Its been a while since the last review on this album and time has set it in context. Always destined to be Ireland's second best band?? This album simply makes you want to be Irish. Its a magnificently engaging intimate but uplifting effort that draws you in, in turns euphoric, then melancholic and then hard rocking. But this is not posturing stadium rock a la latter day U2, but the very essence of small to medium venue alt/country Irish rock, updated and delivered with real bite and passion. This album whispers and shouts to you. It sounds fresher now than 5 years ago.
Who should buy this? Anyone who thinks Gary Lightbody can do no wrong, fans of Damien Rice/Juniper/Bell X1 (who? you better go find out - see Flock!) I'd been downloading every Frames track I could find off Kazaa since the moment I found them till I worked out the best 3 albums then bought all 3 together. When was the last time you bought 3 albums by one band? My advice? Don't blag it, don't download it BUY THIS ALBUM with confidence. 5 stars means 'I will always treasure this album and remember what I was doing when I bought it'. This IS a 5 star album. Highlights abound- 'star star' because I have a live cover by Damien Rice of U2's Still Haven't found..in which he breaks into the Frames' star star half way through, pavement tune because they wrote it about me, hollocaine, stars are underground, perfect opening line, dance the devil..all stand on their own merits as great tracks. This album is the antidote to the 'new miserablist' movement of detached Coldplay/Doves clone bands and will remind you of how great music really sounds. If they are live this year I have to see them. Did I mention my mother's maiden name was O'Flanagan?
It might be easy to dismiss 'Dance the Devil...' at first listen. After all, what on this album hasn't been done before? There's the stadium-rock of U2, acoustic ballads, reflections on life without money, and so on. But insidiusly and effortlessly you'll find the simple variety of music on offer, and the earnestness with which it is sung and played, will cause it to creep inside your head and stay there forever.
The album opens with 'Perfect Opening Line', and to be corny, the track does live up to its name, starting with a soft guitar strum and barely spoken words and building into a rocking chorus. 'Seven day mile' is a little quieter, a fairly simple tune that bubbles along to leave you feeling better at the end. 'Pavement tune', produced by a certain Trevor Horn, quite simply rocks in the best possible way. 'Plateau' is a simpler song again, illustrated by some excellent violin work. 'Star Star**' is almost acoustic, stealing elements from the kid's song without ever delving into the realms of twee. 'The stars are underground' manages to reflect the previous song whilst using bass and guitars to create an off-kilter feel. 'God Bless Mom' is rocky again, and I prefer this version (apparently disowned by the band) to the current arrangement they play live. 'Rent day blues' is an excellent track telling the story of, uh, blues when the rent is due. 'Hollocaine' has a weird tone, using stabs of distorted guitar through the chorus. 'neath the beaches' is fully acoustic, a little love song before the end. The final title track combines a host of styles and even samples 'charlie and the chocolate factory' in the middle to build up to an orgasmic finale.
I imagine you're not convinced by all this. But it's the lyrics, and Glen's passionate singing, that hold the disparate styles together and give it a cohesiveness that makes the album truly special. Give them a try, and maybe soon they'll have the support that they so richly deserve.
