The Swell Season
in.Tunes
November 24, 2009
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It could have been a gooey mess — a musical couple bent on making great music to mask the pain of their real-life breakup. The harmonies could have been frozen in uninspired predictability as we imagined them bickering in between vocal takes. The snap, crackle and pop that fired up their soundtrack to Once, which sold 750,000 copies, could have gone limp with minimal, passive-aggressive effort. But somehow the Swell Season, comprised of fiery singer-guitarist, Glen Hansard, and the chanteuse-pianist, Markéta Irglová, channel their swelling emotions into a lightning rod. And all things tender, sweet and chaotically romantic get swept up in their breath.
The Academy Award-winning singer/songerwriters build on the indie folk rock, Irish-meets-Czech instrumentation that made Once a stirring musical mix to cry over. With double-time piano beats, rhythmic guitars that are more edgy than folksy, and violins that ratchet up the narrative drama of loss, hurt and letdown that these two love to sing about, they carve a fragile space for the pissed-off vocals that carry the record. They do it in a whisper. They do it in a yelp. You almost feel like you've stumbled across someone's diary, written in verse, written in tandem. As before, there's always an edge with Glen and Mar that teeters between beautifully explosive rage and a full-on fire. The record makes you want to yell and scream and rip things apart before you go back to watering the flowers. Something about that process feels good. And theirs is exactly that: a healthy release of pent-up emotions.
By the time you finish listening to the Swell Season's Strict Joy, you can cancel your appointments with your medical doctor and therapist. Low Rising adds a layer of growling horns that will simmer through any ailment. High Horses thumps away headaches and I Have Loved You Wrong soothes away hurt. In spite of the dreaded aching and the flood of desperation that fills this "this is not breakup" record, listen and be healed. Released by indie label, Anti-.
The Academy Award-winning singer/songerwriters build on the indie folk rock, Irish-meets-Czech instrumentation that made Once a stirring musical mix to cry over. With double-time piano beats, rhythmic guitars that are more edgy than folksy, and violins that ratchet up the narrative drama of loss, hurt and letdown that these two love to sing about, they carve a fragile space for the pissed-off vocals that carry the record. They do it in a whisper. They do it in a yelp. You almost feel like you've stumbled across someone's diary, written in verse, written in tandem. As before, there's always an edge with Glen and Mar that teeters between beautifully explosive rage and a full-on fire. The record makes you want to yell and scream and rip things apart before you go back to watering the flowers. Something about that process feels good. And theirs is exactly that: a healthy release of pent-up emotions.
By the time you finish listening to the Swell Season's Strict Joy, you can cancel your appointments with your medical doctor and therapist. Low Rising adds a layer of growling horns that will simmer through any ailment. High Horses thumps away headaches and I Have Loved You Wrong soothes away hurt. In spite of the dreaded aching and the flood of desperation that fills this "this is not breakup" record, listen and be healed. Released by indie label, Anti-.
Strict Joy Credits
Glen Hansard Guitarist, Composer, Vocalist, Lyricist
Markéta Irglová Pianist, Composer, Vocalist, Lyricist
Peter Katis Producer, Percussion, Arp
Thomas Bartlett Keyboards
Steven Bernstein Trumpet, French Horn, Horn Arranger
Rob Bochnik Guitar, Mandolin
Joseph Doyle Bass, Guitar
Graham Hopkins Percussion, Drums
Colm Mac Con Iomaire Violin, String Arranger
Chris Lightcap Standup Bass
Javier Más Archlute, Spanish Guitar
James Stephens Poetry
Karl Odlum Engineer
Greg Calbi Mastering NewsSip
