BBC ATL - Elmwood Hall, Belfast - 10.11.2002
THE FRAMES, TURN, WHAT’S THE FUSZ
THE ELMWOOD HALL, BELFAST
It would seem there’s a healer in the building. People are whooping,
throwing their hands in the air and cheering, often for no particular
reason. Welcome to the cult of Glen - it’s the last night of a brilliant
Belfast Festival with The Frames headlining the Elmwood Hall.
ATL demo derby winners What’s The Fusz have the honour of opening at this
biblical event. The venue is close to full before they even start, and under
such pressure they do themselves (and us) proud. For a young four piece
still finding their feet, WTF are very impressive: tight and collected. The
tunes are there and each is performed flawlessly. Surprisingly then, they
don’t seem to be enjoying the experience much, or maybe they’re just too
cool to show it.
Turn are such a great band. It’s only now, with rumours circulating that
they’re about to lose bassist Gavin to Idlewild, that we really appreciate
that fact. Ollie seems even more bitter than ever, introducing the ‘hits’
with more than a little sarcasm. But he’s also a charmer, and the songs
sound so good tonight you end up sharing his dismay at the bands bad run.
‘In Position’ sounds even more poignant than ever, especially when Ollie
sings the line about thinking of Scotland. Hopefully Gavin isn’t doing just
that.
And so to The Frames. All the best things they’ve done are present and
correct: ‘God Bless Mom’, ‘Headlong’ and ‘Pavement Tune’ are particularly
glorious. For those seeing this band for the first time, the ‘impromptu’
covers (‘Two Little Boys’, ‘The Model’) make the band look like the
cleverest bunch of musicians on the planet. Most of us have seen these
things done before, and take more pleasure in a couple of promising new
songs, like the lovely ‘People Get Ready’, a song apparently based on verses
from Luke’s Gospel.
The crowd are on their best behaviour, lapping it all up. In fact, the
gushing response to everything becomes tiresome and even embarrassing. At
one point, Glen gave up on reaching the punchline of a typically rambling
story, simply because he couldn’t finish a single sentence without getting a
massive cheer.
It’s a strange one, because next week we’ll no doubt be complaining about an
audience’s indifference. Its just last night ended up a little too cosy for
comfort. But let’s not take away from what happened on stage. The Frames are
a band out on their own: charismatic, creative, both raucous and lovely,
often at the same time. More than a little special, but let’s just calm down
people, shall we?
David O Reilly
The Frames, Turn, What’s The Fusz, The Elmwood Hall, Belfast, 10.11.02
Amazon.com - July 2002  "Few albums are rich enough with a sense of place that they transport you to a different landscape. Engineered by famed producer Steve Albini, the Frames' fourth full-length release, For the Birds, is such an album. But instead of dropping you in Ireland, the band's home, or in any other physical location, For the Birds lures the listener to an interior terrain both familiar and remote. Without a single throwaway track, this album deftly escapes pathos, despite its focus on clichéd indie-pop themes of heartache and loss. A slow pulse-like bass line, rueful violin, mesmerizing guitar, and precise percussion underscore but never underplay Glen Hansard's stripped-bare vocals and lyrics. Hansard asks, "So what happens when the heart just stops / Stops caring for anyone?" He answers, "The hollow in your chest dries up / And you stop believing," a response dispelled as too facile by subsequent tracks. "Headlong" and "Santa Maria" nosedive into torment while "Early Bird," "Fighting on the Stairs," and "Friends and Foe" pull out. You're left in the middle of a swirl of conflicted emotions. What's remarkable is that For the Birds, rife with mental rifts and ditches, somehow convinces you that you want to stay there."
Cintra Pollack
Eclectic
Honey - "Breadcrumb Trail" 
"A Frames Live album has always been a mouth-watering prospect. A couple of years ago, it would have been more than likely an Ireland only release with a few thousand copies sold to an enlightened few - the people who filled Whelan's for those magic three hour long sets and nights that kept on going and going, encore after encore.
Well now it has finally arrived, and far from being an Ireland only release, instead it has been created for Eastern Europe with a few precious copies available here. Containing ten songs culled from the band's recent January appearance in the Czech Republic, it has all the trademarks of a Frames live set, the same passion, emotion, energy and captivating sparks, only the stories are different. Anecdotes, jokes, explanations and memories act as a warming prelude to almost every song, from the Egon Schiele tribute of Santa Maria to the dedication to 'the man that stands on the bridge' before Rent Day Blues.
What Happens When the Heart Just Stops sounds as beautifully tragic as ever, if not more so, while a nine minute plus version of Fitzcarraldo complete with two violins is possibly the most beautiful live performance ever. Santa Maria brews into a tornado of guitar before melting into an extended delicate finish, while Red Chord is laced with Jeff Buckley's Last Goodbye.
Old favourites dashed with new medleys, album versions given new life on stage, and cover versions given The Frames treatment all combine to produce something very special. While it may not be the same as standing in awe in a packed Vicar Street in front of one of the greatest live bands, Breadcrumb Trail is the next best thing and one which you shouldn't let pass you by.
Michelle Dalton
BaBuzz - 2002 The Frames
Breadcrumb Trail"The Frames were supposed to make their first trip to America following the release of For the Birds in 2001, but their plans had to be cancelled after their ten-year lead guitarist called it quits. With Simon Good on board, they first toured Central Europe in the winter of 2002 before crossing the Atlantic. Breadcrumb Trail documents a concert in Brno, Czech Republic, in front of an enthusiastic audience. Understandably, the set list included many selections from For the Birds, including the atmospheric rocker "Santa Maria," where Good shines. This song's power was only hinted at in the studio version. Glen Hansard and consorts also revisit a few key tracks from their previous albums, including the gripping "Fitzcarraldo," the show's other highlight. Softer numbers also work well, "Lay Me Down" and "New Partner" being the most effective. For "Fitzcarraldo," "Ohio Riverboat Song" (a traditional folk song), and "Red Chord," Czech violinist Jan Hruby joins in, trading solos with the Frames' Colm Mac Con Iomaire. The concert took place in a relaxed atmosphere, and the CD conveys it very well, although it means the listener has to suffer through Hansard's unfocused presentations. The album concludes with new scaled-down studio recordings of "Look Back Now" and "Star Star," a charming way to say goodbye. Breadcrumb Trail is a strong live album, the group's first and therefore a welcome addition to their discography. It taps into the essence of the Frames' folk-rock, more than any studio producer could do." ~ François Couture, All Music Guide
BaBuzz - July 2002 The Frames
For The Birds"The Dublin-based group's fourth and latest album has been obsessing millions of fans overseas since early last year. Produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Low, John Spencer Blues Explosion), the album even garnered kudos from Brain Eno, who claimed The Frames performed the best show he'd seen in five years. 'For The Birds' copens like a quiet sunrise fading into a variety of rhytm-driven, Irish folk-flavored tunes that begin with a frail whisper and build into a raging My Bloody Valentine-like storm, usually after frontman Glen Hansard turns his insides out Thom Yorke style. Although the album suffters occassionally from ill-fitting warbles and effects that obscure the brilliance of the songwriting and Hansard's
touching vocal work, it's still one of the most overlooked album of 2001 in
the US."
Delphine Hwang
Overcoat Recordings - "For The Birds" The Frames
For The BirdsCall it the miracle of evolution if you want. By accident or design, The Frames have always done what they wanted, and for every time one thing went right, three things went wrong.
Formed 1991 in Dublin, Ireland by Glen
Hansard, the band managed to make a name for itself throughout Europe in the
90's with their powerful live shows and the release of a handful of records
on Island and ZTT. However apathetic these labels were to their success or
failures in the states, The Frames managed to tour the US a handful of times
over the years, mostly on the East Coast. These tours proved fruitful as the
crowds grew even though the band's records were widely unavailable in the
U.S. Not surprising, with their latest release, For The Birds, many here
will be hearing The Frames for the first time.
The Frames first record, Another Love
Song was released in 1992 on Island Records and brought instant
gratification, which came at a price. The labels initial enthusiasm waned as
another Irish act (The Cranberries)-signed at the same time as The Frames-
began making waves. The Frames became a classic victim of the major label
machinery but refused to be dissuaded by the apathy from their label and
persevered-becoming one of the most talked-about live draws in Europe. Then
just as easily as they were signed they were let go in the great Island
housecleaning of the 90s (which could count Tom Waits amongst its
casualties). Band and record company parted ways.
Nevertheless, The Frames marched on and
were rapidly maturing, writing songs like "Fitzcarrado" and "Revelate",
which are still staples in their live shows. They began working on
Fitzcarraldo, their second record with Pete Briquette (Boomtown Rats,
Tricky) and when finished signed with ZTT.Ê Fitzcarraldo was released in
1994, and marked the bands first foray into America with a number of dates
along the East Coast. But their tendency for tragic relations again began to
manifest itself. In Ireland and throughout Europe the bands' profile
growing, but ZTT failed to capitalize on The Framesâ potential in the U.S.Ê
Fitzcarraldo was virtually non-existent in the American market. However, one
person in particular did manage to not only find a copy, but became one of
the band's biggest fans, Steve Albini. Steve expressed a desire to work with
the band, and although the collaboration never came to anything at the time,
their paths would cross some six years later.
Once again the band traversed on without
the support of a label and maintained a rigorous schedule of touring
Ireland, Europe and select dates in the US. Like their previous record, much
of the touring was done independent of the label's help and was financed by
the band's hometown gigs and other work efforts. This spirit shown through,
perhaps most evidently, with the band's next record Dance The Devil. With
Dance The Devil the band approached the studio with a looser outlook
musically, but with no less an incendiary collective of songs. Dance The
Devil was at once emotionally direct and sonically skewed, and it managed to
harness the acclaimed kinetic energy of their live shows. Well received
throughout Europe, it unfortunately met the same fate as Fitzcarraldo in the
states and went unnoticed. Again, the band parted company with their record
label, and decided to go at it on their own.
The initial sessions of For The Birds
began in Ireland in a country house in Kerry around the Spring of 2000. "It
was the first record that we sat down and really talked about," frontman
Glen Hansard explains. "We decided to go make it in two weeks in a house,
lash out all these songs that didn't get recorded on our last record." For
those two weeks in Kerry the band enlisted the production skills of old
friend and ex-dEUS man Craig Ward. Glen continues, "It was also the first
album we recorded while writing, because we were tired of songs being played
and played live, and by the time we got to record them, they were dead. It
was basically just an honest recording of where we were right then, not
tailor-made for anybody but ourselves." Craig helped get the band started on
a journey, which would see The Frames produce their finest work yet.
In fall of 2000, the band traveled to
Chicago to finally work with recording engineer Steve Albini (Pixies,
Nirvana, Bush) and the two camps instantly hit it off. "The guy's the only
real socialist I've ever met in music," Glen enthuses. "Steve's a complete
engineer; he doesn't produce. The idea of a producer is to make something
easier to listen to, and Steve is opposite, he's like, 'Fuck the timing or
tuning, it's great.' He's very honest, and he's a hardcore man, the only
person I've come across in music ever who's been straight with us and not
pulled any punches. He's a thinker, and if he wasn't a recording engineer
he'd have to be a writer or some kind of philosopher, because he's just
constantly talking about the idea of art."
For The Birds bears witness to the band's
coming of age as an instinctive and integrated playing ensemble, working in
service of Glen Hansard's open-heart-surgery songwriting. Veering from the
warm melancholia of a Will Oldham or Nick Cave ("Lay Me Down", "When The
Heart Just Stops"), to the inspired avant-guitarde of acts like Grandaddy
and Mercury Rev ("Early Bird") For The Birds never loses sight of it's
original intent, being a Frames record. Even when the band stretches out
with an almost Americana feel ("Mighty Sword") or displays a fractious-type
dynamic ("Santa Maria") they manage to remain true to themselves meshing
styles and genres seamlessly. The new music is conceived of timeless
elements, distinguished by Hansard's bare-all vocals, Dave Odlum's low-lying
guitar, Colm Mac An Iomaire's grainy violin and the subtlest of all rhythm
sections. Whether or not the
listener is familiar with The Framesâ music or story, For The Birds is
either a glorious place to start or pick up where he/she left off, it really
doesn't matter. The Frames will be touring this fall and Glen will be over
for a series of solo shows throughout the rest of the year.
OC11 - For The Birds
Rolling Stone - "For The Birds"
The Frames
For the Birds (Overcoat)
"I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed," sings Frames frontman Glen Hansard as his band's fourth album winds toward a close. The words could easily describe the Dublin, Ireland outfit's history, a decade-long chronicle of label woes and records that were just short of what they could've been. But they've come out on the other side better for it. Co-produced by Steve Albini, For the Birds is a literate, delicate and passionate record that sways with the sort of majestic weariness embedded in the Dirty Three's best work. It's a far cry from the Pixies-inflected rock the band was playing ten years ago, but their evolution has been gradual and organic. Typical of the results is "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," which opens as a whisper but gradually works itself to a fever pitch, as a transcendent mess of horns, guitars and strings embolden Hansard's cries of the album's apparent mantra, "I'm disappointed." He shouldn't be. DAVID PEISNER
Pitchfork Media - "For The Birds" The Frames
For The Birds
[Plateau/Overcoat; 2001]
Rating: 7.5 When I hear the name Steve Albini, I tend to think of a certain sound. Namely raw, primal rock. Rapeman, Big Black, Shellac, Nirvana's In Utero, the Pixies-- the man's name is practically synonymous with music that takes no prisoners. His dry, treble-heavy sound has graced literally hundreds of albums over the past decade-and-a-half, and his style has become so developed that a lot of people can listen to an album and tell that he recorded it.
Considering all this, you can imagine how shocked I was to open the liner notes of the Frames' fourth album and see his name in there. For the most part, For the Birds is just about the antithesis of what we've come to expect from Albini: gentle, hushed folk-inspired rock that only occasionally rises to a shout. As it turns out, Albini only helped record a few songs for the Irish quintet, and though it's never specified which ones, it's easy to guess. The rest of the album was produced by the band with the guiding hand of dEUS's Craig Ward, who seems nearly as unlikely a candidate.
For the Birds opens with a plaintive, soothing instrumental aptly titled "In the Deep Shade." Guitar harmonics, brushed drums, violin and a smattering of piano eddy about calmly, sometimes moving forward rhythmically for a bar or two, but never truly settling into a prolonged groove of any kind. It's little short of the perfect set-up for an album that abounds in pleasantly atmospheric, but rarely uninteresting, music, broken by the occasional foray into noise-drenched slow rock.
"Lay Me Down" follows, riding a constant, choppy beat and lightly picked acoustic guitars. Glen Hansard's vocal melody is syncopated in such a way that it sounds at first like he's singing out of time. Once you get used to his phrasing, though, the melody takes hold easily, contrasted by slow, droning violin interjections between verses. Hansard's understated delivery also works nicely for "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," the quiet ballad that follows. Subtle electronics weave their way through the mix, gradually becoming denser as the song swells to its dramatic climax, complete with a fine, Left Banke-ish horn section.
Though most of the album keeps the tempo held way back, a few songs manage to inject a faster beat, and nearly always to positive effect. Most notable is "Fighting on the Stairs," which is the most obvious candidate for a single. Programmed drums lay down an almost danceable groove for an otherwise mostly acoustic song, making for a nice blend of textures. Banjo and vibes fill in the corners of the song, leaving room for some sort of oscillating synthesizer and closely harmonized vocals.
Three of these songs bear the obvious mark of Albini, each in the form of harshly noisy guitar passages. The band handles noise best on "Headlong" by balancing it with resolutely melodic violin and lead guitar parts, which isn't to speak of the way they easily morph the gentle chorus refrain into an aching plea for help in the raging bridge. The noisy passage that closes "Santa Maria," however, is fairly shapeless, and actually detracts from an otherwise passable song.
The guitars are similarly molten on "Early Bird," though the vocal melody greatly overpowers them in the mix. The song quiets in the middle to allow the sinewy violin line to come to the fore, but is quickly swallowed again by restrained feedback and gritty guitar work. Its duration is cut short by an uncharacteristic moment of tape manipulation, which segues surprisingly well into "Friends and Foe," which is perhaps the most subdued song here. Subtle tremolo picking in the background, understated splashes from a keyboard and soft strumming are all Hansard has for accompaniment during the ultra-quiet verses. A surprisingly Dirty Three-like violin and guitar section actually brightens the song considerably in the middle.
"Disappointed" takes the title of most lo-fi song on the album, as Hansard sounds like he's phoning in his performance from another town. That's not to say his delivery isn't as passionate as usual, though, and his lyrics seem to sum up the general feel of the whole album with their refrain of "I'm not mad/ I'm just disappointed." Comparatively, closer "Mighty Sword" is upbeat at its tempo of roughly 60 beats per minute. The song picks up for its coda, breaking into a steady waltz beneath cleanly strummed guitars and
Theremin. The Frames have created a unique and enjoyable album with For the Birds, one that leans decidedly away from the pop spectrum, but never sacrifices accessibility. Perhaps the album's single greatest flaw is that the band have chosen to concentrate almost too much on the slow and sparse, but they do it well enough that it's hard to complain too much. When all's said and done, For the Birds is really for just about anyone.
Joe Tangari, January 30 2002
Sorted Magazine - Glen Hansard, Belfast Auntie Annies, Belfast, 28th January 2003 Having seen Mark Geary in the same venue almost a year ago, I was not expecting much. That gig did not overly impress me. I found his songs to be laborious and frankly quite dull. And so I was very pleasantly surprised by tonight's performance. He seems to have harvested a lot of his songs, cutting away the chaff and keeping the tunes shorter and more pronounced. I would be very interested in seeing him live again soon and will get the opportunity when he headlines Auntie
Annie's next month. This is the fifth time I have seen Glen Hansard live in the past 12 months (both as a solo artist and in The Frames). I have always come away impressed with both his songs and the entertainment value of the shows, and tonight was no exception. A rapturous welcome to the stage was greeted by a trademark smile from Glen, before he picked up the same battered guitar he has been playing for years and launched into his set.
The one thing that did stand out from tonight was that it seemed to be more musically-orientated than the usual story session Glen launches into at most gigs. That is not to say he did not talk - he joked around, explained the meaning behind some tunes etc - but this time a lot more music was played. Perhaps he has been listening to some of the light-hearted criticism about his gigs, becoming slightly embarrassing with the crowd hanging onto every word.
'What happens when the heart just stops?' is truly a touching masterpiece. It really takes a gig like this to realise just how many classic tunes The Frames have. From 'Red chord' to 'Lay me down', they are all played here and sound more exceptional in such a secluded live environment than on CD. As Glen himself stated, tonight's gig was used as a testing ground for the seemingly vast collection of new songs waiting to be recorded. Even on first impression, they all seemed very promising and, although it was difficult to tell just from one listen, they did appear to be of a more simple formula, almost resembling The Beatles at times.
I came away from this gig with one question on my mind - does Glen Hansard really need the Frames as a vehicle for his music or would he be best solo? From tonight's performance, I would go with the former. Although I said the same thing last year, I will repeat it again - see him live in a small venue while you still can. Graham Smith
musicomh.com The Frames @ Elmwood Hall, Belfast, 10 November 2002
This was to be an evening that was about more than just the headline act.
On only their third gig, local newbies Whats The Fusz? were given the honour of opening this Queens Festival event. Considering this was an all seated concert and nobody knew much about them, they coped well.
Memories of early Therapy? and defunct Portadown rockers Joyrider sprang to mind. The songs were structured well but by the fourth song, they began to grow a little tedious. They were very tight, with the drumming providing an arousing backbone to each song.
They looked surprisingly relaxed and nonchalant and by the end of their set, and while nobody was particularly blown away, there was a certain sense of pride that the local band had put on a decent show. Given time and plenty more garage practice sessions, they may move up the scale.
Turn have been gigging furiously around Ireland and the UK for years but the success that a lot of people said they deserved has so far eluded them. I had seem them several years ago and have to admit I spent more time watching the rather attractive female security guard than the band.
Tonight totally changed my opinion of the Irish rockers. They just seemed to gel so well together. Bassist Gavin, threw some great rock poses and facial expressions that would put Flea to shame (almost). Ollie played the role of darkly sarcastic but inescapably charming frontman. From the opening chord of each song, he played like his life depended on it. Pummelling the guitar and almost yelping out the heartfelt (but slightly insipid) lyrics. After tonight’s gig, I got the feeling that it was only a matter of time before the Feeder fans catch on and Turn will be catapulted to the success they do deserve.
And so to the band that can do no wrong.
The Frames slow rise has been charted extensively. They are manically
applauded to the stage. Glen is his usual grinning, effusive, and if I dare
say it, cuddly self. Like the best mate you always wanted to have, he charms
the crowd with his tales, the crowd hanging on to this every breath never
mind his every word. They seem
to effortlessly glide through their set. Nothing seems to phase them. Any
technical hitches are dealt with a joke, a smile and the show goes on. The
passionate loud tunes “God Bless Mom”, “Pavement Tune” and in particular
“Revelate” get the hearts beats racing and the feet thumping. The way they
can glide from convulsing rock songs to heart wrenching compositions is
something that a lot of bands admire.
The eerie silence that falls on the
packed hall during “Headlong”, the placidity during “When The Heart Just
Stops” and the respect shown during “Star Star” (which as always is moulded
with a cover of “Two Little Boys”) seems to affect everyone.
New songs “People Get Ready” and in particular “Blood”, conjure up great hopes for the next album. The album that will, more then likely, see them rise to meteoric fame. It almost gets too emotional and slightly embarrassing as the crowd worship at the Frames altar. But that’s fine for now. Let’s just enjoy it. When they become as big as Coldplay (and they will), all of us cool music fans will, naturally, have to despise them. So for now, let’s just be safe and cosy in the knowledge that they belong to us and only us. We can mock them later. Graham Smith
"Misery Celts" - The Age, Australia
 October 25 2002 Dark, moody and Celtic, the Frames are cornering the market with their "indie angst", writes Richard Jinman.
Sometimes, too much catharsis is barely enough. But where do you go when you've grown weary of Hank Williams, Robert Johnson is sounding too upbeat and Leonard Cohen just isn't bleak enough?
Can I suggest For the Birds, the excellent latest album by Irish quartet the Frames? If you like your rock darker than a peat bog and moodier than the moodiest member of the Moody Blues, this one's for you.
Take this doleful extract from the song Lay Me Down. As the banjos and mandolins cluck in the background, vocalist and chief songwriter Glen Hansard sings: "And if you wanna stay with me/Then let me know before it's light/I will recoil myself/Into the black and darkest night."
Grim, eh?
Actually, that's breezy compared with the next song, What Happens When the Heart Just Stops, a sadathon of epic proportions. Sample lyric: "So what happens when the heart just stops/Stops caring for anyone/The hollow in your chest dries up/And you stop believing."
And let's not even talk about the album's finest moment, Disappointed.
Hansard delivers these sad missives in a voice that's as robust as tissue paper, as bruised as toddler's knee. Not to be outdone, his band kick in with a suitably tortured barrage of guitars, percussion and what may be an angle grinder (more on the album's fascinating sonic qualities later). It's the kind of moody, mercurial dynamic that has earned the Frames comparisons with everyone from Coldplay and Mogwai to Red House Painters and Dirty Three.
But what could have inspired such dejection, such weariness?
Sadly, I don't get to find out. When I dial Hansard's number for our scheduled chat, it's the band's violin player, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, who answers.
"I'm going to be talking to you," he says in a disappointingly cheerful Irish brogue.
As a result, I learn little about Hansard's tortured muse, his admiration for Van Morrison or his brief flirtation with acting (he played guitarist Outspan Foster in Alan Parker's 1991 hit film, The Commitments).
I do, however, learn a great deal about the Baltimore seafood restaurant where the Frames are - as we speak - involved in some kind of vendetta against crustaceans. "There's exploding crabs everywhere," says Iomaire cheerfully.
For the Birds is the Frames' fourth album. They formed in 1990 after Hansard's demo tape scored him a deal with Island Records. He recruited some mates from the Dublin music scene to back him and over the next 10 years they established a solid following in Ireland. The band toured extensively in Europe and America, but made little commercial impact outside the Emerald Isle.
They also endured the debilitating line-up changes, management shuffles and record company dismissals that dog most long-lived bands. Iomaire admits 10 years of almost making it took its toll.
"We were all 18 or 19 when we started. We were like lambs to the slaughter," he says. "Now we're hardened, um ... unprofessionals."
After parting ways with Island in the early '90s, the Frames signed to ZTT, a label founded by producer Trevor Horn, of Buggles fame. That deal was terminated two years ago.
"We were tied into working with Trevor, and it was monopolistic," says Iomaire of the deal that yielded the albums Fitzcarraldo (1996) and Dance the Devil (1999). "Coming out of that experience, we wanted to take a left turn. If it hadn't been for ZTT, in fact, it wouldn't have been as drastic - we were willing to lose half of our following."
Most of the songs on the new album were produced by Craig Ward, a former member of critically revered Belgian "avant grunge" group dEUS. But it's indicative of the band's readiness for a left turn that Hansard also worked with notorious American producer Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana). Chicago-based Albini is a true maverick; a man whose reputation for capturing intense, raw and gritty sounds is matched by his reputation as an arrogant, scary dude.
Iomaire insists the bad reputation is undeserved.
"He's (Albini) great, and it was one of our most enjoyable sessions," he says. "Steve is much maligned, but he's an idealist - and that's a rare thing in the music business."
The results speak for themselves. For the Birds is a compelling album that manages to meld a gentle Celtic folk sensibility with distorted guitars and fragments of dirty industrial noise. It's ethereal one minute, truly malevolent the next.
And yes, it's mostly sad.
Iomaire has his own theory about the pervading darkness.
"It's the cumulative effect of being disillusioned," he says. "When you hit your 30s the shine comes off a few things, you know."
The Frames play at the Corner Hotel, Richmond, tonight. For the Birds is out on Little Big Music.
The Metro, Sydney, Australia review
by John Shand
October 25 2002
Some bands attract galahs and mating cats, and others just naturally attract audiences that can sing. For an encore The Frames' Glen Hansard returned to the stage alone and told us he was going to play a new song, The Blood, and that we could help. He sang a wordless, syncopated little melody once, and the audience immediately had it nailed to the floor. At a stroke it lifted the song, and also confirmed the old adage about people going into a performance as individuals, and coming out unified.
The singing was there throughout. To come to Sydney from Ireland for the first time and find that you not only have fans, but that they know the words and can hold a tune, must have been extremely gratifying.
From The Frames' albums it was obvious that Hansard was a darkly emotive songwriter. The added dimension live was his affability. This was of more relevance than there just being a likeable bloke clowning and entertaining: it subtly shifted the mood of some songs. Rather than being an exercise in gloom-revelling, they became the musings of a knockabout lad being serious for a moment, and were all the more poignant for it.
Many of the songs had dramatic dynamic changes built in, the soft parts exposing the inherent and appealing fragility of Hansard's voice, before the band crashed in with waves of exultant energy. If The Frames' musical language is primarily indie-pop (traceable back to the Velvet Underground), it is also unmistakably Irish. Hansard writes laments, but breaks them up with pumping mid-tempo rock rather than reels.
"Kicking Against" - Independent Records  Perhaps for the first time in our erratic history we can safely say that Ireland's independent music scene is ready to take on the world, ready to go pop. We're bursting at the seams right now with all sorts of goodies - electronica, hip-hop, electro, rock, instrumental music, Americana and lush pop sounds, not to mention a wave of righteous music video animation.
Kicking Against… is a pretty lucid snapshot of what's going on right now. All these acts hail from an independent infrastructure. Some of them have already gone beyond that. Some of them are destined to make important records. All of them are making fresh and uncompromised music that the world outside our vibrant little needs to hear. David Kitt is currently weaving his magic on tour all over Europe. He followed up his Rough Trade mini-album Small Moments with one of the most fully conceived albums ever recorded in this country - The Big Romance. He stepped into the big, bad corporate world, and so far he's still smiling. Here we've included one of the singles that's already sent him on the way to becoming a platinum selling artist in Ireland, "You Know What I Want To Know". Plus, we've an exclusive demo version of album track "Whispers Return to the Sun". Kitt's success is undoubtedly an inspiration to many of the other artists included on Kicking Against… The Frames are nothing short of national heroes. Having been 'round the block and tossed back and forth by the corporate system they came back fighting with last year's Steve Albini produced album For The Birds, unveiling a fresh new sound and a fresh new outlook. It is but a matter of time before their spellbinding ways stretch across the planet. Check out the For The Birds album track "Fighting on the Stairs" and the exclusive "Tomorrow's Too Long", which was recorded during their Steve Albini
sessions in Chicago. Definitely one of the most telling signs of changing times in Ireland is the unstoppable momentum of The Redneck Manifesto from Dublin. Across their first two albums Thirtysix Strings and Cut Your Heart Off From Your Head they rock hard with tense nervous energy and intelligent, poignant and intricate musicianship. Their live shows are unmatched for sheer hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck excitement and they come across as the most visual and physical live instrumental act we've ever seen. Meanwhile, Rednex
bassist Richie Egan forging his own way as Jape, songs about girls and
computer games that take the form of beautifully imperfect and pastoral
electronic pop music. Decal have long since been setting the standards for electronic produced music in Ireland. From their dancefloor destroying electro charges to the heaving melody-driven serenity of their latest album 404 Not Found, Denis and Alan are amongst the most accomplished producers around. On the 404 Not Found track we've included here you'll hear the voice of one Alan Kelly, who is featured elsewhere on Kicking Against… as The Last Post. Featuring guest contributions from David Kitt and Diarmuid Mac Dermada from The Jimmy Cake and the David Kitt live band, we've got a sneak preview of Alan's forthcoming second album on Bright Star Recordings, Dry Land. His debut album from 2000, Love Lost, was a gorgeous excavation of brilliantly produced harmony pop music that would leave fans of Brian Wilson, Gram Parsons or Phil Spector gasping for air. His new album is even better again.
The Jimmy Cake are another elevating ensemble of musicians. Up to ten members at the last count, their largely instrumental music spars staple rock instruments with brass, accordion, unusual percussion and all manner of musical oddity. We've included a track here from their debut album Brains, which is quite a unique and lovely exercise in assimilating so many worldly music styles into one big uplifting whole. We highly recommend you go see them live immediately. Same goes for Goodtime John, who has been adding new members to his ranks with every gig. This is a band based on the songs of Goodtime John himself and featuring members of The Redneck Manifesto, Connect4Orchestra and the Coldspoon
Conspiracy. His debut album Brought Four Ways Out of Town, recently released
on Volta Sounds, is a soul-searching trip through American folk and country
moods, which he brings to life as a rich revue for his live shows.
Also from the Volta Sounds stable is one of our most exhilarating new forces, Creative Controle. This is Irish hip-hop minus the paddy-whackery and featuring the breathless rhyme style of emcee Messiah J and the tight beats and heightened orchestration of producer The Expert. "Bloodrush" is their single, a swooping orchestral smack in the gob that a five star review from Muzik magazine and prompted DJ mag to describe it as "Truly great hip-hop." Completing the musical line-up on Kicking Against… is the utterly insane stigmata-macarena-pop insanity of the Warlords of Pez and their cult classic "Padre Pio". But that's not all, for we couldn't offer you a proper overview of what's happening without showcasing the visual genius of animation and design trio D.A.D.D.Y. So we've made space for their awesome animation video pieces to accompany Creative Controle's "Bloodrush" and the Warlords' "Padre Pio".
So feast your eyes on this and wrap your ears around the whole Kicking
Against… banquet. The future sound of Ireland never sounded so good.
Eclectic
Honey "Headlong"  HEADLONG
THE FRAMES
This release is centred around one of the highlights from The Frames' album For The Birds. While on the album version it is very much characterised by a long tense holding-back and subsequent release, these elements are missing on the EP version which shows a much more subtle and quietly crafted slice of folk rock. Initially, the frenetic energy of the original version seems to be missing, but after a few listens it develops a life all of its own and takes flight after about 3 minutes when Glen's voice delicately soars. Backed by Frames favourite God Bless Mom, the version here is poles apart from its Dance the Devil counterpart, instead paying more homage to the truly outstanding I am the Magic Hand leading track, while the live version is added into the mix. A kind of hybrid of all three prevails to create something really special. The band's take on Palace's New Partner previously received an outing on a split 7" with Calexico, and bass player Joe Doyle takes a turn on lead vocals for the second verse. Closing track Listen Girl, a cover of the Mic Christopher song, almost shines brightest however with Glen's beautifully moving vocals lending voice to a wealth of emotions. Backed up by Maureen Christopher, Alice Jago and Ann Scott, you can almost hear Mic's spirit singing along in the background.
Eclectic Honey "Lay Me Down"  LAY ME DOWN
THE FRAMES
Lay me Down makes its mark as the first single to be taken from For the Birds, the Frames' now gold-status album, and offers us a fine cut of new-country blended folksiness. Representative of For the Birds, it basks in it's melancholy edged wilderness, yet still envelops the listener's soul with its intimate, warm and ultimately uplifting message. With a dance-ability factor of 200%, there isn't a soul left still when the Frames launch into this much-loved live staple. Two equally beguiling tracks keep Lay me Down company, with Rise out-shadowing Tomorrow's too Long slightly with its eerie isolated charm. It's one of those magical Frames moments that sounds like Glen is singing in the same room as you- his voice tenderly dominating the beautifully subtle guitar. A classic Frames moment that's worthy of a tag superior to b-side and it could have easily been at home on For The Birds. Possibly the best moment though is a non-musical entity; a video from last year's groundbreaking and heartbreakingly great Brittness. If ever anyone doubted that this is a band who love their fans, and who are deeply loved in return, this beautifully shot performance of Plateau will make up your mind. Now everyone can witness/witnness one of the best live bands in the world. See you down the front….
Western People - "Inundations" 5/2002 As a broadcaster, Jon Richards has been one of the outstanding crusaders for live music in Ireland in recent years. The Galway Bay FM presenter has recorded many famous sessions for his regular radio show, and now takes some of that material to a wider audience with the release of the double album "InunDations". This showcase of live performances, recorded in Studio 2 at the Galway City station, is released on this Friday, with all proceeds going to The Samaritans. Recorded over the past twelve months as part of his in-studio sessions, "InunDations" features tracks from some of the biggest names in music from both at home and abroad. The impressive line up reads like a who's who of Irish music today and includes Mundy, Damien Rice, The Frames, Hothouse Flowers, The Devlins, Skindive, Juliet Turner, Relish, The 4 of Us, Jack L, The Saw Doctors, Mary Black, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Eleanor McEvoy, Don Baker, Gemma Hayes, Cara Dillon and The Revs.
Internationally renowned artistes from abroad also feature including a fine moment from Ron Sexsmith, and a reworking of "Brand New Friend" from Lloyd Cole. There are also mind-bending performances from guitarist Pierre Bensusan and Idaho born Josh Ritter. Up and coming stars like powerful blues artiste Chaz De Paulo, the hypnotic, compelling voice of Charis' John Connolly and the vastly underrated Brando fly the flag for new artists.
All of the featured tracks were recorded by Richards and are just a snapshot of the treasure trove of original music that Galway Bay FM has had the pleasure of broadcasting over the past year.
The double album contains 37 tracks for the special price of just €20, with all proceeds going to The Samaritans. It is also being released in DVD style casing and is sure to rapidly become a collector's item.
Album sponsors include Zhivago, Cuba, The Warwick, Hot Press, IMRO and Galway Bay FM, who all rallied behind this very worthy charity.
The Frames & Friends, Green Energy Festival (Dublin Castle)
29 May 2002  As the Bank Holiday protest erupted into the full swing of a truncheon, a (slightly) more sedate but equally as committed gathering thronged to the Castle to soak up the songs and bonhomie of Mundy, Bell X1, Damien Rice, late addition Paddy Casey and of course, the real stars of this Green Energy Festival and everyone’s favourite explosively emotive troubadours, The Frames. What on paper could have a some sort of post-modern Raggle TaggleFest 2002, turned out to be one of the most moving celebrations of friendship and music this city has ever seen. Which is what we’ve come to expect from The Frames.
No other band in Ireland are quite simply this charged, effective and touching live, and at that, very few anywhere else. At times tonight, I’m reminded of Radiohead performing material from The Bends, as they share that rare and powerful gift of turning intensely personal emotion into collective cathartic euphoria. ‘Santa Maria’, the most distinctive and special track on For The Birds, spreads its cacophonous epiphany like the wings of a phoenix over the spirit of Egon Schielle. The angels are still circling overhead as ‘Star Star’ segues into Mic Christopher’s ‘Listen Girl’, climaxing in the rallying lovecry of ‘Heyday’. Super-8 footage of dear Mic, the man with the cap and a warm smile, intensifies the moment for his many friends and fans present. But tonight’s prevailing mood is as celebratory as it is mournful, as Dublin Castle salutes a hero’s spirit which is alive and well and radiant in every single smile and whoop for joy.
‘Debaser’ leads a quick rush of noisy encores with Joe Doyle doing a remarkable stand in job for Kim Deal. Mundy and Damien Rice join in for one last blast through an exquisite ‘Red Chord’ (with Glen’s little brother running off blushing!). We’re left delirious and reeling, amazed and beaming with pride at how magnificent they now are, and indeed, how earth-conqueringly brilliant they could become. For now, The Frames are among the most extraordinary live magicians alive.
Eamon Sweeney
SXSW 2002 - The Frames The Frames
Schuba’s Fifth Annual SXSW Roundup
The Yard Dog Gallery
March 14, 2002
From the moment I arrived at the party,
this Dublin, Ireland power-pop collective had quite the buzz surrounding
them. I was embarrassed to say that I knew nothing about them before the
show, yet they were certainly the most pleasant surprise of the day.
Lead singer Glen Hansard had a versatile voice that could alternate between a husky bellow and a falsetto wail. Within the body of the tightly constructed rock songs, the band tucked snippets of other tunes ― kind of like live sampling ― including Kool and The Gang’s Celebrate and the children’s rhyme Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The group has released four albums, yet only the latest two (For the Birds and the enjoyable Dance the Devil []) seem to be in print in the U.S. The highlight, however, was Beautiful Widow, a tune that appears on neither of the aforementioned discs. If you get a chance to see The Frames in concert, you won’t be disappointed. | 
