriting that went into making them. He tells stories about their becoming, he describes their structure, sometimes descending into the depths of musical theoretics where I get quickly lost. I knew many of the songs he talks about, but some of them I recognized only after reading the lyrics (I love that he included complete lyrics), and a few of them I swore I had never heard at all (a lie exposed when I actually listened to them again). I am very happy I read this; I learned new things about Frank and enjoyed the way he expressed himself. A much more varied and interesting book than his Road book, in which each gig description got more “same old, same old” the further you got into the book, Try kept me utterly captivated throughout. It’s not a text book, but I wasn’t expecting one. If you like Frank Turner, read it.
November 22, 2020
This is a book best read with Frank’s discography close by. No matter how many times you’ve listened to his music, revisiting each song after reading the inspirations and elements within it makes you appreciate the work even more.
As someone who puts a lot of weight into lyrics, I found it really interesting to learn the story behind them. Sometimes that can ruin a song when you find that the intended meaning of the song is different than the one you took from it. That wasn’t the case for me with this book. Throughout the book he stresses that, regardless of where he was coming from with the song, when he is done recording it, ownership of the meaning becomes that of the listener.
He also breaks down the more technical aspects of the music, most of which went over my head. For those more musically inclined, I can see that being just meaningful as learning about the lyrics was for me.
As someone who puts a lot of weight into lyrics, I found it really interesting to learn the story behind them. Sometimes that can ruin a song when you find that the intended meaning of the song is different than the one you took from it. That wasn’t the case for me with this book. Throughout the book he stresses that, regardless of where he was coming from with the song, when he is done recording it, ownership of the meaning becomes that of the listener.
He also breaks down the more technical aspects of the music, most of which went over my head. For those more musically inclined, I can see that being just meaningful as learning about the lyrics was for me.
March 24, 2019
This is a must-read for fans of Frank Turner, the phenomenally gifted singer-songwriter with a consistently impressive back catalogue that puts his counterparts to shame. But it’s also fascinating for anyone with an interest in the art of creating and constructing music. As an outstanding lyricist, it should come as no surprise that Turner has a way with words, but this journey through his songwriting history is eminently quotable (“When I finish a song, I feel like a sleepwalker who wakes up holding a bloody knife and surrounded by fresh corpses; I know I’m responsible for this, but I can’t remember actually doing it”). Endlessly entertaining thoughout, and written with large doses of humility and humour (be sure to check out the footnotes). A fantastic read.
May 3, 2019
This is a bit more niche than usual.
Some of you might have heard that I enjoy the music of Frank Turner from time to time... 👀
This is an incredible deep dive into the techniques, trials, tribulations, struggles, successes, regrets, and life experiences that led to the writing of some of his most iconic songs.
Parts of it are very technical and went over my head, but the majority of it explores the stories behind the songs. And I loved it!
If you’re a fan of his music, or a fan of writing music yourself, I’d really suggest giving this a read/listen. I definitely think I enjoyed it more listening to the audio book as it’s such personal stories so hearing them told by Frank himself really enhanced that connection.
Some of you might have heard that I enjoy the music of Frank Turner from time to time... 👀
This is an incredible deep dive into the techniques, trials, tribulations, struggles, successes, regrets, and life experiences that led to the writing of some of his most iconic songs.
Parts of it are very technical and went over my head, but the majority of it explores the stories behind the songs. And I loved it!
If you’re a fan of his music, or a fan of writing music yourself, I’d really suggest giving this a read/listen. I definitely think I enjoyed it more listening to the audio book as it’s such personal stories so hearing them told by Frank himself really enhanced that connection.
December 3, 2019
I thought the writings about his songs and the thought processes behind them were earnest and interesting. The technical details of the songs went over my head and often he would say something bold but then take it back or softened the punch, it felt to not offend people. He also said and maybe I'm reading it wrong so correct me if I am, but that with the American Dream if you dont meet up to the ideal then there's nothing wrong with the ideal, you just need to try harder. If you're gonna talk about systematic issues then talk about them, ditch the high gloss postivity.
Needless to say his political rants were frustrating for me at times because they were too centrist. You're a punk, have conviction!!!
Still enjoyed getting to know him a little more.
Needless to say his political rants were frustrating for me at times because they were too centrist. You're a punk, have conviction!!!
Still enjoyed getting to know him a little more.
May 27, 2019
I absolutely loved this. I've been a huge fan of Frank's for quite a lot of years now; I was lucky enough to see him at Wembley (the first time I saw him!) and have seen him several times since (seven times total!). I really enjoyed discovering how some of my favourite songs of his came to fruition, and delighted in his exploration of how his style has changed with each album released. Frank's FTHC logo occupies a space in ink on my ankle and he will always occupy a huge space in my heart.
June 11, 2021
I liked it! If you know and enjoy Frank Turner and his music, you might like it too. If you don't, you probably won't unless you're really into general folk/rock music-focused memoirs. It's not a memoir, it's a series of essays about individual songs of Turner's and how they came to be written, complete with music nerdism that I know nothing of. (Which guitar or drum is used, what key it's in, etc) But I still liked that part! (more to come)
April 4, 2019
I laughed, I cried, I learned. There is something special in understanding the backgrounds of songs you know and love without them changing what they mean personally. Frank said it best (obviously) “when music becomes a collective activity, it’s power multiplies exponentially, and it becomes something worthy of longevity and passion.”
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