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Sunday Tribune - Live at Vicar St. - Sep 26 2004 "Back In The Picture" The Frames Vicar Street, 20 September THE Frames couldn't help themselves: towards the end of their first encore they just had to slip in another old number, and Glen Hansard tore into crowd favourite 'Pavement Tune'. It was a characteristic crowd-pleasing moment, a part of The Frames that they cannot suppress, no matter how much they tried this evening. This was a new kind of Frames gig. Where previously there was a need to please and endear, tonight there was a determination to take control; in place of sloppiness there was discipline, and in place of the traditional joyful partying atmosphere tonight there was serious intensity. Only days after the release of their new album Burn the Maps, the band's set consisted simply of the entire record played in order. No band indulges their need to be loved as much as The Frames, Hansard's cloying 'oh shucks' shtick quickly moving from endearing to grating as the night wears on, but not tonight. Looking younger and leaner than in recent times and with a focused energy about him, Hansard was playing the artist card, sticking to the disciplined game plan by rattling through the album. The tunes certainly benefited from the live setting, 'Dream Awake' putting the album version to shame and 'Keepsake', one of the record's highlights, becoming even more delicately beautiful. The set, though, was marred by the fact that there simply was not enough great material to sustain it, the new album having two or three great songs but no more. Hansard, though, is that rare thing in music: someone who is so good at his job of being a performer that there is pleasure in watching him perform anything. His all conquering confidence is staggering, the obviously genuine joy he feels even while horsing out age-old hits like the encore's 'Revelate' completely infectious and his wit still sharp. "The Samaritans called and asked us if they could use this song, " he says. "To me that's the greatest kudos, it means the song is really fucking depressing." When Hansard tore into 'Pavement Tune' it was a sign that the boy can't help himself, and that the old Frames was still poking out from beneath the surface of this surprisingly serious gig. Matthew Magee
BBC ATL - Live In Belfast, 28.09.2004
THE FRAMES
Oxegen.ie - Glen Hansard in Prague Claire O'Brien was a little cynical, but the chance to see Glen Hansard play Prague was just too alluring. And, as it turned out, he put on quite a decent show, allowing Claire to come over all philosophical... We heard about the Glen Hansard gig from a couple of friends who met him at a bar here in Prague, the grapevine did its thing and a big gang of us turned up to see what he had to offer. Speaking personally, and being aware of the vast acclaim he meets at home, he's not really my cup of tea. I can respect what he does, and I can see that he does it well, but the ex-lover, romantic-anger, stoned-theorising on life thing, has never appealed to me very much. Thus, I was sceptical to see him here. Surely he's going to capitalise on his Irish charm and wistful red-headedness to win over the Czech crowd, I thought. It was precisely that which I have been trying to escape by living away from home for a while. If he made any faults, if he went too far, we could call him on it. If this guy chances his arm with any "the craic is mighty" bullshit, all of the residual respect I have for him would die. I was the sceptical critic. The guy was playing a community centre. Honestly, it was like a youth club with a bar. There were about two hundred chairs lined up in rows in front of a humble stage, decked out with piano and mic stand. The bar was frequented by a lively looking bunch of hippies and students, and the odd homeless drunk, lured by the promise of the cheapest beer in the city. It was colourful homely, as though a bunch of squatting students just turned this building into an art house. I shuffled inside past a few hippies with their dogs and took a back seat behind the sound engineer, a geeky looking teenager sporting the traditional Jewish skull cap. Hansard's reputation had clearly preceded us! The crowd came in all shapes and sizes, of no particularly identifiable musical affiliation, and of all ages. They were more familiar with him than I was, as it soon transpired that he's actually a regular visitor to the Czech Republic. I was even more impressed to find that he would always play in an obscure, intimate venue like this, for a nominal fee, and always got personal with his fan base. Glen's support act, pianist and backing singer, was an impish Czech girl, whose voice made even Glen visibly astounded. She added layers of melody with ease, and ran up onto the stage whenever he decided that a tune needed her. Of course he did the usual crowd interaction thing, and got us to whistle or hum, and seemed to enjoy us every bit as much as we were enjoying him. I was poised for a moment of "faith and begorragh" when one of my confederates shouted "Go on Ireland" onto the stage. It was a relief to see him politely decline on this invitation to ungratefully trespass on Czech hospitality with some kind of petty patriotism. Tonight was about music and the Czech reception of one of our own. It wasn't a stage for bringing the Irish together; it was an offering to the Czech people, who were free to interpret it as they wished. It wasn't our place to force a hackneyed image of our culture, but rather their prerogative to establish an impression of Glen and us, as they saw fit. The consensus was definitely positive. Of course he made the odd gag, much to my discomfort, because to a captive audience, only few people can get away with trying to be funny as well as seriously musically talented. But I'll allow him this, for inviting another musician friend of his onto the stage to sing, and graciously handing over the stage with awe for a young Czech singer songwriter who had been sitting in the back admiring his friend's work anonymously. Glen made a couple of "encores" and finished with Leonard Cohen's divine 'Hallelujah'. Amen. After the gig, a small reception was held, with plenty of food and drink for everyone. I watched as Glen mingled around his friends and joined us to talk of things like "six degrees of separation" and music, and Prague, introducing us to the Czech participants in the gig, and generally having a good time. More than a few of us advanced sceptically, declaring our distaste for star-gazing and such. I even felt a bit hostile, wary of feeding some ego just by seeming too eager to talk to the writer of three Platinum albums. My cynicism dissolved however, and I felt bad for even entertaining those notions. Because he's just a singer, if we love the music, then it's us who create the star.
Buffalo News - "Burn The Maps"
Another export from the Emerald Isle, and like peers the Devlins, the Frames pack their taut structures to the brim with poetry and passion, soaring minor key melodies and divine production conspiring to elevate, just like rock used to do without having to be self-conscious about it. Fans of Radiohead and - oh no, not them again! - U2 will fit into "Burn the Maps" like a particularly forgiving pair of old denims; it's all about tension and release, and this band has mastered that formula. Heart on sleeve, fist in the air, Irish irreverence pumping through the veins, moments scattered throughout "Maps" roll back the rock and scream, "Wake up, dead man!" Review: 3 1/2 stars (Out of 4) Jeff Miers
Derry review - "The Frames" You might find yourself posing the question – who are the frames? Well, not any longer. There has been something of a new dawn in Ireland for the frames, people are starting to sit up and pay attention to them in a big way. Their music is beginning to appeal to the masses. I asked Joseph if he thought this affected them trying to break into other parts of the world. He told me “I don’t think it actually affects us when we go to other parts of the world, but we are a strong, confident band at the moment and perhaps our success in Ireland has played a part in that. It’s nice to have the support of your home country/town.” I t seems they have a strong bond with their fans, and fully appreciate all support they receive. Perhaps it is the radiant friendliness that surrounds the frames that enhances their appeal. Which is why almost everyone who has came across the Frames hopes this international release is a success. Unfortunately, triumph has not come easily for them, it has been a long road for them, however when I asked the lovely bassist Joseph Doyle how he had found to where they are today, he assured me that “The road doesn’t seem to have been that long in retrospect” and that they concentrate on what they are doing now, and future plans. With the international release of the latest outstanding album, “Burn the Maps” the frames are set to take the world by storm. When I questioned the band about what they hoped to achieve from this world tour and international release they modestly told me “it would be nice to sell a few records overseas and be able to go new places.” It seems that the humble Frames are happy with where they are today, and they hope to get a good crowd and reception; as they have very successfully done at home.
The Frames are undoubtedly one of
Ireland’s best bands, and seeing them play live is just about the most
exhilarating experience you could live. After seeing them play in venues
such as Derry’s very own Playhouse, I knew I could expect great things from
them, however to play in front of some 17,000 people, I wasn’t sure what to
expect. Perhaps my most vivid memory from this day is when front man Glen
Hansard stood in the middle of the field just as they began to let the early
revellers in. For me this was a sign, not that he was nervous, but that he
was preparing himself for something big, and also that he is down to earth,
as normal as you or me. He openly talked to the punters, until he was pulled
away by security, and I say pulled, as this was literally the case. Never
have I met a band with such immense respect for fans. His normality could
even be detected on stage when in the opening of well known Rent Day Blue’s
his harmonica broke, and he just laughed and said “it even happens when
you’re on the big stage”. Joseph Doyle told me “It was an amazing day for
all of us and must admit to feeling
Their mind blowing performance revealed
some of the stunning new material off the album “Burn the Maps”. They took
the audience through the quieter songs such as keepsake, and the amazing
Dream Awake, which bursts into amazing sound that would please any ear, and
the well known Fake. However, although all of the songs are filled with
beauty that would make you cry; it was perhaps older classics such as
Fitzcarraldo, which when he belted out the lyrics “I’ll see you down in
history” made each individual hair on my neck stand. This is definitely a
day to be remembered by all, as every single person was absolutely wrapped
up in the electric performance. The euphoric atmosphere was made somewhat
surreal when they played “heyday” which acted as a tribute to Mic
Christopher, a budding musical genius who sang it originally, he was Glen’s
best friend and died in an unfortunate accident in Clare
Daily Collegian - "Burn The Maps"
Irish band making waves December 03, 2004 It can be a letdown when one learns of a band from overseas that doesn't receive the same praise in the States as it does in its home country. Once in a while however, a band can break into a music scene abroad as an opening act for another artist, or through a mix tape from a friend. Irish rockers The Frames are one such example. After touring this past year with folk-rock artist Damien Rice, The Frames have managed to earn a small but strong following here in the United States. With the release of their live album entitled "Setlist," The Frames have captured the live show experience with all the highs and lows of actually being present at the recording. Recorded over a few nights in Dublin in 2003, The Frames picked the best tracks and compiled them into an album of 13 energy-driven songs. "Setlist" opens with a punch in "Revelate." What at first begins with a recording of a song from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," soon jumps with intense guitar driven vigor into a moment that defines the rest of the album - pure rock. The crowd begins chanting along with Glen Hansard, the lead singer, as he sings, "My single slant, this broken chant." Heavy guitar melodies combined with rock violin create a sound that will blow away rock aficionados. Colm MacConIomaire's sweeping violin solo melds the folk aspect of The Frames with heavy rock feel in a moment that is sure to give listener chills. The chilling effect of MacConIomaire's violin continues with "Star, Star," a soft ballad where Hansard sings about bringing out the best in oneself. Building in volume, the ballad increases in instrumentation and emotion. Hansard proves that emotional singing can be perhaps the most powerful type of vocalization in "God Bless Mom," which features perhaps the best live moments of the entire album, while also featuring the worst. Complex guitar strumming, fueled by a driving drum rhythm, complimented by single chords on another electric guitar, highlight the vocal overtones, providing a dark yet rich sound. At about two minutes into the song, MacConIomaire's violin and the rest of band break, but only for a second, coming together in perfect sync to make an incredible "grand entrance". Unfortunately, only seconds later, Hansard and his backup Doyle sing terribly out of tune. The listener is rewarded however at about three and a half minutes in, when a Pixies-esque bassline and guitar rhythm akin to the Clash kicks in. The moment builds and builds, with a sudden eruption of sound, where one might find themselves with their fist pumping in the air, or jumping with excitement. It's truly a moment of rock excellence. "Pavement Tune" and "The Stars Are Underground" thunder with heavy guitar resonance and drums clattering precise rhythms. The Frames master their timing, never missing a key moment, and one knows they're well rehearsed. Three part harmonies are present, but in an arrangement that consists of either the guitar, violin and vocalist, or a combination with the crowd singing. Make no mistake, The Frames use the crowd as an instrument and they do it well. Considered by many to be their best song back in Ireland, The Frames use "Fitzcarraldo" as one of their closers. Hansard found inspiration for writing the song after seeing a movie of the same title where a man had to pull a ship over a mountain. Using that metaphor, The Frames combine great songwriting with a well-arranged piece. A Spanish guitar rhythm (played on an electric) combined with dark undertones, makes for a great piece. Every instrument is important here. Doyle's bass line, the simple carrying drum rhythm, and of course, Colm's rock violin. Hassard sings "Even the good stars fall from grace and falter" as the band rocks as a single unit, combining different elements of world music, and varied rock influences, before climaxing with Colm's last solo. Listening to The Frames is an experience, which is difficult to describe. It's something you have to feel. For those who miss the emotion in rock, - and this isn't emo - and who want to experience a live show without being there, this album is for you. There is something for everyone in their music, and you don't know what you're missing till you've given them a try. Information from the Web site theframes.ie was used in this report.
evox.ie - "Burn The Maps"
I'm going to apologise in advance. I am going to do something against my every single journalistic and human instinct. I'm going to start this review with a pun. I feel horrible for doing it, like I've let myself down. But there's no other option. You see, The Frames needed a Revelation. Again, sorry. Anyway, The Frames received a huge amount of negative vibes after the release of their last album 'For the Birds'. Front man Glen Hansard was trying to create an album that was different. A concept album, one might say. Unfortunately, as the press highly criticised it, shoddy production values meant it failed in the most dramatic way possible. Despite this, the loyal fans stuck with the band that could be referred to as the Marmite of the Irish music industry. Never a group to be struck down by a slight misstep, The Frames are back with their latest album, 'Burn The Maps'.
The album opens with the soft acoustic riff of 'Happy'. Instantly, you know
that this album isn't going to be full of catchy 'single' songs. This album
is, for the most part, fairly mellow. Well, that is until the band explode
into a hyperactive finale for most of the songs presented here. And, of
course, there's two token recognisable Frames' songs - i.e. the ones that
their legions of fans can sing and jump about to in their ever popular live
shows. Getting back to 'Happy', this is a great opening. A catchy chorus
along with a nice riff make this a great song to get you into the mood. Each
of the band members gets an input into the songs, so you can expect a
rhythmic bass line, above average drumming, as well as The Frames' major
gimmick - the electric violin solo. The undeniable star of the show has to be 'Fake'. Ironically it's one of the songs closest to the band's earlier work, a comparison the band clearly wanted to move away from. Sounding like a mix between the Frame's own 'Revelate' and the Smashing Pumpkin's classic teen anthem 'Today', this is bound to find a place in the band's rarely changing set list. If you haven't yet tired of this song (which I hear has already received a more than substantial airplay), this will prove to be one of those songs, that above all else, just makes you feel good inside. Which is the area in which The Frames specialise. The band do unfortunately make a few minor mistakes. The unimpressive 'Ship Caught in the Bay' and 'Trying' lay testament to this fact. And while the single 'Finally' is all well and good, the similarities between this and the likes of 'Rent Day Blues' seem all too obvious compared to the freshness of 'Fake'. It is one of the least well thought out songs on the album, clearly there only to please more casual fans, who just attend their shows for the chance to hear some of the band's more popular songs. On the whole, the album is never less than impressive. The Frames are clearly maturing. They are slowly moving away from the style that made them famous, yet still paying homage to their roots. The balanced mix of pop rock and the other, somewhat more sombre melodies, make for easy, enjoyable listening. Of course, this would mean nothing if the songs didn't translate well to the stage, the natural home for The Frames where the foursome really come alive. This correspondent was lucky enough to attend the launch of this new album in HMV (all for you guys) and can gladly report that a large number of the songs sound excellent live, with a few that may even graduate to the reliable 'Frames Set list'. 'Burn The Maps' isn't going to change the world. It's not going to convert many to the cult of The Frames. And in no way could it be referred to as a masterpiece. It is simply a great album that is somewhat deeper than most, while at the same time being a thoroughly enjoyable listen and is bound to please the fans who have stuck with the band through thick and thin. And there is a chance, a glimmer of hope, that this is just the kind of mini-Revelation that The Frames really needed. As a final note, I would like to apologise for that last sentence.
Blender - Joe's Pub, NYC 12/4/2004
The Frames - Live concert
Irish folk-rockers debut new album material in sneak preview show "This is all a bit strange," remarks Glen Hansard, frontman for the Frames, Dublin's other rock band, as he suits up for his second show of the evening at New York's intimate Joe's Pub. Hansard is referring to the band's recent rapid ascension into the limelight—particularly in their native Ireland—after years spent toiling in the wings. The first cracks into the mainstream came with 2001's For the Birds, and the Frames hope to build on that momentum when their fifth album, Burn the Maps, hits streets in February. The official U.S. tour doesn't kick off until then, but the Frames treat their rabidly loyal fan base in the Big Apple with two sold-out back-to-back evening shows. Frames live gigs are predictable in their unpredictability, most of it generated by the sharp-tongued storytelling of Hansard. Sporting a scruffy beard, the singer banters with the audience, whipping up sing-alongs and encouraging the audience to participate. The opener, "Plateau," is trademark Frames: beginning as a soft lull, climaxing into a frenetic and almost deafening crescendo and segueing into a cover of Jane's Addiction's "Jane Says." It's a classic Frames stunt and isn't the only tangent of the night; Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" also receives a Frames makeover. The bulk of the set tonight draws on old favorites, including the thumping "God Bless Mom" and the folkish ballad "Lay Me Down," but it is the new songs that showcase a band clearly on the rise. "Fake," the first single taken off the new album, finds Hansard vocal trickery shifting from the dulcet lows to the rocking highs, and in a typically impassioned mood: "Come on, the guy's a fake/What do you love him for?/And it was my mistake/Just kicking in his door." Nearly transcending the stage, Hansard shifts into another dimension while singing; his fierce stare and writhing body vent an intense relationship with the song. The Frames are at their most devastating when the entire band thrashes and bellows in unison as Hansard's voice and violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire's searing melodies duel. The unrelenting "Finally" captures this frenzied and electrifying state, while "Underglass" continues the take-no-prisoners tempo, with Hansard at a near shout. Then there is suddenly calm masking the racking intensity of closer "Keepsake." When they return to these shores early next year with a new album, the Frames can recklessly Burn the Maps—who needs 'em when your route is already planned out. 4/5
Billboard.com - "Burn The Maps"
By Ron Hart
However, since 1990, their dizzying hybrid of arena-sized pop and indie rock
complexity has been cherished by a small, yet loyal cult following
stateside, augmented by frontman Glen Hansard's co-starring role in Alan
Parker's 1992 smash film "The Commitments." Now signed to Epitaph's Anti-
imprint, the Frames could finally reap the mainstream recognition they so
richly deserve here The follow-up to the career-spanning 2003 live album "Set List" is by far and away the group's most determined work of its 15-year career. It's a collection of songs that demand your attention, rife with soft/loud dynamics reminiscent of Sebadoh and Mogwai magnified to fill the lungs of a sold-out Giants Stadium, particularly on tracks like the cathartic "Finally," "A Caution to the Birds" and the transcendental closer "Locusts." Could an opening slot on U2's upcoming North American tour be far behind?
eclectichoney.com - "Burn The Maps"
While Burn the Maps still has the heart and soul of a Frames album, it’s notably different in its tone. Few if any of the tracks (aside from the gorgeous closer Locusts perhaps) plough their way through the acoustic folksome fields of yesteryear. Even when Suffer in Silence appears to do so, it gently swells to an impressively layered finish. It’s typical of the lush, rich sound, and musical strength of Burn the Maps. Underglass is a definite nod to, or perhaps more of a tracing of, The Pixies. A tensely collected verse gives way to some of Hansard’s most angry vocals ever committed to record, even challenging the back-ends of Revelate and Fitzcarraldo. It offers a very different snapshot of the Frames than For the Birds, which was centred on a more lo-fi, stripped bare aesthetic, and stapled firmly to Hansard’s vision. Burn the Maps on the other hand, is noticeably a band effort. Keepsake flexes the muscles which were first discovered on the early bsides of Turbit and Early Riser, and more recently Santa Maria. Its opening post-rock gambit offers a haunting motif, accompanied by Hansard’s stoic delivery, before descending into a feverish quagmire of anger and Colm Mac Con Iomaire’s once again breath-taking efforts. Sideways Down is awash with jangly tight guitars, soaring melodies and quiet-loud head rushes. In short, it’s the finest thing on Burn the Maps. However, Ship Caught in the Bay’s descent into electronica, partly courtesy of Deasy’s assistance, still remains a highly questionable moment though, where doubts of over-production and inconsistency with the rest of the record are underscored and noted. For the most part though the band’s effort with regard to the production (as handled by guitarist Rob Bochnik and ex-Frame Dave Odlum) on Burn the Maps manifests itself in some beautiful touches such as the last handful of pounding drum beats at the end of Happy and A Caution to the Birds’ sheer depth and breadth of sound. Indeed, track five, Trying, seems consumed with ordinariness, when viewed in the same space as the likes of Happy and Dream Awake, and neither offers something a bit different nor one of those emotionally-charged peaks that the Frames are so famous for, and well-honed at, lashing out. Ultimately though, Burn the Maps offers the next chapter in the story of a band who have shown that time and time again they can produce a little piece of heartfelt magic – such a rare commodity in modern music. Maybe it is not quite as instantly special as For the Birds, which in itself showed a much more vulnerable and exposed side to the band, but Burn the Maps does attempt to show another side, a side where The Frames are very much a band effort and not afraid of showing it. They’ve chosen their path, they’re on their way, and given the commitment and determination that is so pervasive in their songs, nobody would bet that they don’t get there. Review written by Michelle Dalton
Shake'n'Stir - "Burn The Maps"
The Frames is undoubtedly Ireland’s best loved band. In world classification terms the band is up there with the very best, and in live performance terms few others can match its passion and ability to involve an audience. All this adds up to a strong sense of anticipation for new releases from a growing band of worldwide fans. In frontman Glen Hansard the band possesses a true great who revels in the live arena, and in leading his excellent fellow musicians. Characteristically over twelve months in the creating, the album (partially due to an unremitting and extremely heavy international tour schedule) eventually arrived a few days ago. It’s grittier, edgier, more passionate, more adventurous, and more involving than any earlier Frames studio album. In short, it’s stunning... In my view, the trick of studio recording is to make the record sound like it’s a series of one-take live recordings. I find that this increases listener involvement appreciably, and takes one right into the eye of the storm. Track one hints strongly that the Frames are strongly aware of this. In more recent interviews Hansard has underlined the band’s key objective of remaining independent (the band records on its own Plateau label) and maintaining a tight grip on the recording process (Hansard has entrusted Steve Albini, ex-band guitarist David Odlum and band guitarist Rob Bochnik with most production and mixing duties). Happy is a slow-moving, contemplative, raw and strongly melodic song with one of the most expressive Hansard vocals I can remember. The achievement here is to accurately echo the song’s sentiments (“Come help me out I’m sick from the fight, from inserting a laugh where there’s none, show me where this joke got tired...”) through the recorded musical ambience. It ends up being totally credible, is an immaculate start to the album, and a strong hint of what’s coming... Next track Finally has an anthemic, crusading vibe to it as Hansard’s voice changes to echo the song’s more upbeat tones. The instrumental passages are epic including some fine fiddle work from band mainstay Colm Mac Con Lomaire and superb riffs from ‘new’ guitarist Rob Bochnik. A stunning song by any standard. Dream Awake follows with a song that opens almost inaudibly but grows in scale as it progresses helped by stuttered drum beats and a mocking Hansard vocal. The final instrumental rush is nothing short of breathtaking. Two more incredibly moving songs follow before the glacial, super-melodic and haunting tones of Trying appear. A close-mic vocal completes a song that is impossible to lodge from the brain. But then another memorable stunner called Fake bursts onto the scene. This was the Irish chart-topping single released last year to keep the fans happy and succeeded big-time. It’s pop/rock at its supreme best with a soundstage of exciting guitar riffs, superb rocky choruses, a vocal that travels the range, and a massive melody. If released and promoted here in the UK it would fly... The final segment of the album illustrates how the band has evolved and progressed over the last few years, especially in the area of creating gut-wrenching instrumental play. The drumming seems more intuitive and mood-driven, the guitar work more dramatic and heavy rock influenced - Underglass and Ship Caught In The Bay are supreme examples of this, and I doubt whether you’ll hear anything as good on a rock record in 2004. The album closes in an exceptionally inspiring way. First with the soft, contemplative tones of Keepsake with its haunting fiddle and keyboard passages, and the most intimate Hansard vocal. The song then concludes with an instrumental crescendo that matches the very best from Australian instrumental rock wizards, The Dirty Three. I can’t wait to see this performed live, and to witness the audience response... And then finally Locusts that typifies the unrivalled intimacy and listener involvement that comes as standard with every Frames album. Last year the Frames released SET LIST (a recording of a Dublin concert) and showed conclusively why the band is so highly regarded as live performers, and the level of acclaim accorded by people attending the band’s concerts. BURN THE MAPS now proves that the band have mastered the studio and is able to create and produce what will go down as probably the finest rock record to come out of Ireland for many years. I do not exaggerate when I say that every lover of serious, communicative rock music should own this album. And I can promise you it will not leave your CD player for many, many months. It’s that good. 5/5 Please Note: BURN THE MAPS is released in the UK on the 9th February, 2005. If you'd like to buy this fabulous album now I suggest you log onto www.theframes.ie where I believe it is currently available.
JSOnline.com - "Burn The Maps" - Jan.20 2005
Radio-friendly doesn't have to be a dirty word in indie music circles. The Frames' latest studio effort, "Burn the Maps" (due Feb. 8 on the Anti- label), may have more alt-rock ear candy than most of the band's earlier releases, but the disc's accessibility is a product of maturity rather than selling out. The Ireland-based act reins in its wilder tangents and whims in favor of a more streamlined sound that shifts effortlessly between the spare folk-pop of "Suffer in Silence" and driving post-rock of "Finally." Singer, guitarist and main Frame Glen Hansard has never sounded more confident as he spins tales of heartbreak and jealousy on tracks such as "Fake" and "Sideways Down." Frames followers who prefer Hansard fragile and seemingly ready to snap will find songs to call their own as well, notably "Underglass." The band hasn't entirely abandoned its trademark quirky shifts in mood, either. The first three languidly intimate minutes of "Ship Caught in the Bay" dissolve into a rhythm-driven, fuzzy finale. "Keepsake" spends more than seven minutes building from a hushed piano and strings-driven lament to a psychedelia-tinged rock-out. Gemma Tarlach
Anti - "Burn The Maps"
Daily Collegian - "Burn The Maps" - December 3 2004
Matt O'Rourke, Collegian Staff
Hot Press - "Burn The Maps" - September 10 2004
Shake'n'Stir - "Burn The Maps"
The Ticket - "Burn The Maps" - September 2004
RTÉ - "Burn The Maps" - September 17 2004
Now, 15-years-old, fresh from headlining Marlay Park and after signing a deal with prestigious Californian label Anti, they're a band finally coming into their prime. In The Frames' case, what has not broken them has truly made them stronger and their new line-up - no more Dave Hingerty on drums and the replacement of guitarist Dave Odlum by former Electrical Audio Studios recording engineer Rob Bochnik - are a tight and talented unit. But is 'Burn the Maps' up to the weight of expectation? The answer, it has to be said, is a resounding yes. Despite a resolutely downbeat mood permeating the album, it's still an uplifting listen, mainly due to violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire. Mac Con Iomaire's strings have always lifted The Frames up and here they play centre stage, particularly on songs like 'Dream Awake', 'Keepsake' and stunning but misnamed opener 'Happy'. After going the Steve Albini route of bare-bones live recording on 'For the Birds', 'Burn the Maps' has a richer texture and more lush production. Like 'Santa Maria' on that album, many of the tracks here have quiet, simple starts that gradually build complexity and volume. 'Finally' lifts, dips and lifts for frontman Glen Hansard to raggedly scream his way to the end while there's a nod to Mercury Rev's epic soundscapes on 'A Caution to the Birds'. Bassist Joe Doyle shares vocal duties on final track, the downtempo and acoustic 'Locusts'. It's a bittersweet ending that will leave you wanting to play the album all over again. The Frames - here to stay.
Aertel - "Burn The Maps" - September 17 2004
soulshine.ca - The Frames ready new album
Irish band the Frames are preparing to release their newest studio album. The record, called 'Burn The Maps', will be put on shelves on September 17th in the UK. The album comes on the heels of the band's live album 'Set List' which was released in February on this side of the Atlantic. The first single to be lifted off of 'Burn The Maps' is called 'Finally', and was released in August. One of Ireland's most popular and revered bands, 'Burn The Maps' will be the group's fifth studio album. Counting all the live releases that the Frames have put into the world, the band are already on their eighth album in just twelve years. The reason that the Frames have such an incredible number of live records is because that is where the magic lies for them. Renowned for their explosive performances, the stage is what the Frames are all about. Although North American audiences have yet to take to the Frames as the Irish and British have done, it can't be much longer. The band just completed a tour of the continent including a few stops in Canada. 'Set List' and the accompanying tour have started something for the Frames that just might make them as popular in North America as they are at home. Writer: Jaclyn Arndt
Hot Press - "Burn The Maps" - September 2004
Arguably the most important record in their 15-year-career, the tracks stack up as follows: ‘Happy’ – “Come rescue me I’m sick”, Glen pleads, making a mockery of the title. At first his only accompaniment is a stark drumbeat, but this being The Frames, his pain is soon eased by Colm Mac An Iomaire’s celestial strings and his own multi-layered harmonies. ‘Finally’ – If middle-age is supposed to mellow you, no one’s told Glen who doesn’t so much raise as rip out hackles with his vocal. Add in a rhythm section (Paul Noonan is the guest sticksman) that’s pure ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’-era Joy Division and no wonder this is all over radio at the moment like a rash. ‘Dream Awake’ – Another slowburner which erupts when Mac An Iomaire puts bow to fiddle. ‘A Caution To The Birds’ – The whisky-sodden, five in the morning soundtrack to a breaking heart. ‘Tryin’’ –Two-and-a-half-minutes of Mary Chain-esque gorgeousness in which Glen, requiring salvation again, sends out a, “Lost my way/Come find me” SOS to his significant other. ‘Fake’ – Never afraid to wear their influences on their record sleeve, The Frames re-write the Pumpkins’ ‘Today’ with Top 5 conquering results. ‘Sideways Down’ – Tom Waits, Interpol, The Dirty Three and – most surprisingly – The Strokes all take their turn on the studio dansette as The Frames comprehensively nail this live favourite. And, yes, that is Lisa Hannigan on backing vocals. ‘Underglass’ – Scabrous feedback guitar, vein-bulging vocals …my God, it’s The Baggot circa 1991 all over again! ‘Ship Caught In The Bay’ – The emotional heat gets turned up again as Glen and Dave “Deasy” Cleary co-author the definitive lo-fi lullaby. ‘Keepsake’ – A jilted lover song which revels in its own brooding malevolence. Couplets like “I’m keeping this as a keepsake/And everything else I’m burning” suggest that the person who’s done the dumping should avoid dark alleyways for the foreseeable future. ‘Suffer In Silence’ – Despair turns to hope with Glen urging, “Come back, show your face/Can’t you see, you’re too good for this place/Can we leave?/It’s not your fault, what they say/Don’t believe.” Not to be outdone, Colm pitches in with another panoramic string arrangement. ‘Locusts’ – Joe Doyle shares microphone duties as Burn The Maps gets the soaring live to fight – and love! – another day climax it deserves
Hot Press - "Finally" - August 24 2004
Peter Murphy
Hot Press - Marlay Park - August 23 2004 Live at Marlay Park, Dublin: The Frames, Supergrass, Idlewild, Bell X1 & Halite You have to hand it to The Frames. Even Bruce and U2 baulk at starting new campaigns outdoors in front of 17,000 people – although Glen Hansard might claim that this is a farewell to Set List arms rather than the unveiling of Burn The Maps. We’ll get to that in a minute; first the preliminary rounds. Your reporter just missed Halite but caught Bell X1, a band quite capable of being jagged and bold (a new song called ‘Reacharound’) when they don’t confuse heartfelt with hammy, looking like they’re playing the stadium in their heads rather than the one in front of their eyes. Following that, Idlewild had a fair amount of spirit but scarcely an original idea, while Supergrass possessed hits and experience enough to overcome the nerves incurred by a late arrival on-site. But of course it was The Frames’ inaugural ball, and they ran with it. Mindful of losing the peripheries, they kept selections from the as yet unreleased new album to a bare minimum (the two singles and a heart-stabbing ‘Happy’). Indeed, the first act was an almost foolhardy tour de force of ‘Lay Me Down’, ‘Revelate’, ‘God Bless Mom’, ‘Fake’ and ‘Finally’, the latter tune built on a complex set of dynamic shifts illuminated by Colm Mac An Iomaire’s searing violin. Thing is, they never really lost that first head of steam. The mirrorball memories of ‘Your Face’ became soul revue showpiece. Songs expanded with quotes (Jane's Addiction’s ‘Been Caught Stealing’ out of ‘Monument’, ‘Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ out of ‘Perfect Opening Line’). And as for ‘Fitzcarraldo’, here was a song that was always too big for enclosed spaces, Hansard’s shout of "I’ll see you down in history" still bringing up tingles. The encores are traditionally where The Frames blow it by having too much fun and not knowing when to quit. Tonight though, the last half hour (‘Star Star’, ‘An Angel At My Table’, The Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind’) was loose yet intensely focused. Something magic happened during Damien Rice’s cameo, but more remarkably, it happened again during Mic Christopher’s ‘Heyday’, a looming tower of song. A couple more years, they’ll be ready for Slane. Pete Murphy - photos here | ||
The
Frames, "Burn the Maps" (Anti)
In which The Frames follow the broad strokes of ‘Fake’ with a seething pressure cooker of a tune. ‘Finally’ plumbs the grimy pipes of vindictiveness and vindication and eschews straight verse-chorus dynamics, instead churning around the fulcrum of a military snare drum and jagged rhythm guitar, occasionally relieved by the beams of light coming from Colm’s violin. Glen’s vocal meanwhile, is a clenched teeth turn that erupts into full blown wobbler in the final minute of play. Good to see them refusing to play to the gallery.
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