Released before the movie Once popularized the music of the eclectic duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Some are earlier versions of numbers heard in Once such as 'Lies' and 'Falling Slowly', but most are original to this album. The title cut is an instrumental (piano) piece. Both albums share a quiet combination of mostly lead guitar and male vocal with vocal and piano highlights from Irglova, although they trade roles from time to time. The music is soulful, relational, reflective at times, angry at times and revolves around real people and situations. Worth a listen.

Love the music, love the voices. My only disappointment was that I didn't realize it was mostly the same as the soundtrack from Once, which I already had. But now there is one for my car and one for my home, so it's all good.

Bought only because of cut #4 from movie "Once" and love the entire album. If you like Damien Rice, you'll like this.

If you were enchanted by this couple in the recent film "Once" and enjoyed the soundtrack, you will no doubt want to purchase this latest album. A few of the tracks are in the film, but others are new. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won the Academy Award this year for the song "Falling Slowly."

This CD is for everyone. Glen and Marqueta are the perfect duet, sometimes humerous, sometimes conpassionate; their music is not just "another song" but an emotional experience. You will be laughing or crying when the music ends.

When me and my friends decided to rent the movie Once (we are all guitarists, and the poster of them walking on a fretboard is what intrigued our interests) we just fell in love with the music and the story. I found myself going to the net to grab tabs for songs. Then I went in a store and was going to buy the soundtrack . . . and stopped. I saw the Swell Season standing there. I took a risk and bought it instead.

I am glad I did.

This album is even better than the soundtrack. The souls are bare, the production is tight, and there isn't a single flaw. I have fallen in love with these two. They just compliment each other so well, it's breath taking.

If you love singer/songwriters who write with their soul laid out in front of you, buy this album immediately.

I love the Once soundtrack, but must agree that this CD is a disappointment and offers not enough new songs to purchase. If you've got the soundtrack, you've got enough.

This album has many of the songs from the wonderful movie Once, including the Oscar winning Falling Slowly. Finally great indie artists are recognized and awarded this great honor, and deservedly so! This is a fantastic album filled with so much emotion. Standout tracks: Falling Slowly, Sleeping, When Your Minds Made Up, Leave.

Buy this album, see the movie Once, explore more of Glen's work with The Frames (For The Birds is also an excellent album).

Saw the movie "Once" and could not get the music out of my head. So thought might as well get the soundtrack. Price is great, and shipping as always was super fast. Very haunting music and a must for anyone who loved the movie.

Hope it does well at the Oscars!

After watching Once I fell in love with Glen. Now I see that he is an exceptional performer. I love the tone of his voice. The music is relaxing yet stimulating at the same time.

I love this cd. I bought it after watching the film Once. While most of the songs here are different, the depth and poignancy are familiar. "Leave" and "Alone Apart" are reasons enough to get this cd.

I bought the Once soundtrack CD even before seeing the movie because I'd heard Glenn & Marketa play on one of the late night talk shows. I've listened to it nearly every day since then--more than 6 months now! I also got the DVD when it came out. I only recently bought the "Swell Season". Even though there is some duplication of songs from the soundtrack, there are others that make this completely worth having. Of those, my favorites are This Low", "Sleeping" and "Drown Out". This is great music and I hope we hear more from these two in the future.

This is the kinda pic that will get you calling your chums and telling them how much they need to haul their derriere cinema-side. It's a tightly collected bunch of reflections on life's better emotions and yearnings. The need to create. The need to bring good things to people that you care about. The desire to sing about life's good & bad things with an aim to release the tightly wound happy/sad spring that lurks in all of us. The wish to acclaim friends & strangers when they provide us with a means to see the beauty that is ebbing and flowing all around us...........................I have never watched a movie on three consecutive days in my life, until now.

I echo the sentiments of every reviewer that praises the work of Glen, Irglova, and The Frames. Rent the movie "Once", and then hop online and buy both the soundtrack and this record (The Swell Season). I really enjoyed the songwriting, and ended up buying a few of The Frames records, as well ("The Cost" and "For The Birds"). Having been a musician in a pop/rock band that was overlooked in our day, I love stumbling over an incredible band/artist...regardless if I've missed their glory days. Happy listening.

After seeing the movie "once" I new I had to have all the stuff these two have made together and I highly recommend both CDS and the movie too! I listen to them every day!

I first heard the Swell Season on a KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic podcast. I know it's a good sign when I keep replaying a podcast over and over again. I fell in love immediately and soon bought the "Once" soundtrack since it has some songs not on this album, or else the same songs are composed in a slightly different way. I only recently saw the movie, but the music stands out more than anything for me. It's slow, but comforting, and not depressing by any means. Someone once said that Glen Hansard as a "cello-like" voice and I completely agree. It gets down into your core.

Yes, two brilliant minds working together to create even greater brilliance. The film "Once" is just as amazing.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova make a real-life ending to the movie "once" with its satisfying but unresolved ending. They do the songs they liked, tart them up with excellent production values and add a few other tunes. Has a quieter, shinier feel than the movie soundtrack, sometimes a bit draggy. It almost comes out whole, but being part of a movie soundtrack and the rest added, it has a "parts of the sum" feeling. There are definitely some great tracks here if you want to just pick and choose. I wonder what's next for these two?

This is second CD I have purchased of Hansard and Marketa.
First was soundtrack of the movie ONCE. I believe it is rated by
New Yorker in top hundred best sound tracks of films Just beautiful.

I just saw the movie "Once". The music moved me. I had to get it and hear it again. BRILLIANT hardly says it, yet it's the one word that comes into my mind when I think of the music in this CD.

It's just BRILLIANT!

If you like this music, please, I urge you...go to see the movie Once as well and then buy that soundtrack. You'll get an idea of the music from that or just do a seach on You know what Tube and you can see performances of many of the songs from this CD.

I'd go into more detail about the music but I rarely find WRITTEN reviews of music to be all that revealing. The best I could do would be to write that it was "atypical" or a "bit folksy" and that'd still be way off the mark. So I'll simply suggest you listen to the musical samples here and then go to that you know what tube and hear the complete versions of songs from the CD..that is a much better way to get a taste of the music. I do recommend this one.

If you catch the movie, you'll discover that both the male and female singers can act and do so in a very low-key, believable way. The music? It is every bit as lovely as you'd expect and you get to see how musicians think and the process of creativity all set to a love story - sort of. Just see it. Then buy this CD and the one to Once and allow yourself to be transported by music that isn't trite, overdone or screaming to be heard. This makes it so much more appealing, of course, and I can't stop playing it, over and over. Bravo!

After seeing the movie Once, I came home and immediately ordered the soundtrack. This is a second album by the couple who starred in Once. Yes, there are some duplicate songs, but the music is so wonderful I don't care. One CD for the car; the other for the house.

Steeped in what was once known as Top Forty or now, Golden Oldies, I generally dislike alternative or indie music. Whatever descriptive label you wish to place on this CD, "very good" should be included somewhere. Having seen "Once" and liking it, I was curious about additional work by Glen Hansart and Marketa Irglova. The rhythm is non-syncopated (if I am using that term correctly) but engaging. Mr. Hansard's Celtic roots are woven into many of the pieces, especially the title song. The power and passion of "When Your Minds Made Up" give me goose-bumps.

I love this CD. I liked the film a lot, too. I wish I was friends with them so I could hang out with them and make them dinner while they play music.
NOTE TO GLEN AND MARKETA: If you guys are ever in New York City and feel hungry and don't want to go to yet one more restaurant you're welcome to come over to our house for a healthy home-cooked meal. Singing for your supper is appreciated but, not mandetory.
[...]

I enjoy listening to both the lyrics and music. It's mostly easy listening folksy rock with great harmony so if this is your style of music you can't go wrong.

There are still some great songs in here but some louder singing in a couple songs seem to break up and not mesh entirely well with what I would otherwise definitely call a beautiful hamonious work/effort. The strings and voices balance well in all the other songs that I would play during a nice dinner party (except during the louder couple of songs).

For the most part I like Glen Hansard's voice, but some cuts I find totally irritating. I really didn't need to buy both the "Once" soundtrack and "The Swell Season" CD. I should have done more research

After seeing "Once", I immediately purchased the soundtrack. Soon I discovered this cd - it has some of the same tracks with slightly different arrangements and I enjoyed the other tracks immensely. If you liked "Once", you'll like this cd - there's a couple of tracks that just rip your heart out.

A swell mixture of music. For those who thought "Once" is never enough. Although not very different from the movie soundtrack but number one fans just gotta have this.

What a great partnership these two have. He sounds like Cat Stevens and she sounds like an Angel. I bought the soundtrack to "Once" as well.

I got interested in Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova after seeing "Once" at the theater. I purchased the soundtrack and really liked it. The Swell Season features more of their creativity. They harmonize beautifully. Some of the songs are the same as the soundtrack but for me, it does not take away. I hope they make more CDs together.

The songs are beautiful, intricate, formed in such a way that you want to listen to each 8 or 9 times before you move on to the next, you want to hear every little sound, every word pronounced, each note played. As I do with things that I find have helped me in life, I will do the same with this. I will buy other copies and spread them out to people, In my eyes I believe that this music can help others - for its already helped me.
- thanks.
-enrique

This is a delightful CD. Has some of the same songs that are on ONCE, but the songlist is broader and more engaging.

The album is rich in contrasts, moods and musical creativity. My only complaint is I couldn't get the security cover off fast enough. Whoever doesn't like this simply hasn't heard it. Listen.

I discovered Glen Hansard when I saw the movie, "Once." The tunes on this CD are exceptional. Hansard's lyrics and emotional rendition are moving and, occasionally, haunting. Irglova's harmony adds a delicate counterpoint to several of the songs. I listened to this CD non-stop for the first couple of weeks I had it, and still find it one of my favorites.