Last three albums bought were: Republic Of Loose 'This Is The Tomb Of The Juice' Jesse Malin 'The Heat' Roesy 'Only Love Is Real'

Gar, what's the roesy album like? don't have any of his albums but I've seen him play support a few times. Is the album worth a listen?

I the live Rosey album a while back and i enjoy it quite a lot. Im waiting to read a reivew of the new one before picking it up Gar, what did you make of jesse's new album. Some really catchy tunes on it, altough it didnt hit me as quick as the first album did. Did you catch him in the village lately. Quality gig.

Yeah was at the Village gig, it was third time I got to see him live. I do agree that his first album is far superior, although I have to give The Heat another good listen. Was disappointed that he wasn't added to Oxegen. The new Roesy album is quite good. There are some standout tracks but as an album as a whole it's not as addictive or easy flowing as Sketch The Day, Paint The Night. He's a great artist and nice bloke. I interviewed him last week and was a very interesting interviewee. I'm right at this moment writing album reviews for Jesse Malin's 'The Heat' and Roesy's 'Only Love Is Real' which hopefully Eoghan will feature on this site. I'll send them tomorrow as going to see Glen Hansard tonight.

Hansard is pretty decent on his own. Although if you are not a Frames fan, you probably won't like him as much. The whole crowd just scream out for more Frames tunes. I'm writing review of the gig now.

cool. I love the frames, but I hate when people won't give a newly-declared solo artist a chance and only thinking of him as part of a band. Damn living in bloody Mayo! there are practically never good gigs I can go to, unless I go to Dublin, which I really can't do that much. Plus I'm under 18 and broke. Aargh.

I don't want to sound like I'm just taking a pop at the Frames again, but isn't it hard to see Glen the solo artist as any different to the Frames, when the Frames have always been "Glens band". Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't he do the vast majority of the songwriting duties anyway? His voice has always been a large part of the bands sound too. It's hard to see how different any solo material would be other than a bit more stripped down.

I must agree Binokular - he IS the frames - now I like them but other than Colm the violinist he's the only original member and he rights all the lyrics to the songs with group effort from the band. I must say they are very good live every once in a while, by the way - they are playing Marlay park with support from Supergrass, Idelwild, Bell X1 and Halite - should be a rockin one!! But support from Supergrass???

I think you answered your question yourself, ie. What is the difference between Glen solo and The Frames despite the songs being stripped down? That's exactly it, the purity of his lyrics get a chance to be appreicated more at a solo gig. Yes it's true that Glen writes most of the tracks but Pete Townsend wrote most of the songs for The Who but still John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Roger Daltrey are just as important to those songs. The music of The Frames is excellent, in my opinion, and people should look past the ego built up about Glen and see The Frames for what they truly are--a great band. Band's change their line-up's all the time so The Frames shouldn't be picked out ahead of Oasis, The Who, The Beatles, Metallica etc. I can see what ya mean by saying The Frames is Glen's band, as when you think of The Frames you see his ginger hair. But The Frames are so much more than him I think. Alot of people criticise The Frames because they think they are a cocky band. I disagree with that argument and so does Glen. He said at the gig that The Frames didn't play Oxegen because they were asked to play just before The Strokes, and Glen & co thought that alot of people would refer back to teh same statement 'Who do they think they are?'. So no Frames this year. As to Supergrass playing backup to them. Supergrass have gone missing for a few years and have only now resurrected due to their current 'Supergrass Is 10' Lp. I've seen them live before and they rocked. But, here's the but, The Frames have consistently toured over the last 5 years and have always been around unlike Supergrass. Sometimes bands have to take a step back in order to take a step forward. Sure didn't The Pixies support the Red Hot Chili Peppers and New York Dolls are supporting The White Stripes, and The Frames supported Damien Rice in the U.S. I think it is a great line-up for Marley Park and have no qualms about Supergrass supporting one of Ireland's finest bands. Just a long-winded opinion....not starting an argument

I didn't mean that in a negative way to say that they are the only original members - they are around long enough and have had enough line up changes - and I think that makes them stronger - and I would presume keeps things fresh because it is not the same 5 members for 15 years or whatever, my point was that it is hard to differeniate between the singer like that and the band - and the band put equal amount of effort into it, therefore making it stronger aswell - as you mentioned - The Who - as a foursome they were a very very good band, but break them up and look at their solo stuff and it wasn't great!!! Having said that, I'm not saying Glen's "solo" stuff isn't it's, well I just cannot picture it, or hear it in my mind - enough s**te talk, I suppose I better go and see him and then come back to this..

I acknowledge what you are saying and respect your opinion. But go see Hansard live, it's a little different but still drenched with Frames tunes. His newer songs are really really good. So if you like The Frames at all go see Glen live or read my review that is on the way. It's always nice to a have a friendly debate

Just to stick my nose in here with a comment or two. Comment 1: It was never thought Chris Cornell could shake the stigma of Soundgarden, but out he came with Euphoria Morning, a completely different kettle of aquatic animals altogether. Although he was the principal songwriter of the mighty Seattle group, he showed that a songwriter is effected by his co-musicians. Soundgarden could never have produced what he wrote on his own, but it was pure Chris soulful magic. Comment 2: Mark Lanegan without Screaming Trees, be it on his own or with Queens of the Stone Age collaboration is yet again a different beverage holder of scaly things (is that how you spel diferent it doesn't look right to me). I'll Take Care of You (although not all written by the man himself) was a great bluesy/folky mix, not what you'd expect. And then after that Here Comes That Weird Chill...weird is write but great stuff. Songwriters, as all musicians are wont to do, mature through their career. Being seperate from the band they have spent so long writing with is obviously going to change their feelings about some things, therefore they will write differently anyway. I cite Mark Lanegan as a perfect example. Look up his solo stuff: preQOTSA then with QOTSA.

Good points Archie, but didn't those two artists make a clean break from their respective bands? (I'm not entirely sure of that so correct me if I'm wrong). The point I'm making is that its easier to make a mental seperation when you actually leave a band, whereas Glen Hansard is still with the frames. I'm not saying Glenn Hansards solo stuff is without merit, just that its just another facet of his work with the Frames, in the same way that Ian McCullough solo is not massively different to Echo and the Bunnymen. Some artists do manage to make their solo stuff distinctive from work with their previous band work, but this is usually achieved by taking a serious tangent from the bands ditection.

Then again, the sound that that songwriter has might always stay with them. If Glen left The Frames, maybe he would discover that his best songs are the one's that suit the music of The Frames. This is just a maybe. I think that Glen has more potential than he unleashes at times.

Ah crap, do all threads lead back to Senior Hansard and the Frames? When I started reading this thread 3 pages ago I was dying to throw my 3 new albums in (and hear other peoples 3) and now it's turned into another Frames debate. Not that I have anything against them/him I think their kool and I can see the merits of Glen both with the Frames and all on his lonesome. For those who have not experienced both live I recommend you checkout http://www.davidrochford.com/default.asp?module=bootleg checkout The Frames - Here comes the Night - Today FM and Glen Hansard - M Club - Valmez - Czech Republic I think both showcase a bit of what makes them/him magic. Both are class but I think their is a definite difference. Anyways I reckon if the Frames new album is even half decent they'll top the charts and embark on a course of world beating, meaning we can all stop worrying about them and every thread will hopefully stop leading back to them as I'm sure at this stage Glen Hansard is starting to feel like the "Ginger" bread man (sorry could'nt resist :-) ) Rant like moment over..... Album 1 = Gomez 'split the difference' only listened to it twice but already it's growing on me and 'catch me up' is a definite winner. Number 2 = Tim Burgess 'I believe' Now here is a singer definitely going off on a tangent from what he usually does with the band talk about pop-tastic. Hated it at first but it's a grower, 3 listens and I was hooked. Number 3 = Bruce Springsteen 'Nebraska' Bought this just for 'atlantic city' and for €8 could hardly go wrong. So are republic of loose really that good?

Yep Republic Of Loose are really that good. Last three albums I got were: Patti Scialfa '23rd Street Lullaby' The Killers 'Hot Fuss' Bell X1 'Music In Mouth' Also got Damien Rice/Christy Moore single 'Lonely Soldier' and 'Books' Ep by Belle & Sebastian

the purity of his lyrics get a chance to be appreicated more at a solo gig. exactly. This is not to say that The Frames are glen's band, but when you hear ANY fully arranged song and strip it down, it (hopefully) takes on a whole new life. Last spring I saw a glen solo show at The Village one night, then the Frames's Vicar Street gig the next night. (In an interesting twist to all this festival talk, when he played solo, Glen actually opened for the singer, Nicolai Dunger, who was to open for The Frames the next night at Vicar St.) Anyway, seeing a lot of Frames songs sung so sparingly gave them, i think, a lot more depth. I've seen Wilco andi've seen jeff tweedy solo shows and it's the same thing. A song like "I'm always in love" is completely changed by the spareness of just a voice and guitar, and what was once simply a fine Wilco song now ranks among my all-time favorites... thats said, i have bought three more albums since my last post. The store near my current apartment is having an "essentials of rock" sale, so i bought: New York Dolls: s/t Talking Heads: 77 mountain goats: tallahassee (ok this one's not essential, but it's really good)