NEWS
The Swell Season unveil evocative new single 'Factory Street Bells' ahead of long-awaited album
13 May 2025
The acclaimed duo of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, known collectively as The Swell Season, have offered another glimpse into their forthcoming album, Forward, with the release of their poignant new single, "Factory Street Bells." This marks the third track unveiled from their first new album in sixteen years, set to arrive on June 13th.
"Factory Street Bells" builds gradually from a delicate and sparse opening, blossoming into a powerful crescendo enriched with sweeping strings, resonant horns, and layered group vocals. The track is accompanied by a visually intimate video, filmed by Irglová and producer Sturla Mio Thorisson during the album's recording sessions at their Masterkey Studios in Iceland.
Hansard explains the inspiration behind the song: "We live on a street in Helsinki called Tehtaankatu (Factory Street), in former shipyard workers flats. There’s a church on our street with a very distinctive hourly bell pattern. Christy, my son, has always visibly enjoyed the bells…and when leaving for work I'd promise him, I’ll be back as soon as I can, and in the meantime, the bells would remind him of my love and return."
"Factory Street Bells" follows the previously released singles "Stuck In Reverse" and "People We Used To Be," both of which garnered significant praise from notable publications including Pitchfork, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone. Forward is now available for pre-order, building anticipation for the duo's return.
Tonight, in Amsterdam, The Swell Season commence their extensive tour across Europe, the UK, Ireland, and North America, with several dates already sold out. Their stateside leg kicks off on July 11th, including highly anticipated performances at Brooklyn, NY’s Kings Theatre on July 26th and Los Angeles, CA’s The Greek on September 19th.
The decision to title their first album in sixteen years Forward speaks volumes about Hansard and Irglová's approach. Formed in 2005, the duo rose to international fame after starring in and composing the music for the critically acclaimed film Once, which earned them the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly." Despite their success, they have consistently looked ahead. Their reunion for a series of shows in 2022 blossomed into further touring and eventually the creation of Forward.
Irglová reflects on the album's title, stating, "It felt right to title the record ‘Forward’ because it’s a reunion of sorts, but we’re not going backwards. Both of us have grown and changed; we’re in different places and getting to know each other again as the new people we’ve become." The album features contributions from original Swell Season members alongside newcomer Piero Perelli, promising a blend of familiar textures and fresh perspectives. Forward aims to capture a harmonious balance, showcasing both Hansard's raw intensity and Irglová's lush, cinematic sensibilities, united by their enduring message of perseverance.
The Swell Season 2025 live dates
May 13 - Amsterdam, NL - Koninklijk Theater Carré
May 14 - Antwerp, BG - De Roma
May 16 - Köln, DE - Stadthalle Köln-Mülheim Jülich GmbH
May 17 - Hamburg, DE - CCH - Congress Center Hamburg
May 19 - Berlin, DE - Admiralspalast
May 20 - Vienna, AUT - Wiener Konzerthaus
May 21 - Prague, CZ - Forum Karlín
May 23 - Kraków, POL - Klub Studio
May 24 - Warszawa, POL - Klub Stodola
May 25 - Brno, CZ - Sono Centrum
May 28 - London, UK - Royal Festival Hall
May 29 - Gateshead, UK - The Glasshouse
May 31 - Dublin, IE - National Concert Hall
June 01 - Dublin, IE - National Concert Hall
July 11 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
July 12 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
July 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
July 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
July 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
July 18 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
July 19 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
July 21 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
July 23 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center
July 25 - Northampton, MA - The Pines Theater
July 26 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
July 29 - Philadelphia, PA - The Met
July 31 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
August 01 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
August 02 - Atlanta, GA - The Woodruff Arts Center
September 09 - St. Louis, MO - The Factory
September 10 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre
September 12 - Dallas, TX - The Majestic Theater
September 13 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater
September 15 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
September 16 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center (Ikeda Theater)
September 19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
September 20 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
September 22 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
September 23 - Vancouver, BC - The Orpheum Theatre
September 24 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Theatre
"Factory Street Bells" builds gradually from a delicate and sparse opening, blossoming into a powerful crescendo enriched with sweeping strings, resonant horns, and layered group vocals. The track is accompanied by a visually intimate video, filmed by Irglová and producer Sturla Mio Thorisson during the album's recording sessions at their Masterkey Studios in Iceland.
"Factory Street Bells" follows the previously released singles "Stuck In Reverse" and "People We Used To Be," both of which garnered significant praise from notable publications including Pitchfork, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone. Forward is now available for pre-order, building anticipation for the duo's return.
Tonight, in Amsterdam, The Swell Season commence their extensive tour across Europe, the UK, Ireland, and North America, with several dates already sold out. Their stateside leg kicks off on July 11th, including highly anticipated performances at Brooklyn, NY’s Kings Theatre on July 26th and Los Angeles, CA’s The Greek on September 19th.
The decision to title their first album in sixteen years Forward speaks volumes about Hansard and Irglová's approach. Formed in 2005, the duo rose to international fame after starring in and composing the music for the critically acclaimed film Once, which earned them the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly." Despite their success, they have consistently looked ahead. Their reunion for a series of shows in 2022 blossomed into further touring and eventually the creation of Forward.
Irglová reflects on the album's title, stating, "It felt right to title the record ‘Forward’ because it’s a reunion of sorts, but we’re not going backwards. Both of us have grown and changed; we’re in different places and getting to know each other again as the new people we’ve become." The album features contributions from original Swell Season members alongside newcomer Piero Perelli, promising a blend of familiar textures and fresh perspectives. Forward aims to capture a harmonious balance, showcasing both Hansard's raw intensity and Irglová's lush, cinematic sensibilities, united by their enduring message of perseverance.
The Swell Season 2025 live dates
May 13 - Amsterdam, NL - Koninklijk Theater Carré
May 14 - Antwerp, BG - De Roma
May 16 - Köln, DE - Stadthalle Köln-Mülheim Jülich GmbH
May 17 - Hamburg, DE - CCH - Congress Center Hamburg
May 19 - Berlin, DE - Admiralspalast
May 20 - Vienna, AUT - Wiener Konzerthaus
May 21 - Prague, CZ - Forum Karlín
May 23 - Kraków, POL - Klub Studio
May 24 - Warszawa, POL - Klub Stodola
May 25 - Brno, CZ - Sono Centrum
May 28 - London, UK - Royal Festival Hall
May 29 - Gateshead, UK - The Glasshouse
May 31 - Dublin, IE - National Concert Hall
June 01 - Dublin, IE - National Concert Hall
July 11 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
July 12 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
July 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
July 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
July 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
July 18 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
July 19 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
July 21 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
July 23 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center
July 25 - Northampton, MA - The Pines Theater
July 26 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
July 29 - Philadelphia, PA - The Met
July 31 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
August 01 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
August 02 - Atlanta, GA - The Woodruff Arts Center
September 09 - St. Louis, MO - The Factory
September 10 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre
September 12 - Dallas, TX - The Majestic Theater
September 13 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater
September 15 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
September 16 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center (Ikeda Theater)
September 19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
September 20 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
September 22 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
September 23 - Vancouver, BC - The Orpheum Theatre
