Irish rock band The Frames named itself after the hobby of singer Glen Hansard, who liked to disassemble bicycles in his youth. In their homeland the band is more popular than U2. The rest of the world was not yet massively convinced by the five albums that preceded Burn The Maps. Perhaps the music is too intertwined with the Irish national character. The Frames share a well-developed sense of drama
… with their famous fellow countrymen from U2, which manifests itself in long vocal blasts (Dream Awake) and moody, sometimes wide-ranging arrangements. But they also know what to do with small, softly sung songs such as Keepsake. The repertoire, which is sung by fans at concerts, is quite introverted on CD and lacks the catchy melodies that give U2 such a worldwide appeal. But anyone who judges The Frames on its own merits will eventually be convinced by the atmospheric music. (MS)more
