the cost

the latest album by the frames and featuring music from the film once
at least according to the sticker gracing the cover of the cd
haven't done this for a while but the exercise is to review while listening
this all follows on from last night's viewing of the film
which has left a lasting impression both musically and emotionally
for it was a lovely film about a boy/girl relationship pre-relationship
not something that i see very often but in this case handled beautifully
the boy in the film is the main singer/guitarist/composer for the frames
and the director apparantly used to play bass guitar for the band
song for someone
he has an almost falsetto voice that seems most comfortable up there
the music is stripped back to bass, drums, electric guitar
lyrics are the strength of this man and his band
hence presumably the inclusion of no less than bob dylan in the fan club
this song moves constantly between quiet singing and the full-on band with some added strings
there's something vaguely familiar about the music or production or....
falling slowly
yup it's a coldplay kind of introduction here then we fall back to man and guitar
this is one of the more memorable tunes from the movie when boy/girl hook up for the first time
a full band production here with an unbelievably catchy and singlong-y chorus
take this sinking boat and point it home we've still got time
raise your hopeful voice you have a choice you've made it now
people get ready
no not the tune we are familiar with of the same name
this starts out as a gentle talk like voice over strummed electric guitar
but then builds and builds to a big chest-beating kind of song
wish i could pin the voice to the one it most reminds me of
i hate to do this but it has to be said that there are links to that other famous irish band
or maybe it's just a irish want to write and perform big dramatic sounding tunes
rise
first impression is of an irish bruce springsteen rallying the people
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
there's a real pattern emerging now with the music of this band
quiet kind of verses and big choruses with lots of bravado and busy instruments
when your mind's made up
another very memorable tune from the film but given a different production here
bit of a bitter twist to the lyrics with the subject seemingly a dogmatic partner
once again the tune starts out as a quite gentle and calm intro
but then goes up and up in volume, speed and intensity
ending up with the band in maximum noise mode before dropping back to basics
sad songs
electric guitar introduces the tune before handing over to the other instruments
not sure if i'm too enamoured of this one as it is just a bit too obvious
too many sad words make those sad sad songs tra-le-la tra-le-la repeat repeat repeat
guitar and strings brought in for a bit of colour but mostly an album filler
the cost
the title track with a slow, mournful, off-key kind of introduction
and it never really gets further than that except for some big guitar soloing
not that removed from that aforementioned irish and english globe-conquering bands
another album filler really with not too much else to recommend it
true
piano introduced on this one but oh so much like the played cold band
they must hate the comparison but unfortunately it is quite unmistakable
though there is an attempt to mix it up with some female backing voices
and again a gentle opening and building to a big outro
the side you never get to see
quite a pleasant singalong and catchy one with strings to the fore
here he's telling us about the side of his personality that he keeps to himself
another inoffensive tune with lots of high notes being hit and sustained
rocks along quite nicely and induces a bit of head-swaying
bad bone
the quiet closing track for the album about love gone wrong
lyrically it's about as basic as it gets and the music is only slightly better
pseudo-dramatic, near-mournful, bluesy-wannabe, off-keyingly, dull
so not a good one to end on really

oh dear this one has not grabbed me at all except for a couple of tunes
now at least i now know of their music when i see the name up in lights at various places
e.g. on the bill with bob dylan on his never-ending tour
i think i better give it a few more whirls but i'm doubtful
the cost by the frames
sorry guys