Swell Season Returning With Strict Joy

Frames singer/guitarist Glen Hansard and Czech chanteuse/pianist Marketa Irglova caught people by surprise with the success of their soundtrack to 2007's Once. We'll see if The Swell Season can catch people's ears without a movie tie-in when Anti- Records releases Strict Joy on Sept. 29.

Strict Joy's 11 songs were co-produced by Hansard and Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), primarily at Katis' Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Conn.

Frames guitarist Rob Bochnik, bassist Joe Doyle and violinist Colm Mac Con lomaire contributed to Strict Joy, as did guitarist Javier Mas (Leonard Cohen), pianist Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), percussionist Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground Duo) and Levon Helm horn players Steven Bernstein and Clark Gayton.

Hansard and Irglova starred in Once, and their soundtrack received two 2008 Grammy Award nominations and "Falling Slowly" won the 2007 Academy Award for best original song. The group toured the world following the album's release and the performances were captured for an upcoming documentary.

Hansard and Irglova will tour North America in the fall in support of Strict Joy, whose title comes from a work by Irish poet James Stephens. Here are their other dates:

Aug. 18 Derry, Northern Ireland @ Millennium Forum Theatre & Conference Centre
Aug. 21 Wexford, Ireland @ Wexford Opera House
Aug. 23 Cork, Ireland @ Everyman Palace Theatre
Aug. 24 Ennis, Ireland @ Glor Theatre
Aug. 26 Dublin, Ireland @ National Concert Hall
Nov. 8 London, England @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Nov. 9 Paris, France @ Le Bataclan
Nov. 11 Brussels, Belgium @ L'Ancienne Belgique
Nov. 12 Dusseldorf, Germany @ Savoy Theater Dusseldorf
Nov. 13 Berlin, Germany @ Passionskirche
Nov. 15 Dresden, Germany @ Alter Schlachthof
Nov. 21 Milan, Italy @ Teatro Dal Verme
Nov. 23 Rome, Italy @ Teatro Palladium
Nov. 26 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
Nov. 28 Stockholm, Sweden @ Filadelfiakyrkan
Nov. 29 Gothenberg, Sweden @ Tradgarn
Dec. 1 Copenhagen, Denmark @ DR Concert House

Here are the songs on Strict Joy:

"Low Rising"
"Feeling The Pull"
"In These Arms"
"The Rain"
"Fantasy Man"
"Paper Cup"
"High Horses"
"The Verb"
"I Have Loved You Wrong"
"Love That Conquers"
"Two Tongues"