Perhaps most famous for their roles as actors and musicians in the movie "Once" (2007), Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová have begun to expand their sound to a wide range of styles while still maintaining their band's heartfelt core of acoustic guitar, piano and perfectly matched harmonies. They've gone by many names ("Frames" among them), but the latest moniker for indie folk rockers Hansard and Irglová seems to have stuck: "Strict Joy" (2009), the second album released under the name The Swell Season, proves to be a satisfying follow-up to the duo's 2006's self-titled release.
"Strict Joy" is a bittersweet record that details the end of the duo's romantic relationship. What must have made for some awkward songwriting sessions has resulted in an album that sounds better than anything before it. While there are sweet yet somber numbers reminiscent of earlier material, the album as a whole is brighter and more upbeat. It's an interesting dichotomy. Songs like "Feeling the Pull" are positively bubbly, but a couple tracks later Irglová sings "Go on now just leave it/ The timing wasn't right/ And the force that swept us both away/ Was too strong for us to fight."
Luckily, whatever force destroyed the duo's romantic relationship left their musical collaboration untouched. Hansard and Irglová have crafted some of their best songs on this new album and their voices are still perfectly matched. Hansard's dynamic vocals are smoothed out by Irglová's serene harmonies. The vocal arrangements are much more ambitious than in earlier songs. Overdubbed three- or four-part harmonies make an impact, like on the powerful chorus of Irglová's "Fantasy Man."
In addition to strong vocal work, "Strict Joy" features top-notch production. The sound is always clean and crisp despite some fairly complicated instrumentation. The arrangements of songs like "The Rain" are particularly complicated, but producer Peter Katis expertly juggles organs, bells, electric guitars, strings and a wide range of driving percussion to produce something cohesive. "Strict Joy" escapes the trap of over-production; the creative team, including Frames backing musicians Rob Bochnik, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Graham Hopkins and Joseph Doyle, weave a heavily layered but always clear sonic tapestry.
The album's strongest point is a particularly well-layered climax on the seventh track, "High Horses." Explosive drums and a sea of harmonies build while Hansard, barely audible above the instrumentation, screams what sounds like "Come down off your high horses." Though the venom on this track is apparent, the album ends with "Back Broke," a mellow number. Whatever the future holds for this duo's complicated relationship, it's clear that their music will continue to shine.
The deluxe edition of "Strict Joy" gives fans an even closer look at the people behind The Swell Season. A bonus disc containing an incredible live performance at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, MI shows the band at its finest: playing dynamic, heartfelt renditions of a variety of songs, from older Frames tunes to the music composed specifically for "Once."
A third disc from the deluxe edition is a DVD entitled "One Step Away." It's an intimate documentary showing Hansard and Irglová on and off the stage, be it fooling around during rehearsals or covering The Pixies' "Gigantic" backed by an eighth-grade choir. Most of the live performances on the documentary come from the same live show on the bonus CD, but there are enough extras to make it worth the watch.
While the deluxe edition is a great value packed with fantastic features, the album by itself is a robust release on its own. Heartfelt lyrics, driving arrangements and strong songwriting carry "Strict Joy" even higher than previous The Swell Season efforts.
