Photo credit: pitchfork.com

The Swell Season Unveils New Album After 16-Year Hiatus

The acclaimed folk duo, The Swell Season, comprised of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, has exciting news for their fans: they will be releasing a new album titled Forward on June 13. This marks their first studio album in a remarkable 16 years. Alongside this announcement, the duo has released a new track called “Stuck in Reverse,” accompanied by a striking black-and-white music video depicting their performance in an intimate bar setting. The video was directed by Anthony Mulcahy.

This new album follows their 2009 release, Strict Joy. Produced by Sturla Mio Thorisson, Forward features a total of eight tracks, including the previously released single “People We Used to Be.” Irglová remarked on the choice of the album title, stating, “It felt right to name the record Forward, because while it’s a reunion, we’re not looking back. We have both grown and evolved; we’re learning to reconnect as the new individuals we’ve become.”

Reflecting on their journey, Hansard shared, “The period following our success at the Oscars was intense, filled with busyness and pressure that neither of us wanted. In the midst of all that hard work and celebration, we drifted apart. Nevertheless, we stayed in touch as friends, contributing to each other’s projects and keeping up with each other’s lives. During my recent tour, I realized how much I missed Markéta. I reached out and asked, ‘Would you be interested in performing together?’” Their initial intent was to record casually, without any pressure, but this led them to create a whole new album.

The duo first came together in 2006 with their debut album, The Swell Season, and gained international fame following their performance in the 2007 film Once, where they performed songs from the album as the film’s central characters. The popularity of the indie film propelled both their careers and resulted in an Academy Award win for Best Original Song with “Falling Slowly.” Fans may want to revisit Pitchfork’s 2008 interview with Hansard and Irglová shortly after their Oscar triumph for more insight into their shared experience.

Track List for Forward

Forward:

01 Factory Street Bells
02 People We Used to Be
03 Stuck in Reverse
04 I Leave Everything to You
05 Little Sugar
06 Pretty Stories
07 Great Weight
08 Hundred Words

Source
pitchfork.com