The Swell Season — Strict Joy

Cutesy Irish outfit The Swell Season return, looking to "Once" again capitalize on their appearance in mushy in indie flick Once. The band turn the trick with style, and the timeliness of this music hopefully means these guys aren't just a passing fancy.

Vocalist Glen Hansard is the focal point, and rightly so. Sounding like a modern incarnation of vintage Van Morrison and/or Neil Diamond (neither is meant as a slight), Hansard brays and swoons through the material without sounding like a wimp or a douchebag — a remarkable feat in 2009.

It's a bit heavy-handed at times, so it's best to ensure you're in the mood before you dive right in. Thusly, you'll be braced to accept (and enjoy) the vocal chemistry between Hansard and his main squeeze/bandmate Markéta Irglová, primarily the epic interplay of "The Rain," the best indicator that The Swell Season may just be built to last.

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