The Swell Season

Country of origin:

Ireland and The Czech Republic

Type of music generally:

Folky alternative pop

Status:

Most recent release, Strict Joy (2009)

See also:

The Swell Season Site

The Swell Season's MySpace page

Markéta Irglová's site Wikipedia's entry on Glen Hansard

Wikipedia's entry on Markéta Irglová

Glen Harsard 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)
• The 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)

Thanks to Sophia Gurley for work on this entry.