Alternative Press (p.132) - 3 stars out of 5 - "BURN THE MAPS' muted vibe demands that you turn down the lights, fire up the candles and listen hard."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A]n overwhelming record that bends and blusters with grand passions, bittersweet beauty and no small hint of desperation."
The Frames: Rob Bochnik, Joseph Doyle, Glen Hansard, Colm Mac Con Iomaire.
Recording information: Black Box Studio, France; Electrical Audio, Chicago, Illinois.
One of Ireland's most accomplished musical exports, the Frames built a fan base at home and abroad with tireless touring and passionate albums such as 1996's FITZCARRALDO and 2001's FOR THE BIRDS. BURN THE MAPS, the Frames' 2005 debut for the Anti label, is arguably their most focused and polished effort to date. The band's simmering intensity, folk-rock leanings, and sometimes explosive, dynamic rock (which can rival Radiohead and U2 in its epic sweep) are brought to the perfect synthesis here.
The focus of the group is vocalist Glen Hansard, whose approach ranges from a breathy whisper to a falsetto coo to a full-blown wrenching wail. Violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire adds brilliantly chosen textures to the songs, lending an orchestral-pop dimension to the band's folk/alternative-rock amalgam. From "Happy," the lilting opener, BURN THE MAPS is surprisingly restrained, yet the fire is always burning fiercely beneath the surface, erupting on the majestic "Fake" and the nervous, post-punk-inflected "Underglass" and moving toward mercurial shifts on "Finally." The album is arranged so that its crests and falls create a remarkably cohesive listening experience, one that promises the Frames even wider acclaim.