The Swell Season

Country of origin:

Ireland and The Czech Republic

Type of music generally:

Folky alternative pop

Status:

Band broke up. Both Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are now recording solo. Final release, Strict Joy (2009)

See also:

The Swell Season Site

Markéta Irglová's site

Wikipedia's entry on Glen Hansard

Wikipedia's entry on Markéta Irglová

The Ectophiles' Guide's entries on Markéta Irglová's and Glen Hansard's solo work; Glen Hansard also played with The Frames

Comparisons:

Others in the new folk movement

Covers/own material:

Own

General comments:

I was pleased to see that Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová got a couple of Grammy nominations nominations for their songs from Once. Some of that music is fairly ectoish. (trow@interbridge.com)

Recommended first album:

The Swell Season

Recordings:

• as Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová
• The Swell Season (2006)
• Once (soundtrack compilation, 2007)
• as The Swell Season
• Strict Joy (2009)

The Swell Season

Release info:

2006—Overcoat Recordings

Availability:

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Glen Hansard—vocals/guitar
Markéta Irglová—vocals/piano

Guest artists:

Marja Tuhkanen—violin, viola
Bertrand Galen—cello

Comments:

I loved the movie Once, and so got interested in hearing more from this band. This is an intriguing album and I especially love the tracks "Falling Slowly" (which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008) and "Drown Out"—there's something about these two tracks that I find especially appealing. I'm a little astonished to know that I like a song that won an Oscar! (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)

Once

Release info:

2007—Canvasback/Columbia—88697-10586-2

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Glen Hansard—guitar, Casio keyboards, bass, vocals
Markéta Irglová—piano, guitar, vocals

Guest artists:

Marja Tuhkanen—violin, viola
Bertrand Galen—cello
Rob Bochnik—guitar (2, 10)
Johnny Boyle—drums, percussion (2, 12)
Joseph Doyle—bass (4, 10)
Graham Hopkins—drums (4, 10)
The Frames—barbershop harmonies (8)
Craig Ward—additional keyboards (8)
Colm Mac Con Iomaire—violins (10)
Marcella Plunkett—other vocals (10)

Produced by:

Glen Hansard

Comments:

This album also includes one song by Interference.

Love this movie and love the soundtrack. I'm partial to the five tracks that feature both Glen and Markéta, but the whole album is good. There is, of course, the beautiful (and Oscar-winning!) "Falling Slowly," but there are many beautiful and memorable songs, for example, the haunting "If You Want Me" and the driving "When Your Mind's Made Up." (JoAnn Whetsell)

Strict Joy

Release info:

2009—Anti-—87048-2

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Glen Hansard—vocal, guitar
Markéta Irglová—vocal, piano

Guest artists:

Colm Mac Con Iomaire—violin and string arrangements
Joseph Doyle—bass, guitar
Graham Hopkins—drums and percussion
Rob Bochnik—guitar, mandolin
Steven Bernstein—trumpet, French horn, horn arrangements
Clark Gayton—bass trombone, horn arrangements
Thomas Bartlett—keyboards
Javier Mas—Spanish laud, archilaud and Spanish guitar
Chris Lightcap—stand-up bass
Chad Taylor—drums
Peter Katis—ARP keyboard, percussion

Produced by:

Peter Katis

Comments:

I love the Swell Season's brand of folk-rock, their harmonies, how they can go from such fragile vocals in "In These Arms" to the pulsing intensity of "Rain." The album was a bit of a sleeper for me. I had it for a while but didn't really listen to it until I had the chance to see them in concert. Then I listened to it and liked it; listened again, and again, and one day it just really struck me: this is REALLY good. That was a few years ago, and it's gotten regular play ever since. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Thanks to Sophia Gurley and JoAnne Whetsell for work on this entry.

	Hand to Mouth (see Grace Hearn and Michael Savage)
	Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (see The Swell Season)
	PJ Harvey and John Parish (see John Parish and PJ Harvey)
	Anne O'Meara Heaton (see Anne Heaton)
	Lida Husik/Beamont Hannant (see Husikesque)