Swell Season Drops First Album in 16 Years: See the Video for Their New Hit Song!

The Swell Season, the acclaimed folk duo consisting of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, has revealed they are releasing their first album in 16 years, titled Forward, which will now be available on July 11 instead of June 13. Accompanying the announcement, they unveiled a new song, “Stuck in Reverse,” along with its music video, which is shot in black and white and features the duo performing in a cozy pub. The video was directed by Anthony Mulcahy and can be viewed below.

The new album, which follows their 2009 release Strict Joy, was produced by Sturla Mio Thorisson and includes eight tracks. Among these is the earlier released single “People We Used to Be.” “Choosing the title Forward felt appropriate because although this is somewhat of a reunion for us, we are moving ahead rather than looking back,” explained Irglová. “We’ve both evolved and matured; we’re at different stages in our lives now and are reconnecting as the people we have become.”

“The period leading up to and following the Oscars was a whirlwind. We were very active, and with that came a level of pressure that neither of us really appreciated. Eventually, we found ourselves drifting amidst all the hard work and celebration. We stayed close friends, collaborated on each other’s projects, and kept in touch with each other’s families. While touring with my last album, I realized how much I missed her. I ended up calling Markéta and asked, ‘Do you feel like doing some gigs together?’” Hansard recounted. “What started as a few casual performances and recording sessions without any pressure, unexpectedly led us to produce a full album.”

Forward Tracklist:

01 Factory Street Bells

02 People We Used to Be

03 Stuck in Reverse

04 I Leave Everything to You

05 Little Sugar

06 Pretty Stories

07 Great Weight

08 Hundred Words