At Vanadian Avenue we consider ourselves huge fans of Frankie Wesson and her band. We have known her for years, she played one of our showcases, we met her mom – by sheer accident in Abergavenny. We have also extensively covered almost every video or single Frankie put out. For the release of her third album “This Is Motion” we wanted something different. We thought that the only fitting way to celebrate the record would be to have a track-by-track interview, sharing stories, insights and anecdotes about the songs and the creative process. What we got as a final result is a magnificent long read full of links, extra material and videos. Click on every highlighted word to be taken to a separate article or page, you will learn a lot about the Welsh music scene, Frankie`s collaborators and local musical studios that shaped “This Is Motion”.
This is Motion cover picture by Honey McKenna
While preparing this interview we also surprised ourselves. You can truly see what a long way Frankie Wesson travelled. One of the leading singles from the album “Just Friends” is currently part of BBC Radio Wales A – list. If you want to see/hear one of the earliest versions of the song, here it is performed at Worcester Arts Centre in August 2019, filmed by yours truly.
We write this way because we believe that independent artists deserve detailed coverage. We also believe that putting work into music journalism creates quality and records history that on a local level is often fleeting and not always appreciated.
Without further ado – please enter the world of Frankie Wesson and her incredible music.
Let`s start with the title track from your new album – “This Is Motion”. It has this feeling of late 90s indie hit, quite akin to “Supermodel” from Clueless soundtrack. We should have asked this question years ago. How do you feel about being compared to the likes of Jill Sobule?
Frankie Wesson: I think This is Motion definitely has that indie pop/rock vibe, it is one of the heavier songs on the album arrangement wise. As a kid who grew up in the 90’s/00’s it kind of makes sense for me really!
Released on October 6th last year “Unviable” has been described by Nation Cymru as a “hymn born from teenage angst and the complicated reality of growing up LGBT”, while Newport City Radio considers it “a quintessentially timeless Welsh pop song”. These are some recommendations and we are only on the second track. How do you remember working on “Unviable”?
Frankie Wesson: Actually, “Unviable” was one track on this album that we ended up changing the direction of. After listening back to the first version we recorded, I didn’t feel like we had captured the emotion in the right way. This song is a desperate cry of frustration from me being at my wits end trying to survive in the industry during Covid. The original arrangement just sounded too…cheery, for my liking considering the circumstances. So, we went back and altered the arrangement. Adding more electric guitar with overdrive and extra vocals at the end to have some grit and dynamics to it.
Frankie Wesson band – photo by Honey McKenna
“My Baby Blues” is a complete change of pace and genres. We could close our eyes and we`d find ourselves in a dimly lit dive bar somewhere on the outskirts of Nashville. This is also not the first time that you exhibit almost natural aptitude for American types of music, particularly roots and country. Can we call it Welshana?
Frankie Wesson: Thank you! I think as a songwriter sometimes the easiest way, for me at least, to connect quickly to what I’m feeling and get it out of my brain and onto the page often takes a country format. Acoustic guitar certainly has a lot to do with that, I’m sure.
And absolutely, it sounds lush! Wales really has a great wealth of fantastic country singer-songwriters and bands. There must be something in the water here.
We remember “Just Friends”! We actually reviewed it on our blog and at that time we wrote: “Like other multi-tasking women on stage (Paula Cole, Natalie Merchant, Ayo or Joan Osbourne) Frankie brings to the table a multitude of skills and ideas – beautifully executed, captivating and fresh.”. More comparisons to the heavyweights of rock and we love the fact that this record brings the best songs you have created in the last two years!
Frankie Wesson: “Just Friends” was the first song we recorded for this album and I think marks a real turning point in terms of my songwriting and helped inform the rest of the album. The track also made it onto the BBC Radio Wales Welsh A-List which is a first for me so I’m absolutely buzzing about that!
This record is like a journey in the Tardis. Did we just skip a decade or four? “In Her Room” is reminding us of the 80s, where pop music was engaged in describing societal issues. Musically it is Voice of the Beehive meets early Shakespeare’s Sister. But it is the lyrics that take the front stage here. We don’t know if anyone mentioned that before but this song follows a long line of socially conscious compositions, from Tracy Chapman’s “Talking `bout the Revolution” to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. Even Phil Collins had “Another Day in Paradise”. You don’t see many songs like that these days, bar Macklemore maybe but he is a rapper and not a pop artist. Where does this need to bring up social ailments come from?
Frankie Wesson: I wouldn’t consider this song socially conscious myself, so that’s an interesting thought. To be fair it feels so deeply personal to me it’s hard to see it from an outside perspective. “In Her Room” is my favourite song on the album. It paints a vivid picture for me of a specific moment in time in my teenage years, which when looking back at with hindsight, explained a lot of things I was feeling. It’s like a diary of my coming out- that I wrote years later as an adult, because I didn’t realise what it all meant at the time. I can look back on it now and everything makes sense. I also have to give a shout out to the arrangement and production team on this song, which is another big reason it’s my favourite. Ruby Ravelle and Ryan Jordan did a particularly fantastic job on this one.
“Paper Planes” came out in January this year. It could be a signature song of yours with the use of polyphony and layered vocals harmonizing with each other. It also has this intimate video showing yourself in front of the camera while your colleagues prepare to back you up. It`s a good moment to ask who helped you during the recording sessions. Go on, introduce the band!
Frankie Wesson: This album has been a long time in the making, so long in fact my current band line up was not around for the recording of it!
I recorded this album at AR Studios in Kingstone Herefordshire with Ryan Jordan on drums and production/engineering, Ruby Ravelle on bass, guitar, synths and keys and myself on vocals, guitar, mandolin and piano. (and guest viola/violinists on two tracks)
However, if you’re seeing or have seen me play live with my band in the past few years, the line up is as follows:
Myself on guitar and vocals
Ruby Ravelle on lead guitar and backing vocals
Simon Pratt on bass and backing vocals
Kirsty Pope-Davies on drums
Frankie, we think that despite some serious topics on this album, there is also a lot of humour, even if it’s a bit discreet. What a way to mark half of the record by putting “Meet in the Middle” as track number seven. And speaking about making compromises, were there any clashes in the studio? How did the writing session at AR Studios go?
Frankie Wesson: “Meet in the Middle” was always going to go in the middle of the album, it would have felt wrong to put it anywhere else!
And thankfully no. I’m very lucky with Ruby and Ryan there’s never any ego in the studio. They both worked really hard to serve the songs each time and brought their best talents to the table. It was a very enjoyable experience, sometimes the days are long and tedious but I can’t complain really, it’s what I love to do!
One of our favourite tracks on the record is “When You`re Away”. It combines Americana and blues and features one of the most striking lyrics. We won’t let you go home unless you tell us the story behind it.
Frankie Wesson: “When You’re Away” is about me growing up in Abergavenny. The places me and my friends used to hang out and my experiences from those formative years in my hometown. How the plans we all had and the things that happened seemed so significant at the time. Hindsight is a big theme on this album and this song is me looking back at those times in a bittersweet way. You grow up and move on and unfortunately sometimes lose people along the way, but for me, that nostalgia for those people and places will always be there. I was wondering if this town knows us, if it recognises us when we come home and remembers how we came of age on its streets.
York Calling singled out “Valentine” in their review of “This Is Motion”, calling this track delicate and almost acoustic. The song also incorporates a haunting solo provided by Claire Rhiannon Edwards – classically trained violinist from South Wales. It is the first of two guest appearances on the album. You will have to excuse us, but we need to pick our jaws up from the floor.
Frankie Wesson: Claire really did a fantastic job with the violin; I couldn’t be happier with what she delivered. I think it really compliments the emotiveness of the song and helps take you deeper into the world this track has created.
This Is Motion back cover – photo Honey McKenna
If there is a political/ protest song on the record then “California” must be it. It`s hard not to think it was written with the Trump administration in mind. The way you sing about Jesus not letting you in and being stopped at the border feels like a commentary to the jailing of Welsh tourist Becky Burke in Washington state by ICE. Was Becky`s disappearance by US authorities and their treatment of other visitors and gay people what inspired this song?
Frankie Wesson: It was definitely written with that administration in mind, however written in 2020 so not referencing that case specifically. More so the contrast of the romanticism of the US vs the reality of what it’d be like to visit as a queer person and the uncertainty and injustice that many communities face in the states. It’s a scary place to be for a lot of people at the moment.
“Delicate” is another favourite of ours from the album and we premiered its video on our blog. What we adore about this song is not just your use of traditional Appalachian music, but the fact that you managed to bring two incredible artists together on this. Sally Josephine Greenwell is a viola player and alumna of Birmingham Conservatoire. She holds a degree in classical music and music therapy; she is also a member of The Brwmys – celebrated Welsh musical collective. The video to the song was done by your long-time collaborator videographer and musician Honey B McKenna. Tell us how you convinced so many talented people to work with you on just one track?
Frankie Wesson: I met Sally years ago through The Brwmys, she’s fantastic! With the arrangement of this song I knew I wanted some live strings on it and Sally very kindly agreed to lend her talents. She came by the studio one afternoon with no rehearsal and wrote this beautiful viola melody which became such an integral part of the song. She brought a real organic depth and soft yet uplifting sound to the song, it works beautifully.
I sent Honey the finished song and she had this gorgeous concept about the red string of fate. A metaphorical link which tethers you to another person regardless of time and place. I thought that was such a beautiful idea and fit the lyrics perfectly. We went out on location in and around Abergavenny filming on a sunny summer day with Kirsty – my drummer wrangling the other end of the string while shooting. I’m really pleased with how the song and video turned out and couldn’t have done it without the help of these talented friends I’m very lucky to have! Like you’ve said before it really is a team effort bringing my music to life and I’m so grateful to have so many people who believe in me and want to get involved.
Simon Pratt, Frankie Wesson, Kristy Pope Davies and Ruby Ravelle – photo by Honey McKenna
There was a bit of argument between us when writing the interview questions regarding “Undisturbed”, so we hope you could settle the score. Is the song written around the poem? Cause hand on the heart it feels like you put music to poetry!
Frankie Wesson: No, it’s not a poem sorry to disappoint but that’s very kind of you to say! This song is a unique one for me from a writing perspective. I wrote about a dream I had where I met Taylor Swift on a train and we fell in love. It was so cinematic and perfect like an epic love story (if you’ll excuse the pun) from a movie. Beautiful, purifying and life changing. I woke up and had to write down everything I could remember. I came back to it later and realised that if I could capture it just right, if I could paint that same picture with words and my guitar then it would make such an incredible song. The feedback on the album so far has been really great and lots of people have called out this song as the one that struck them the hardest, so I think I did it!
“Hey English” which closes the album could have been written by Robert Plant, off his “The Principle of Moments” record. It is the longest track standing at over seven minutes with elaborate guitar solos and prog rock influences. Is this where your music will take you in the future? What do you see yourself in the next few years both musically and artistically?
Frankie Wesson: “Hey English” is unlike anything I’ve ever done before, which is part of why writing and recording this album has been so exciting. I really let Ruby loose on this one – which is where you may be getting prog rock vibes from!
In terms of the future, I’m open! I think I’ve crafted my own sound over the years but hope that it will continue to change and grow and surprise me just like “Hey English” and other songs on this album have. I’ve already got some songs written that I want to put on the next album and am really excited to get in the studio with them and see where the music takes us.
Last questions on Indieterria are always fun. Your hardcore fans from Cheshire demand to know why “Your Version of Events” didn’t make the cut. At least, it could have been a bonus track! Explanation please.
Frankie Wesson: (laughs) Well spotted! I love “Your Version of Events” and enjoyed recording it at Shabbey Road Studios in Caerphilly. I had originally planned to add it as a bonus track or something on this album, but the record ended up feeling like its own body of work and I didn’t want to tag an extra song on for the sake of it. But it`s always there as an extra little nugget in my catalogue for anyone who wants to find it.
You can follow Frankie Wesson on socials:
https://www.frankiewessonmusic.com
https://www.instagram.com/frankiewesson
https://www.facebook.com/frankiewessonmusic
https://www.youtube.com/@FrankieWesson
https://soundcloud.com/frankiewesson-music
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SBpmZcOOC9HkUEJVR11QT
Additional reading:
https://nation.cymru/culture/welsh-singer-songwriter-frankie-wesson-set-to-release-intimate-new-single
https://yorkcalling.co.uk/2025/05/06/frankie-wesson-looks-back-with-emotional-third-studio-album
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 