Turner’s own transformation to musical cult hero began after the demise of the hardcore outfit Million Dead, in which he served as frontman. Taking the aggressive energy and songwriting experience from those years and fusing it with an acoustic everyman persona, Turner has built up an enviable fanbase as a solo artist since 2005, touring increasingly large venues up and down the country. Turner’s awareness of the sizeable following he now commands informs much of the songwriting displayed here; by now, he can be sure that when he takes a record out on the road, he will not be the only one singing. Turner is a nice boy with an unlikely story. Armed with an acoustic guitar he has toured the world and built up a fanbase that is the envy of many a louder band. Last year he supported Green Day at Wembley Stadium and headlined his own sold-out show at the 4,900-capacity Brixton Academy. He has a fine ear for a chewable tune and is possessed of enough verbal articulacy to comfortably wrestle with such notions as what it is to be English – English, mind, not British – without being caught on the defensive. All of this comes with a flash of egalitarian flair that serves to distil the distance between artist and audience down to nothing.

a b c Martin, Josie (31 May 2011). "Interview: Frank Turner". ForgeToday.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012 . Retrieved 15 February 2012. a b "Dutchcharts.nl – Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 July 2021. Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge.Alongside the original album, the tenth anniversary edition will also include a bonus disc of unheard demo recordings from the El Paso Sessions of the period. Customised with bespoke new artwork, the double-disc set will be available on 180g vinyl and in a multitude of different colour variants – exclusive to indie retailers across the world. ENGLAND KEEP MY BONES FRANK TURNER". Epitaph. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020 . Retrieved 25 February 2021. Regarding the album's overall aesthetic, Turner notes, "it's not a radical departure, just maybe a little deeper ploughed into the same furrow," [17] and stated, prior to its release, "I'm very pleased with it, I think I achieved what I set out to do, which was to make a record that falls equally between Love Ire & Song and Poetry of the Deed. The songs sound very strong to me." [18] Winwood, Ian. "Frank Turner England Keep My Bones". BBC. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021 . Retrieved 3 July 2021. Rankin, Dan (3 July 2021). "REVIEW: Frank Turner - "England Keep My Bones" ". BLARE Magazine. Toronto. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011 . Retrieved 5 June 2011.

Jurek, Thom (2 June 2011). "England Keep My Bones - Frank Turner". Ann Arbor: AllMusic. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019 . Retrieved 13 June 2011. Frank Turner Interview". Flares n Seagulls. 3 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011 . Retrieved 15 February 2012. King John, Act IV, Scene 3". Open Source Shakespeare. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011 . Retrieved 29 June 2012. Prior to the album's release, Turner noted that his growing commercial success had influenced his lyrical content, stating, "I could still write songs pretending to be the underdog kid, but it's just not really true anymore." [16] Turner also noted that one of the major themes of the album is that of "English national identity," [16] stating, "it's something that I want to write songs about. I, quite self-consciously, want to make music that sounds English." [16] British album certifications – Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 3 July 2021.a b "Exclusive Frank Turner Interview | Reading and Leeds Festivals". Strictlyrandl.com. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011 . Retrieved 15 February 2012. Johnson, Andy (27 June 2011). "PopMatters Review". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021 . Retrieved 3 July 2021. England Keep My Bones". frank-turner.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011 . Retrieved 29 June 2012. Continuing to resonate with the audience that grows with Frank to this day, ‘England Keep My Bones’ has since been certified Gold by the BPI for sales of over 100K in the UK and remains a resolute favourite in his prolific repertoire.

In the preface to his novel Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy described Wessex — the setting for much of his writing — as “a merely realistic dream country.” Although not as snappy as England Keep My Bones, Hardy’s phrase might well have made for a good alternative title for Frank Turner’s fourth album. For just as Hardy’s Wessex was his reimagined version of a historical kingdom, Frank Turner’s England is a mythologised version of the place we really live in. Turner, who regards himself as a “Wessex Boy”, guides us with his songs through an England where hamlets, villages, and even Exeter are on a par with London, and where any one of us can become a hero. It’s an exercise in myth-making with real power, but not one without uncomfortable moments.Tedder, Michael (6 June 2011). "Paste Magazine Review". Paste. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021 . Retrieved 3 July 2021.