Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0886971058628
Format: Soundtrack
Label: Columbia
Manufacturer: Columbia
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Columbia
Release Date: 2007-05-22
Studio: Columbia
MPN: 10586

Even those allergic to musicals may be won over by Once, a tender-hearted Irish romance with songs by Czech Republic–born Markéta Irglová and Frames frontman Glen Hansard. (The film's director, John Carney, actually used to play bass in the group.) The trick here is that Irglová and Hansard also play the leads; because their characters are shown busking, writing music, or rehearsing, the songs are smoothly integrated in the film. The overall acoustic mood won't surprise fans of the Frames--some tracks ("Say It to Me," "When Your Mind's Made Up") have even popped up on the band's albums, though the arrangements are more pared-down here, befitting the scruffy, street-musician setting. Being the lesser-known entity, Irglová feels like a revelation; she sounds a bit like a folkie Björk on "If You Want Me," and her song "The Hill" is downright heartbreaking. Irglová and Hansard had already made the 2006 album The Swell Seasontogether, so their collaboration here feels really organic--they sound particularly good together on the title track, for instance. Now that's the kind of magic you want from musicals. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Comment: If i could sing, i would want to sing like Glen H. He sings like his life depends on it... like he really means it. I like his stuff with the frames, but i love this. Not all of the songs are great on this CD, but it makes it better if you have seen the movie. The good songs on here are so good though, i would give this CD six stars if i could. "Falling Slowly" "When your mind's made up" "Leave" etc. Buy this now!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Music
Comment: A fun CD. Brings back the images of the movie. Gave it to my husband because he loved the movie, so he plays it all the time.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent CD-Once
Comment: My son introduced me to this movie. I watched it and the songs were playing through my mind so I bought the CD. I love it!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great, atmospheric music; Good for babies, too!
Comment: My wife and I loved the movie, and this collection is great. I noticed that some of the tracks sound slightly different from those in the movie. This is good, sometimes, and a slight let-down at others: I liked the raw sound in the film, and some of these sound a little "clean".

Either way, this is a great buy.

Also: My in-laws played this all the time after their daughter was born. Any time this CD is played, she gets sleepy and quiet, like she's concentrating.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Best Soundtrack Purchase To Date
Comment: I read the reviews, bought the movie and the soundtrack, and was so pleased that it was all true! There is no one I know who doesn't love this music. GET IT!!!

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