Be More Kind

Frank Turner released his sixth studio album Positive Songs for Negative People on 7 August 2015, via Xtra Mile Recordings.[3] Later that year, on 20 November 2015, Turner released a vinyl box set titled The First Ten Years, containing three previously-released compilation albums – The First Three Years, The Second Three Years, and The Third Three Years – as well as a new compilation titled Ten for Ten.[4] To promote both releases, Turner embarked on an extensive European and North American tour, with support from Northcote and various other artists.[5]

In a December 2016 interview with Upset Magazine, Turner revealed that he argued with his record label during the creation of Positive Songs For Negative People, believing that he was "in a position where my artistic integrity was on the line".[6] He also told the magazine that he believed the album was "emptying out one particular creative cupboard", and that he was "in the middle of trying to decide precisely which direction I want to head in next".[6] On 22 January 2017, Turner released a live recording of "The Sand in the Gears", originally performed during his US tour.[7] Later that year, on 24 November, Turner released Songbook, a compilation album featuring his personal favorite tracks, alternative recordings of previous releases, and one new song. He also announced that his next studio album would be released in 2018.[8]

Its title is based on a line from a Clive James poem first published in the 3 June 2013 issue of The New Yorker in which he describes his own mortality called "Leçons des Ténèbres". The line which inspired the title reads: "I should have been more kind. It is my fate. To find this out, but find it out too late."

The album has been described as "a record that combines universal anthems with raw emotion and the political and the personal, with the intricate folk and punk roar trademarks of Turner's sound imbued with new, bold experimental shades."[9]

It was produced by Austin Jenkins and Joshua Block, formerly of psychedelic-rock Texans White Denim, and Florence and the Machine and Halsey collaborator Charlie Hugall.

The artwork for the album, including one illustration for each song, was done by Ben Rix. Rix also invited people to submit their own artwork to add to the process online.[10]

• "1933"[20]
• "Be More Kind"[21]
• "Blackout"[22]
• "Make America Great Again"[23]
• "Little Changes"[24]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.6/10[25]
Metacritic	81/100[26]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[27]
Clash	6/10[28]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[29]
The Independent	[30]
musicOMH	[31]
NME	[32]
PopMatters	8/10[33]
Punknews.org	[34]
Under the Radar	[35]

Be More Kind was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Be More Kind has an average score of 81 based on 11 reviews.[26] The review aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave the album 7.6 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[25]

Credits adapted from the Be More Kind liner notes.