Outside of U2, the Frames may be the biggest rock act in Ireland right now. But here in the United States, they are about as well known as Skip Bifferty,...

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Outside of U2, the Frames may be the biggest rock act in Ireland right now. But here in the United States, they are about as well known as Skip Bifferty, which is an indubitable crime. If there were any justice in this world, these guys would be just as large in America as their British counterparts Coldplay, who they surpass both in talent and longevity.

However, since 1990, their dizzying hybrid of arena-sized pop and indie rock complexity has been cherished by a small, yet loyal cult following stateside, augmented by frontman Glen Hansard's co-starring role in Alan Parker's 1992 smash film "The Commitments." Now signed to Epitaph's Anti- imprint, the Frames could finally reap the mainstream recognition they so richly deserve here in the States with "Burn the Maps," their fifth studio LP.

The follow-up to the career-spanning 2003 live album "Set List" is by far and away the group's most determined work of its 15-year career. It's a collection of songs that demand your attention, rife with soft/loud dynamics reminiscent of Sebadoh and Mogwai magnified to fill the lungs of a sold-out Giants Stadium, particularly on tracks like the cathartic "Finally," "A Caution to the Birds" and the transcendental closer "Locusts." Could an opening slot on U2's upcoming North American tour be far behind?

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You have to hand it to the United Kingdom: Not only does it create some of the best indie bands around today -- think Coldplay, Keane, Snow Patrol, The...

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You have to hand it to the United Kingdom: Not only does it create some of the best indie bands around today -- think Coldplay, Keane, Snow Patrol, The Delgados and a dozen or so others -- but it actually gives those bands the attention they deserve. Here, we're still caught up on Britney's short-lived hiatus, the American Idol farce and the return of Motley Crue.

The Frames are one of those acts that, were most Yanks not so preoccupied with crap music, would be huge. They've already conquered their native Ireland, and the hooky, delicate pop songs on Burn the Maps, vaguely similar to those of Snow Patrol, should, if there's any justice, make the Dubliners a name in the States.

The first Frames studio album to receive decent distribution in the States, Burn the Maps finds the act expertly balancing fragile, spacious stretches against lush, full-blown, anthemic pop that's somewhere between the arena and the bedroom. The act swings from bristling, big-chorus pop, complete with overdriven guitars to quiet bashful pop without missing a beat on "Fake." "Sideways Down" switches away from radio pop to adopt a more sophisticated sound where a pair of acoustic guitars and fey vocals keep a string section from becoming too Belle and Sebastian, while "Ship Caught in the Bay" dabbles with electronic noises to augment its hushed dynamics.

The Frames always have been masters of the big pop songs as well as the lilting acoustic numbers, but on Burn the Maps, the band finally finds the formula to combine them. "Dream Awake," building from a fragile guitar-and-voice number into a squall of drums, violin and electric guitars, shows the band's expert hand at pacing and song structure. The seven-minute "Keepsake" follows much of the same pattern, slowly moving from a nearly twee voice-and-guitar intro to a high-pressure roar with all the presence of a Snow Patrol tune. "A Caution to the Birds" takes a more conventional approach, moving slightly between the band's crescendo dynamics and up/down arrangements with guitar leads that crackle and bass/guitar melodies that glimmer with all the starry-eyed promises of the best pop.

Guitar pop comes in a lot of flavors these days, from college-kid clever and alt-radio catchy to grown-up and introspective. The Frames, who always commanded the former segment, make a play to capture fans of the other two types. Simultaneously weighty and accessible, immediate and intricate, infectious and introspective, Burn the Maps is just what The Frames need to put themselves on the map here in the States.

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