Taken from their new album Silvereye (set for release on Friday, 10 September), Manchester-based duo The Frank Burkitt Band, have revealed their new video for ‘World King’. The song opens to the lyric: “First time fed with a silver spoon, a lot was expected from little boy blue. Innocent child turned arrogant youth, could always afford to ignore the truth”. World King believes the people don’t matter…”it’s all about you”. The Frank Burkitt Band reveal the song to be a scathing biography of Boris Johnson which touches more broadly on power and greed…questioning how we make change happen when the richest 1% now has as much wealth as the rest of the world combined. There are some great lines throughout which stay with you…”stop voting in the hammers when what we need are nails”.
Despite their eloquent portrayal of a hopeless situation, there’s a growing sparkle of positivity throughout, accentuated by bright strings set to an infectiously swaying pace that invite you to replay the song again. Their decision to include a backdrop animation of Humpty Dumpty who eventually falls, irreparably broken, is maybe indicative of their hope for change.
Lyrically and musically, World King is a great song, instantly catchy that surely bodes incredibly well for what’s to come. This should definitely be on your radar.
World King is also our Song of the Day.
Scottish musician Frank Burkitt formed the band in New Zealand seven years ago after relocating from Edinburgh to Wellington. They have toured across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, won the Vodafone NZ Music Award (Tui) for Best Folk Artist 2019, and their debut album Fools & Kings peaked at no. 12 in the Official NZ Music Charts in 2015.
Frank and Kara Filbey, his partner and band member, moved to Manchester at the start of 2020 – shifting The Frank Burkitt Band from a full ensemble to a duo. Having been given the gift of time via lockdown, they set about producing this deeply reflective self-composed album.
The album features Frank Burkitt on vocals, guitar, charango, trumpet, melodica and percussion, Kara Filbey onvocals and flute, James Geluk on double bass, Louis Thompson-Munn on rhodes and hammond and Becka Wolfe on fiddle.
Silvereye, was created during the pandemic, includes songs of love, loneliness, hatred of politicians and a sprinkling of optimism, with the title named after a native New Zealand bird that symbolises hope.
Silvereye will be available to buy on CD and Vinyl and stream and download on all digital platforms, on Friday 10 September. For more information and to pre-order visit: www.frankburkitt.co.nz