The Frames

• Genre: Adult Alternative
• Hometown: Dublin

About

At 17, Glen Hansard borrowed money from his parents to make a record, and as fate would have it, one of his 50 pressed copies found its way to an executive at Island Records. The newly signed Hansard assembled the Frames, and they made their live debut at a festival in Dublin, after which they promptly took a break so that Hansard could film The Commitments. Once that project was finished, they recorded their debut album, Another Love Song, with producer Gil Norton (the Pixies, Del Amitri, James); the single "The Dancer" did very well in Ireland. Island Records was having equal success stateside on alternative radio, and all looked rosy for the Frames until one of their members fell ill, leading them to cancel their first-ever American tour. A series of resignations and record label derailments plagued the Frames for the better part of the 1990s, although they managed to release a handful of well-received albums throughout. They ushered in the new millennium with a flurry of recordings, starting with the critically acclaimed For the Birds, which Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey) produced. In 2003, the Frames released an outtakes album, Breadcrumb Trail, followed by the live Set List in 2004.

- Linda Ryan