Frankie & the Heartstrings

The North East of England is a particularly fertile breeding ground for passionate, literate, pop-savvy bands, well-dressed spritely, banging out arch guitar-driven pop music. Some rise to the top. Step forward Sunderland’s Frankie & The Heartstrings, a heart-racing, foot-stomping traditionally brilliant British guitar band and described by one noted music journalist as ‘a Hannah Barbera animation of Marty McFly made flesh, fronting a C86 tribute band to The Supremes’. Frontman and ex-pub landlord Frankie Francis is a natural – all swagger and camp culture, swooning around a mic stand or hopping in circles with a frown. There’s a real vigour going on with this band, something that’s been missing in recent years and pulling on Dexys and Billy Childish, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera (combined with a moral crusade against chain-store tops and tracksuit bottoms) The Heartstrings are following in the footsteps of fellow ‘mackems’ Futureheads and Maximo and well on their way! ‘Music needs a bit o’ spite’ New album ‘The Days Run Away’ out now!