The Franklin Electric - “Trouble”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Hey Rosetta, Leif Vollebekk, James Bay

Canadian band The Franklin Electric continue to expand their once folk-based sound to a grander, more cinematic tone on the early singles released from their upcoming EP In Your Heart, a companion to last year’s five-song collection In Your Head. “Trouble” layers in some blues rock and piano pop to The Franklin Electric’s naturally acoustic sound while latest single “Ghost” welcomes lonely electronic melodies and light trip-hop percussion to add some digital haze to their contemplative songwriting. There is still some folk/alt-rock hooks here (see other In Your Heart single “Anything For Love”), but The Franklin Electric keep pushing their music to an emotional, heady space no matter the starting point. (Kevin McStravick) 

2016 Review: The Franklin Electric focus on the essentials in their music, fantastic songwriting accompanied by peaceful charming vocals and playing. Nothing new to add concerning the group since last year’s write up. Check out the fantastic moving video for the lead track, Strongest Man Alive, from the group’s 2014 debut This Is How I Let You Down. The animation from by artist Rodolphe Saint Gelais adds another layer to the songs story that makes for one of the best videos in recent memory.  

2015 Review: The Franklin Electric’s 2014 debut This Is How I Let You Down is an excellent addition to the rich collection orchestral-inclined folk rock records this past decade.  “Uninvited (Storm)”, “Unsatisfied” and the one-off pop track “Old Piano” are three examples that benefit from The Franklin Electric’s ambitious range.  While there aren’t any barn-burners or garage rock tracks on This Is How I Let You Down, there is an emotional energy that takes this beyond its first impression of understated piano-folk.  That said, The Franklin Electric’s minimal tracks, which play an important part on their record, are honest and bare, piercing with just a piano or acoustic holding down the accompaniment.