1. Falling Slowly
2. If You Want Me
3. Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy
4. When Your Minds Made Up
5. Lies
6. Gold
7. The Hill
8. Fallen from the Sky
9. Leave
10. Trying to Pull Myself Away
11. All the Way Down
12. Once
13. Say It to Me Now
Amazon.com
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
|
Once
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2007-05-22)
- Publisher: Columbia
- Label: Columbia
- Format: Soundtrack
- Studio: Columbia
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 220 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #66
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: "Once" upon a time 2008-07-22
Comment: Absolutely one of my best purchases. After seeing the movie "Once", the sound track reminds me of how wonderful it was. Pure, sweet and hauntingly lyrical. A great buy!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: You won't be able to get enough... 2008-07-15
Comment: The movie was good, but if you haven't seen it or have no desire to the soundtrack stands on its own.
It is my understanding that the song "Falling Slowly" has become the anthem, but in my opinion it belongs to "If You Want Me". Irglova's haunting and mesmerizing vocals on the first round of the chorus gave me goosebumps upon first listen and brought tears to my eyes (literally). I was so captivated I listened to it four or five times in a row, and now I can't get enough.
This is the kind of music that makes you want run out and take guitar and/or piano lessons and compose a song for your loved one.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Moving 2008-07-11
Comment: This album covers all the highs and lows of being in love. Definitely a record worth getting.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Breaking my cynical heart 2008-07-04
Comment: Despite having enjoyed 'The Committments' lo those many years ago, I had little interest in this film or its music. Until, of course, I broke down and watched it under duress, and was thrown into a bewilderment of emotions I could not have believed possible. Such a little film with such a big heart; I abhor blatant sentimentality, but this was something genuinely special, in no small part because of the awkward charm of this score/soundtrack. Neither of these two have particularly good voices, even by folksinger standards; the piano and guitar are relatively generic; and even the lyrics are not overly original. And yet everything together is so honestly beautiful that I can't recall the last time I was so touched by a fusion of music and imagery.
I also think this album stands alone fairly well, but I am biased because of the connection I feel to the film upon listening to it. I wonder what somebody who heard these songs who hadn't seen the film would think. Therefore, I would say that seeing the film makes the experience complete and enriches the music.
A month later, I am still thinking about the music and the film together. My only cavil about this album is that I would have loved to have the 'recording' of the first song they bash together in the music shop.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: ONCE the best soundtrack ever! 2008-06-30
Comment: Like the movie , this soundtrack is full of beautiful and emotional songs from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, two of the most talented singers- songwriters. The movie is also brilliant, 5 stars on both.
|
Once
Enlarge View