CD Review: Franklin Brothers - Lifeboat To Nowhere

Published September 29, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

Vintage pop rock of a polished variety is almost completely extinct.  Carl and Jay Franklin are starting a reserve for this endangered species and the musicians that believe in it.  Lifeboat to Nowhere by the Franklin Brothers is the first record born on this reserve and they are proud to let it out into the wild to show that it can survive on its own merit.

The Franklin Brothers blend big production pop; ala Billy Joel's piano soaked soul, with the rootsy rock n' roll sounds of bands like The Eagles. The songs are clean, crisp and clear and completely inoffensive to the ears.  This is an exercise in song craft and musicianship not of pushing sonic boundaries.

The album starts off with the Whaley nominated "New London Blues".  While it does have elements of the Chicago style it's much cleaner and jumpier than most.  "No Time to Live" is a similar sound, emphasizing the big pops from horns or guitar while the keys jangle the melody and rhythm section moves the song along.  These songs are a testament to just how many sounds you can get in a song without muddying it up.

The album has some slower roots rock/folk ballads like traveling "I’ve been to the Waters" and "Her Ringtone" which bears quite a resemblance to the Beatles classic "Blackbird".  "Lifeboat to Nowhere" ends with a Peanuts-esque jazz jam aptly entitled "State Street Jam", (Carl Franklin’s Pwop! Studios where the album was recorded, is located on State Street in downtown New London).  Let it never be said that The Franklin Brothers wear their influences on their sleeve because if they did their arms would have to be 6 or 7 feet long.This diversity is what makes the album so pop-centric.  It uses a lot of styles while never over committing.  Give them a little bit of everything and always leave them wanting more.

To preview tracks from the CD, or to purchase and download the album, please visit: http://www.franklinbros.com/

LOVE & PRESS

"I just wanted to thank you for all you do for the local music community. I have tonight off so I went to the wailing city site to see who was playing. It’s amazing all the work you put in for all the local musicians and venues and I just wanted to thank you."
- Phil Smith (musician)

"...my new best friend Meghan Killimade, who's site Wailing City, lets me find all the latest local bands -- where they are playing and the times -- has suddenly been a big help in letting me find some events outside of my usual box!"
- Stephanie Shawn "Bar Fly Journals"
(Sound Waves Magazine)
Published December 2024

"Wailing City is this absolutely fantastic local music blog here in CT. They've been the place to go to find out what's happening, what's new and why you should care for well over a decade. Graciously, they interviewed us about the new album, the book, the film and all that. While touring throughout the years, we've sometimes felt like 'one foot in, one foot out' with the local scene, but they've always made us feel right at home. Thanks Wailing City."
- Pocket Vinyl (band)

"There are a staggering 64 documented live music performances in my home of New London county, CT today alone! The population of this county is only 268,805 and it is only 772 square miles. That is an incredible saturation of venues hosting live music and is a stark contrast to places I've lived in the past! You would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country that has so much live music. Amazing really! Thank you for the hard work documenting and promoting Wailing City!"
-Travis Hyll (musician)

"Wailing City appreciation post: true champions of the New London county music scene. Follow them!"
-Dirt Pile (band)

"We wanna take a minute to shout out our friends over at Wailing City for always helping to spread the word about our shows. They've been curating the most comprehensive live music calendar for SECT since 2006. If you don't already, give them a follow."
- 33 Golden Street (venue)

"Wailing City should be your first check in for all local music schedules. Thank you so much for all your efforts in promoting the scene!!
- David Schena (musician)

"Wailing City has been keeping the calendar up to date since I first started going to shows 20 years ago. We’re lucky to have Meghan volunteer her time to help keep the scene going!"
-James Burke (musician)

"With a little footwork and a short drive I managed to visit three live music shows on Bank Street last night... New London ROCKS...and all made possible searching out local music on Wailing City... thanks Meghan."
- Don Diederich (musician / local music fan)

"If you don't have ears, then it's possible you're not aware that southeastern Connecticut - specifically New London County - has an incredibly vibrant music scene. Over the years, it's gone from a hotbed of indie rock to an area of musicians, fans and venues that support a complex and varied number of artistic styles. The wailingcity.com web site - newly and lovingly redesigned - is a tremendous resource. A labor of affection and devotion conceptualized in 2006, wailingcity.com boasts artist bios, reviews and interviews, a club and band data base and calendars, videos, audio streaming, and cross-referenced links on all of the above - as well as lists of music services such as instrument instruction, record and retail stores, related media and periodicals, festival information, and so on. It's the brainchild of musician/artist Meghan Killimade, (and contributors), and they do a terrific job."
- RICK KOSTER (The Day) Published April 03. 2014

“Wailing City, is, as of now, probably the most successfully comprehensive listing on local and area shows in Southeastern Connecticut on the Internet; the folks at Wailing City are doing an excellent job of making sounds from the underground.”
-Ben Johnson (The Day) Published July 27, 2006