The Swell Season is back. After reconvening for a limited number of sold-out shows in March 2022, followed by a more extensive US tour in August 2023, the duo returns with new music. A studio session that started out as an effort to create a couple new singles to bring with them on tour, ended up yielding a full length album, fittingly titled ´Forward´. Although The Swell Season released a stand alone single ´The Answer Is Yes´ in June 2023, ´Forward´ will be their first full length album in 16 years.
The album consists of 8 tracks written by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, who take turns singing the lead. Building on the foundation of and with respect to their shared history, they move forward as two equals, supporting and lifting each other up. Accompanied by old band members Joe Doyle, Marja Gaynor and Bertrand Galen, joined by Piero Perelli, and produced by Sturla Mio Thorisson, they create a sound both old and new for The Swell Season.
Irglová and Hansard came to prominence together starring in the 2007 film Once and winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song with their composition “Falling Slowly” in 2008. The soundtrack garnered two Grammy nominations and the two christened their project, The Swell Season. They went on to release the critically acclaimed album Strict Joy and touring the world before branching out into solo careers.
In 2012, Once, The Musical debuted and went on to be nominated for eleven Tonys, winning eight including Best Musical. It ran for three years on Broadway and is currently still in production as a touring musical. In 2014 the musical was nominated for five Laurence Olivier awards with Hansard and Irglova winning for Outstanding Achievement in Music. Over the course of the last decade, Once, in all its iterations, has become a modern classic and a cultural touchstone being referenced in everything from The Simpsons to Ted Lasso. The fan base created by this modern masterpiece looms large in the minds and hearts of many.
Since the success of Once, Irglová has released three studio albums, the most recent one of them being LILA, recorded with an Icelandic producer Sturla Mio Thorisson at their Masterkey studio in Iceland. LILA reflects on Irglová’s journey from her “Girl from a Movie” status to wife, mother and artist.
Hansard has released 5 studio albums, the most recent one of them being ´All That Was East Is West Of Me Now´ released in October 2023, exactly one year after the release of “Take Heart” single featuring the Ukrainian Action, upon spending time with Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. Earlier in ‘22 he toured as part of Eddie Vedder’s Earthlings band and was featured on the Flag Day soundtrack with Vedder and Cat Power.