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Jul 09, 2009 By Mark Redfern The Swell Season

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the stars of 2007’s Oscar-Winning surprise hit indie film Once, are set to release their new album as their real-life musical project The Swell Season. Strict Joy is due out on ANTI- Records on September 29th.

Alas, the album is partly inspired by the break-up of Hansard and Irglova’s real-life romance. But the band plays on. Strict Joy borrows its name from a work by Irish poet James Stephens. The album was co-produced by Hansard and Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), and recorded mostly at Katis’ Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT. Other members of Hansard’s main band The Frames also play on the record, including Colm Mac Iomaire (violin), Joe Doyle (bass), Rob Bochnik (guitar).

The Swell Season’s “Falling Slowly” (from Once) won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2008 (in which Irglova’s acceptance speech was cut off by pre-commercial break music, only for host Jon Stewart to call her back on the stage to deliver it). The duo also performed the song at the Oscars.

A documentary capturing The Swell Season’s sold-out world tour following Once‘s success is in the works and U.S. fall tour dates will be announced soon.

The Strict Joy track list is as follows:

01. Low Rising

02. Feeling the Pull

03. In These Arms

04. The Rain

05. Fantasy Man

06. Paper Cup

07. High Horses

08. The Verb

09. I Have Loved You Wrong

10. Love That Conquers

11. Two Tongues

12. Back Broke

www.theswellseason.com