Frank Turner – Long Live The Queen

If this doesn’t wrench a tear or two, nothing will. Though the song is fairly standard Turner fare – all acoustic harmonies and excitable vocals – it’s made devastatingly poignant by the dark subject matter. Indeed, Turner must be commended for turning the death of a friend into such a celebration of life, despite the potential for an easy ballad.

The downbeat twist this track suddenly takes in the last thirty seconds is therefore all the more depressing, grief finally enveloping both artist and song. This single is one of Turner’s finest to date, and he also must be commended for donating all proceeds from its sale to charity. Top marks all round then, confirming his status as one of the UK’s top singer-songwriters, even if the chart success he deserves has so far proved elusive.