Strict Joy

Comment: Like everyone who saw "Once", I fell in love with these two's music instantly. A great "sequel" to the soundtrack. Might be a bit mellower but the song writing and vocals are very moving. I've listened to some of The Frames as well and I think this is some of Glen's most powerful work. Highly recommended.

Comment: We live in a veritable golden age of independent and folk musical artistry. From The Avett Brothers to Derek Webb to The Decemberists to Damien Rice to Colm Mac Con Iomaire to Iron & Wine (a few of my favorites from America and Ireland), the folk indie music scene is absolutely brilliant. Within this genre perhaps no artists write more heart-wrenchingly beautiful and emotionally raw music than the dynamic duo of Glenn Hansard and Markéta Irglová, also known as The Swell Season

To most readers, Hansard and Irglová will be best known and recognized as the stars of the wonderful modern musical, "Once". Filmed in Dublin over two and a half weeks at 130,000, "Once" is a beautifully executed story of love and friendship as expressed by the genuine, heart-felt music of The Swell Season. As a coming-out for Hansard and Iglová (although it must be said that Hansard had previously been in the entertaining Irish film "The Commitments" and has been performing as front-man for the Irish band The Frames for year) "Once" showed the kind of magic that can happen when two artists who were made for each other join forces to create something truly special.

It is obvious that Hansard and Irglová are at their artistic best when corroborating together. Their voices meld together in exquisite harmony in a fashion that is absolutely breath taking. Their chemistry is un-matched. They truly are each other's muse. It is precisely this chemistry (and emotional honesty for that matter) that is the true genius of "Once". The movie and the music is real, it is genuine and it is understandable and relatable. Watching "Once" is to forget that one is watching a movie. The viewer joins into the story with the characters, feeling what they feel and experiencing what they experience.

This honesty and chemistry is the same strength of "Strict Joy". A story of hurt, heartache and subdued joy, "Strict Joy" is beautifully written and performed. Communicating the many-faceted feelings of a relationship broken and bruised (but not completely finished), "Strict Joy" provides the listener with songs of hope ("Low Rising"), repentance ("I Have Loved You Wrong") and sorrowful frustration ("Two Tongues"), the album runs the gamut of experience and emotion.

Far from the raw, emotive energy of "Once" (most notably in the songs "When Your Mind's Made Up" and "Lies"), "Strict Joy" employs a more refined, mature and consistent introspection (ala "Falling Slowly"). Much of this musical maturation seems to be ground in the growing integration and skills of Irglová, specifically in the songs she writes and performs with Hansard. As for Hansard, he is as good in this album as he is with anything he writes. His transparent song crafting is infectious and his energy is revitalizing. He is one of the most gifted and experience songwriters in the indie music scene. Add the growing skills of Irglová and it is hard to imagine much of a creative limit for the duo.

The album's best moment is found in the song "I Have Loved You Wrong". Hopefully haunting, the song expresses a surprising sorrow for wrongs committed and a deep and abiding desire for reconciliation. Similar in tone and sound to the achingly lovely "The Hill" from "Once", "I Have Loved You Wrong" is Irglová at her best. The addition of Hansard's harmony at the close of the song is absolute dynamite and demonstrates just how perfectly their voices are suited for each other.

While not as strong or approachable as the soundtrack for "Once", "Strict Joy" is still a stellar effort by The Swell Season and a worthy addition to any music lover's library.

Comment: Glen and Marketa have done it again. They have combined their talents to create a masterpiece filled with laid back as well as upbeat harmonies. I can't think of any way to adequately describe the album, I just know that if you're a fan, you'll absolutely adore the work. It definitely gives me the chills and warm fuzzies that only the voices of Swell Season can give me.

Comment: In honesty, I loved the film "Once", but the soundtrack itself overall left me a little...ambivalent. I adored a couple of the songs from the film, but others were less compelling. Subsequent tracks put out by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova under the band name "The Swell Season" were equally touch-and-go for me. There was obvious talent and emotion, but only a few of their songs really resonated with me, or somehow, the arrangements seemed to fall short of the musicians' talents. However, when I heard a preview of the upcoming "Strict Joy", I was absolutely captivated from the start. There is a maturity and professionalism that has come to touch upon The Swell Season on this album, which I find both compelling, soothing and with each progressive listen, more addictive. The album as a whole has grown on me, like a familiar pair of soft, old, comfortable shoes. The nuances in production value as well as mostly subtle tempo changes from song to song are endearing, pleasant, easy on the ears, nicely put next to each other. But the songwriting itself is the real treasure, here. The raw, unabashed truthfulness in each track wreaks of frailty, longing, failure, tenderness, and even through heartbreak, ultimate joy. Not that it should matter, but Hansard's and Irglova's well publicized romance and subsequent breakup (despite their admirable staying together in a professional partnership) makes each song all the more powerful, raw and almost uncomfortable in their intimacy, offering a voyeuristic view into the very private details and unraveling of their romance. But in truth, there is power. The truthfulness and sensitivity of this album really strikes a chord, offering a glimpse of real struggle, despair and ultimately, growth. Although there are no clunkers on this album, the tracks that struck me from the start were "Low Rising", "In these Arms", "High Horses" and "I Have Loved You Wrong".

This album is beautiful, raw, emotive and so far, my favorite for all of 2009.

Comment: Like so many others, I became a big fan of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova via the Once film and soundtrack. Their follow-up effort again has moments of transcendent harmonic elegance, along with some excellent compositions. If there is a weakness it is that some tunes come off as being really good ideas for songs rather than being fully realized compositions - two verses, two choruses and maybe a brief solo to pad it a bit. (I love the Kate Bush-esque outro on High Horses.)However, there isn't a track here that is without some moment of magic that make these two such a potent musical force. The whole CD exudes "heart", from the vulnerability of Marketa's lead vocals to the honesty of Glen's alternatively hushed confessional or busking bravado delivery. There are a few musical derivatives of the earlier work - Love That Conquers' 5/4 meter is a little more laid-back, but still reminiscent of If Your Mind's Made Up; Two Tongues has the electronica percussion of If You Want Me; Marketa's I Have Loved You Wrong recalls the The Hill, and so forth - but then again, with musical landmarks so pleasant, one doesn't mind passing by them again, and the results are far from stale repetition.

Finally, I would note that the deluxe version (w/ live CD and DVD documentary) is a great value and really further draws fans in to appreciate the humanity of these two performers. (How many other groups are going to invite an 8th grade choir to sing with them at a concert? Way cool!)