It's hard to find subtlty in music nowadays. Everything is fast and in your face; a wall of sound designed to pummel the listener and discourage the best part of interacting with the music: repeat listening. Dublin, Ireland's The Frames are a perfect example of the exact opposite of this. Employing uber-producer Steve Albini to man the boards, For The Birds features melodic, folk-influenced rock songs with clearly discernible instruments including mandolin, piano, violin, brushed drums, and softly strummed guitar, as well as vocals that manage to sound emotive even when they seem hushed. Lead singer/songwriter Glen Hansard along with Albini created a beautiful album that makes use of subtle dynamics and negative space, and gradually builds emotional intensity over the course of a song instead of trying to hook listeners immediately. For your listening (dis)pleasure:

The Frames: Santa Maria

The Frames: Fighting On The Stairs