Posted By Quint on 25 Feb 2008 4:34 AM
I always found the music of The Frames a little overwrought and heavy-handed but 'Once' is an absolute gem of a movie. They deserve it.

It's hilarious to see everyone jumping on the Once bandwagon and proclaiming today to be great day for Ireland and Irish music when absolutely everyone ignored it when it came out in the cinema, including me.

Posted By Quint on 27 Feb 2008 5:48 AM
I was looking through my fingers when he started saying 'Make Art, make art'. What the f**k? What does that even mean? But it was well-deserved and it's a great film.

Posted By Pala on 27 Feb 2008 7:12 PM
It's interesting watching people's reactions to 'Falling Slowly' winning the oscar and to Hansard himself.
I'm a musician here in Dublin and on hearing The Frames music over the years have never really been drawn to it. I simply found the songs rather unoriginal and formulaic. But I've never had any animosity toward Glen himself and we always had a few friendly words whenever we met. Unlike others who seem to be pathologically anti-Hansard. This, I assumed was the reason that not many, if any, of my contemporaries seemed bothered about going to see the film at all. One person even went to see how angry he could be made by Hansard's presumed narcissism of depicting his own 'incredible love experience' with a teenager, lol. But, of course, the facts are that Cillian Murphy was due to play the role initially.
I never did see the film myself but I probably will at some point. But the song 'Falling Slowly' struck me as equally unoriginal and formulaic when I heard it first on the radio some weeks ago. I thought it was kind on the ears but I knew where the song was going from the first phrase as it's a common enough arrangement that alot of singer-songwriters stumble upon quite early on in their development. Usually, these generic love songs are discarded when the penny drops and they realise that all of their muso mates have one almost just like it. If not identical.
So, I didn't hate it but the song didn't impress me for that reason. I was surprised that such an experienced songwriter would resort to this kind of 'instant weepy' tune. What did mystify me, however, was the R.E.M. verses. I thought, surely he's not going to fill in the gaps with a Michael Stipe impression? But, well, he did.
Anyway, I have no beef with Glen or bone to pick with the film and the song can't help being what it is, (basically, a stock standard blub by numbers college girl consumer bait Damien Rice ditty), but I can't help feeling that as an oscar-winning tune it does not earn, merit or deserve the distinction of being placed alongside classics such as Bacharach's 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head'.
I know it's my opinion, as such, but it's an event in irish music that's more than a little disturbing, I find.
Lol, anyway, there you go. My two cent, cheers x

Posted By Pala on 27 Feb 2008 7:12 PM
but I can't help feeling that as an oscar-winning tune it does not earn, merit or deserve the distinction of being placed alongside classics such as Bacharach's 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head'.

Posted By Unicron on 28 Feb 2008 2:54 AM




It's better than "My Heart Will Go On" though. Not that that's saying much.

Posted By starbelgrade on 28 Feb 2008 3:21 AM
The Belfast Operatic Company do a musical production of "Titanic" (currently being perfomed in Ballinarobe if yr interested!). 1,520 people perished in the sinking which ranks as one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history - and they make a f**king musical out of it?!?!?

What next - '9/11, The Musical' ? People falling from the windows of skyscrapers to a chorus of R.Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly"?