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Rating:
We are facing the latest work of the Irish band The Frames, led by the red-haired Glen Hansard. Dating back to the now distant 2006, this album was recorded live.
Of course, it may seem an unorthodox choice, but it is the result of a precise decision: The Frames are a band that delivers much more live than in the studio, and Glen wanted to create an album that reflected this characteristic of theirs as much as possible.
I listened to this CD already knowing the main repertoire of the band, and I must say I was surprised, because in some ways it returns to sounds similar to those of the album "For The Birds".
You can also feel a bit of the influence of The Swell Season, the side project of Hansard and Irglova. In fact, we find as many as 2 tracks (“Falling Slowly” and “When Your Mind’s Made Up”) that were already present in the self-titled album, rearranged to make them more Frames-like and less Swell Season-like.
We are faced with an album devoid of any instrumental virtuosity, but capable of capturing the listener thanks to the emotion of its songs, which Hansard’s voice enhances like few other artists can.
There are also lighter and more pop episodes, like the amusing “Sad Songs,” or on the contrary the very sad “The Cost,” imbued with heavily distorted electric guitar, which accompanies Glen’s powerful voice from start to finish, then enhances everything in the explosive finale.
Some might find false steps in this album, perhaps “The Side You Never Get To See” is the flattest track of the disk, and the vocal solo by Glen towards the end of the song does little to help.
Honestly, every time I listen to it, however, I can listen to it all the way from start to finish without a shred of boredom.
In conclusion, I would recommend this record to those who can appreciate the simplicity of an artist who proposes nothing revolutionary, but knows how to do it damn well.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Falling Slowly (04:35)
I don't know you but I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
and always fool me
And I can't react
You have suffered enough
and what with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat
and point it home
We've still got time,
raise your hopeful voice
You had the choice,
you've made it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'll paint it black
Games that never amount
To more than themselves
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat
and point it home
We've still got time,
raise your hopeful voice
You had the choice,
you've made it now
04 Rise (03:26)
Breathing in the night
There's nothing else I'm needing now
The wind is at my side
And so are you
And together we will rise
Above all these word and promises we couldn't keep
Together we will fly above it all
But sometimes we will fall
From the light
But it shines on us tonight
And together we will rise
And together we will rise
And surely it's a sign now,
That everything's in tune to some kind of higher plan
Surely it's a sign
That you were right
And there's the secret line
That we've been denied
But we're crossing it tonight
And together we will rise
And together we will rise
Sometimes we will fall
From the light
But it shines on us tonight
And together we will rise
Pass this line
That we're crossing here tonight
But together we will rise
And together we will rise
We will rise, we will rise
06 Sad Songs (03:09)
And the light you gave
You took away when you were gone
It's a war that can't be won
With fists or talk or money
And there's no escape
But I'd better stop complaining now
I guess because
Too many sad words make a sad, sad song
Too many sad words make a sad, sad song
And the night you came
You won me all and all
And the better part of everything
Was born to run
And the price of fame
Is that they love you when you're gone
But I better stop complaining now
It's useless because
Too many sad words make a sad, sad song
Too many sad words make a sad, sad song
07 The Cost (04:20)
Love has been the cause
Of all this suffering
And what has been our loss
Has been it's gaining
So lay your burdens down
And stop your crying
Will we let it burn
Burn us down, burn us
Low have been the odds
Of our reuniting
And where now can we turn
When we've got nothing
Will we let it burn
Burn us down, burn us
And maybe it'll turn
Us around
10 Bad Bone (04:42)
There's a bad bone inside of me
all my troubles started there
and all the cracks are adding up to be
a little more than you can bare
when i met you, you were bitter still
from a scar you're never gonna show
and i was cursed with a jealousy
that's killed every love i've ever known
and when the anger that you feel
turns to poison in your soul
and then the scars you only feel
will start to show
yoe were naked on the balcony
and i was waiting in your bed
you said i pleased you only partially
but i knew my hunger would be fed
all my thoughts of going clear
and getting out before my time
have died with you upon the vine
have died with you upon the vine
to die with you upon the vine
to die with you upon the vine
to die
so if you'll lead the way
there's a bad bone inside of me
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