Seeing Frankie the Heartstrings play one of their famously engaging sets in the neighboring city of Newcastle -- after only a couple of months of locally scattered shows -- was enough to convince Wichita to offer the band a management deal. Soon enough, they were also receiving attention from none other than Rough Trade founder Geoff Travis, who agreed to put out a limited run of 777 7"s of the single "Tender" with no strings attached (no pun intended), while they also released 888 copies of the same release on their own Pop Sex Ltd. label. Following shows alongside North-East angular punk outfit the Futureheads, the group's momentum saw them sign completely to Wichita in April 2010 and play festivals such as Glastonbury, Latitude, and the Reading and Leeds weekend. Meanwhile, guitarist Mick Ross replaced Pete Gofton, who had decided to concentrate more on production duties.
In October 2010, Frankie the Heartstrings duly released 999 copies of the single "Ungrateful." Not content with having Frankie Francis compared to Edwyn Collins by critics, the band were blessed with having the ex-Orange Juice frontman produce the track. They then embarked on a U.K. tour with fellow indie popsters Summer Camp before returning to work on their full-length debut for Wichita/Pop Sex. The album, titled Hunger, was released in February 2011. Two years later, the group returned with their sophomore effort, The Days Run Away. In 2015, Frankie the Heartstrings delivered their third studio album, Decency, which included the single "Save It for Tonight." Drummer Dave Harper died on August 25, 2021. ~ Daniel Clancy, Rovi
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Hunger |
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Ungrateful |
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It's Obvious |