The Swell Season Reviewed

Review by: Mary Colurso of the Birmingham News

Link to original review: HERE

The Swell Season, Wed. night at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham, AL.

Review rating: Four out of five stars.

Who: The Swell Season, a folk-rock band that features Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of the indie film "Once." The two singer-songwriters -- he’s a scruffy and charismatic Irishman; she’s an elfin and reserved Czech -- were backed by four skillful musicians playing guitar, bass, fiddle and drums. (They’re all members of Hansard’s other band, The Frames.)

When and where: 8:20 p.m. Wednesday at the Jemison Concert Hall of the Alys Stephens Center.Justin Townes Earle opened the show at 7 p.m.

Audience: Not a full house, but an enthusiastic bunch of fans assembled to watch Hansard and Irglova make their Alabama debut. Tunes from "Once," a romantic musical released in 2007, received the loudest cheers and applause from the crowd -- especially "Falling Slowly," an Oscar winner for best original song.

Dynamics: Hansard and Irglova had very different stage personalities, but they fit together like puzzle pieces. He seemed hearty, humorous and passionately driven; she came off as elegant, whimsical and calmly introspective. The two shared the spotlight throughout the show, trading positions on acoustic guitar and piano.

Side note: The principals became a love match during the filming of "Once," but split afterward and remain professional partners.

The set: Ninety minutes of music (plus encores), mostly focusing on tunes from the film soundtrack and its follow-up, 2009’s "Strict Joy." Highlights included "Feeling the Pull," "Fantasy Man," "Back Broke," "In These Arms," "Paper Cup," "Leave," "Say it to Me Now," "When Your Mind’s Made Up."

Words and music: Many of the songs were multi-layered, with unexpected shifts of mood and tempo that evoked a wide range of emotions. The primary subject, a love relationship both sweet and sour, received a thorough exploration through the lyrics. In a way, the words seemed like dialogue in a play -- no real surprise, given the movie connection.

The hit: The Swell Season saved "Falling Slowly" until about three-quarters into the concert. Although the ballad featured tender harmonies from the principals, the overall impact was rather low-key and limp. In the end, it was eclipsed by the more dynamic songs on the set list.

Extras: Well-chosen covers of "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," a signature song for Willie Nelson. Also, fiddler Colm Mac Con Iomaire offered a precise and lively instrumental on "The Court of New Town."

Verdict: High-level musicianship, intriguing songs, pop-culture value. That’s win-win-win.