Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - 'The Swell Season' (Anti) Released 19/03/07

The Frames front man Glen Hansard has teamed up with Czech singer and pianist Marketa Irglova to present a collaborative album called ‘The Swell Season’. A collection of stunningly crafted songs that is nothing short of poignant and extremely open. Hansard’s soft Irish lilt permeates throughout most of the album with an effortless control that is nothing short of heart breaking and awe inspiring, whilst Irglova’s timidity lends itself perfectly in creating the sense of hurt, pain and loss that is so dominant throughout. Indeed, ‘The Swell Season’ isn’t an album to put on and relax to, especially if you’re feeling vulnerable or damaged for fear of opening the flood gates. It is a collection of songs that seem to deal with being very much alone in a busy and fast moving world whilst having to cope with the immense weight of solitude, cries and goodbyes.

The opening track ‘This Low’ sets the tone of ‘The Swell Season’ with a stunning vocal range, velvet harmonising and fantastic melody all steered by a pained cello that cries for nostalgic love. Lyrically very honest and laid bare, you can practically hear the teardrops spilling onto the piano keys as Hansard sing’s lines such as “And if by some chance you break from the pack, You know I’ll be waiting to welcome you back, In the arms of this low.” When combined with all the other elements of the song, it’s precisely this simplicity and brutal honesty that cements its effectiveness; does the instrumentation, which although sparse and scattered in parts (‘The Moon’) is extremely well placed and perfectly conveys the gravitas of Hansard’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

The use of cello and fiddle throughout in songs such as the tear jerking ‘Drown Out’, passionate and fever inducing ‘When Your Minds Made Up’ and the instrumental title track, which creates a musical box of delights through solitary fiddle, measured piano and picked acoustic guitar conjuring up images of autumnal incandescence and a desolate weather beaten beauty that takes in both the cold of winter and the warmth of spring. But as impressive and viciously humane as all of this might be it can prove to be a little too much to take in at once due to the sheer ceaseless tragic and agonizing weight of the album and if you’re not careful could leave you a shell of your former self.  Lines such as “I think its time, We give it up, And figure out what’s stopping us, From breathing easy and talking straight” (‘Lies’) and “I cant wait forever, That’s all that you said, Before you stood up” (‘Leave’) bring too much emotional baggage to ‘The Swell Season’. It’s almost as if, on a dark and wet night, whilst getting ready to go out, Glen comes to your door with nothing but a bottle of single malt and an unflinching determination to drink it dry whilst opening up his heart to you.