Side 1 1. Revelate 2. Angel At My Table 3. Fitzcarraldo 4. Evergreen 5. In This Boat Together Side 2 1. Say it To Me Now 2. Monument 3. Giving It All Away 4. Red Chord 5. Denounced 6. Your Face Fitzcarraldo – “”Fitzcarraldo”” is the sixth studio album by the Irish rock band The Frames, released in 1995. The album marked a significant departure from the bands earlier work, with a more experimental sound that blended rock, folk, and experimental elements. The album takes its name from the Werner Herzog film of the same name, which tells the story of a man who attempts to build an opera house in the Amazon jungle. This theme of ambition and perseverance in the face of adversity runs throughout the album, as frontman Glen Hansard explores themes of love, loss, and the human experience. The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful track “”Revelate,”” which sets the tone for the rest of the album with its soaring vocals and intricate guitar work. From there, the album takes the listener on a journey through a diverse range of sounds and emotions, from the upbeat rock of “”What Happens When the Heart Just Stops”” to the melancholic balladry of “”Fitzcarraldo.”” One of the standout tracks on the album is “”Lay Me Down,”” a tender and heartfelt ballad that showcases Hansards powerful vocals and poetic lyricism. The song has become a fan favourite and is often performed live by the band. Another highlight of the album is the epic nine-minute track “”Fitzcarraldo,”” which features lush instrumentation and intricate guitar work. The song is a tribute to the film of the same name and explores themes of ambition and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Overall, “”Fitzcarraldo”” is a powerful and deeply personal album that showcases The Frames at their most ambitious and experimental. With its diverse range of sounds and emotions, the album remains a fan favourite and a landmark in the Irish rock canon. The Frames are led by Glen Hansard, a Dublin-based singer/songwriter who quit school at age 13 to begin busking on local streets. By 17, hed borrowed enough money from his parents to record a demo, 50 copies of which were pressed and distributed to family and friends. One of those copies made its way to Island Records Denny Cordell, who successfully lobbied label founder Chris Blackwell to sign Hansard to the roster. Now signed to a major label, Hansard founded the Frames, taking the name from his childhood fascination with bicycles; he regularly repaired his friends bikes as a kid, and with the frames scattered about his familys yard, the Hansard home was consequently known as “the house with the frames.” The alternative pop group, whose lineup included guitarist Dave Odlum, vocalist Noreen ODonnell, bassist John Carney, violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire, and drummer Paul Brennan, made its debut at an Irish music festival in September 1990. After taking a brief hiatus to allow Hansard to co-star in Alan Parkers hit film The Commitments, the band issued a debut single, “The Dancer,” in early 1992. With the help of producer Gil Norton, whose work with the Pixies proved to be a major sonic influence on the sessions, the Frames (sometimes credited as the Frames D.C. to avoid confusion with an American group of the same name) completed their debut album, Another Love Song. A scheduled U.S. tour was cancelled when Mac Con Iomaire fell ill and Carney quit, though, and even though bassist Graham Downey was quickly added, a shakeup in Islands roster left the band without a label. Moreover, ODonnell left the lineup in the midst of recording a second album, 1994s Fitzcarraldo. Bassist Joe Doyle soon replaced Downey, with Dave Hingerty assuming Brennans drumming duties for the Frames third album, 1999s lo-fi effort Dance the Devil. The Frames switched labels again, this time signing with a Chicago-based indie, Overcoat, before recording the bands fourth and finest effort, For the Birds. Where previous Frames records often suffered from over-production, 2001s For the Birds (recorded in part by Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio Studios) boasted an intimacy and fragility that complemented Hansards heart-wrenching compositions. Despite critical hosannas, Odlum left the band in November 2001 to focus on production work, with Simon Goode stepping in as the new lead guitarist. A U.S. tour planned for the following month was suspended in the wake of the death of Hansards close friend and occasional collaborator Mic Christopher, former frontman of the Mary Janes. The Frames finally made it to the States in support of the New Pornographers during 2002; they also released their first live album, Breadcrumb Trail, that same year. The Frames next release was 2003s The Roads Outgrown, a nine-track collection of studio outtakes, followed in February 2004 by their first album for Anti, Set Lis Although the Frames continued issuing new material (including Burn the Maps and 2007s The Cost), Hansard began devoting equal time to the Swell Season, a side project that eventually turned into an internationally popular band, especially after Hansard and Swell Season collaborator Markéta Irglová were cast in the successful independent film Once, which also featured their music. Members of the Frames were recruited to form the Swell Seasons backing band, thus keeping parts of the original lineup together. In 2015, as Hansard was devoting most of his time to this solo career, he helped assemble Longitude (An Introduction to the Frames), a collection of favourite songs from the groups history that also included three new recordings
