The Swell Season is a musical duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. It's also the name of their debut album. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title.
Since their mutual rise to prominence after starring in the 2007 film Once, they increasingly referred to themselves as "The Swell Season" in promotion of their performances until it has unambiguously become the formal name of their collaboration in 2008. (Notably, they still used their separate names when they contributed their cover of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" to the 2007 soundtrack of I'm Not There.) [Wikipedia]
If you missed the movie, do yourself a favor and go rent it.
Check out the "trailer" for their new CD 'Strict Joy'
Post-Once, post-Oscar, post international merry-go-round, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are back doing what they (particularly the Frames frontman) do best, penning effortlessly hummable tunes, even if some of them, like the wonderfully breezy ‘Feeling The Pull’ have been around for some time.
Opener ‘Low Rising’ is a mid-paced country-tinged grower that wouldn’t seem out of place on one of Van Morrison’s ‘70s outings, complete with some gorgeous horns courtesy of Steven Bernstein and Clark Gayton, members of Levon Helm’s band.
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The Good Shepherd Center Chapel in Seattle provided a new sort of haven for two hundred Artists and guests on a crisp autumn night. The Swell Season.
