The Frames - For The Birds (2001)

Glen Hansard might be better known internationally for his role in the Commitments film (he was the one with the Carter haircut playing guitar) but his band the Frames offer a greater sense of cultural novelties. For the Birds was the Frames fourth long player and announced quite clearly that the band had stepped up a gear in the quality stakes. The album was divided between Chicago and Kerry and the sleeve notes remark how the individuals and landscape of both locations were a major influence in moulding the album. Incredibly the album was fashioned with a budget of just £20,000 by the bands own label Plateau records. At home in Ireland the Frames have a large and devout following with the result that their gigs are often intimate and uplifting affairs (aside from Hansard’s something embarrassing remarks). Their 3 previous albums have enjoyed moderate success but only 'Revelate' off the 'Fitzcaraldo' album has stirred the general publics imagination to any great extent.

'For the Birds' deviates from the Frames traditional template and simmers beautifully below boiling point. It is imbued with such a melodious focus that it is only a matter of time before you bequeath your time to its charms. Glen Hansard's voice is softly course with a really impressive range. The legendary Steve Albini produced the album and he has managed to capture Hansard in a most intimate way. With the speakers at full tilt it can almost seem like the singer has propped himself against the wall beside you. The instrumental that opens the album 'In The Deep Shade' is akin to a Sigur Ros ditty. It has an uneven pattern that is held together by a tick-tock beat and subtle violin/piano strains that are fed into the mix intermittedly. Needless to say by the third listen you will be humbled by its beauty. 'Lay Me Down' contains a real sense of sadness as the fiddle playing strikes a serene note through your heart to render you hopelessly stunned in awe.

'Head Long' has the sweetest of strums and the strings that infiltrate the background mean that when it builds to its logical crescendo you can't help but be affected. The song is propelled by a genuine sense of angst. 'What Happens When The Heart Just Stops' is just so heartbreaking that by the time the trumpets arrive at the end you'll be reaching for the posies. 'Early Bird' contains a My Bloody Valentine guitar strain at its core supplied by David Odlum. It is almost at odds with the rest of the serenity on the album but stands imperious all the same. At the other end of the spectrum 'Giving Me Wings' is as floatsome as you can get, perfect for those afternoon naps you take in your head. And then 'Friends And Foes' cowers meekly not fully appreciating how sagacious it really is.

'Santa Maria' just seeps glorious intent with its bass riff, slide guitar and Hansard's whispered vocals filling the air with a dead calm until its schizophrenic alter ego smashes the illusion. Its curved genius leaves the rest of the musical world sounding distinctly flat. A song like 'Disappointed' could have been taken from the Will Oldham scrapbook. With its lo-fi’ed, laid-back nuances filtering through the bushels on that prairie scene you could be forgiven for thinking the tune had wandered onto the album unintentionally. Hansard is restrained but filled with a deep ambition to evoke world-weariness. The final track 'Mighty Sword' has a country edge and contains that essence of an epic that suitably closes this remarkable album. At least that's what you think until the 8 minute hidden track shakes it's shier contemporaries into something resembling a smile. Given an audience 'For the Birds' will make many new friends. It may reach you after word of mouth has created an unstoppable force. If you care enough for affecting new music, you won't wait that long. From the moment you make the choice you will hold this album tightly to your chest. The time has come to fall in love with music all over again.

Rating: 8/10

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