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The Swell Season

Marketa Irglova: Tiny Desk Concert
Mallory Benedict/NPR

Tiny Desk

Marketa Irglova: Tiny Desk Concert

With the help of Iranian singer-percussionist Aida Shahghasemi, Irglova crafts a lovely mix of the exotic and the familiar; of sweetness and longing. Watch the pair perform three songs in the NPR Music offices.

Marketa Irglova: Tiny Desk Concert

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Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros perform a Tiny Desk Concert in 2009. Coburn Dukehart/NPR hide caption

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Coburn Dukehart/NPR

All Songs Considered

Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

This week, All Songs Considered looks back at three and a half years of live music at the NPR offices.

Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

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Listen: Marketa Irglova, 'Go Back'

Markéta Irglová, one half of The Swell Season, is releasing her first solo album, Anar, on Oct. 11. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Listen: Marketa Irglova, 'Go Back'

The Swell Season star introduces the first single from her solo debut, Anar, out Oct. 11.

Hear 'Go Back' From Markéta Irglová's 'Anar'

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Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

Review

All Songs Considered

Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

We look back at some of the most memorable moments from this year's Newport Folk Festival. Hear samples from standout performances by John Prine, Jim James, Andrew Bird, The Swell Season and more.

Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

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The Swell Season: 'Joy' At The Triple Door

The Swell Season performs at the Triple Door in Seattle, Wash. Jim Bennett/See More Photos hide caption

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Jim Bennett/See More Photos

Favorite Sessions

The Swell Season: 'Joy' At The Triple Door

KEXP

As a way of thanking its supporters, KEXP brought Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of The Swell Season to the Triple Door in Seattle. Without a band, the duo gave an intimate performance that showcased its deeply personal songwriting, including a new song and a blazing cover of Tim Buckley's "Buzzin' Fly."

Hear And Download The Concert

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

The Best Music Of 2009

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

We could tell early on that 2009 was going to be an outstanding year for music. Here are the top 25, as selected by All Songs Considered listeners.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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The Swell Season: Redemption Songs
Zoran Orlic

Music Interviews

The Swell Season: Redemption Songs

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of the hit 2007 movie Once, recently sat down with NPR's Melissa Block. Now performing as The Swell Season, they discuss their new album (Strict Joy), perform two songs and surprise each other with new revelations about a song's meaning.

The Swell Season: Redemption Songs

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Exclusive First Listen: The Swell Season
courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Exclusive First Listen: The Swell Season

Recording as The Swell Season, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova recorded a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem in the new Strict Joy, on which they examine a tumultuous relationship over a mostly calm bed of acoustic guitars, pianos and strings. You can hear Strict Joy in its entirety here for the two weeks leading up to its Oct. 27 release.

Exclusive First Listen: The Swell Season

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The Swell Season: Dwarfed By The Sky
courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

The Swell Season: Dwarfed By The Sky

If there's one constant in Glen Hansard's career, it's his ability to express the way intense emotions can make us feel both bigger and smaller than we are. He understands insecurity and regret, jealousy and disappointment, hope and pride. And he knows exactly how to wrap those feelings in songs that swoon, soar and seethe. Case in point: The Swell Season's "Feeling the Pull."

'Feeling the Pull' by The Swell Season

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The Swell Season: Tiny Desk Concert
Coburn Dukehart/NPR

Tiny Desk

The Swell Season: Tiny Desk Concert

For those who can't wait to hear songs from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's follow-up to Once, the pair played six new songs before performing the first-ever Tiny Desk Concert encore.

The Swell Season: Tiny Desk Concert (Audio Only)

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Music Interviews

'Once' Bitten: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Fresh Air

Actor-musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won an Oscar for Best Original Song, "Falling Slowly," in the film, Once. The movie, about two musicians who write songs together and fall in love, is out now on DVD.

'Once' Bitten: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

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Review

The 80th Annual Academy Awards

Oscar-Winning Words of Hard-Won Hope

When Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova recorded the songs that would fill the soundtrack for the film Once, few expected that they'd find a wide audience. Now an unlikely Oscar-winner, "Falling Slowly" is a star-making showcase for Hansard and Irglova's bittersweet, beautiful music.

'Falling Slowly' by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

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Live Music from the Film 'Once'

Swell Season Live Joel Didriksen for kingpinphoto.com hide caption

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Joel Didriksen for kingpinphoto.com

Memorable Moments 2007

Live Music from the Film 'Once'

Playing under the name The Swell Season, hear Irish singer Glen Hansard and Czech newcomer Marketa Irglova perform songs from the hit musical Once recorded live in concert from Washington, D.C.

The Swell Season in Concert

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Music Interviews

New-Style Musical: Hansard and Irglova in 'Once'

Director John Carney's new film Once features Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as two musicians who tell their story in song. Hansard is the lead singer of the Irish band The Frames. Irglova was only 17 when the movie was made — and neither of them are professional actors.

New-Style Musical: Hansard and Irglova in 'Once'

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