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It’s impossible that Rhythm And Repose is Glen Hansard’s first solo album, but it’s true. I’ve loved everything that he did with The Frames and The Swell Season, and of course the music from the motion picture Once, but this album somehow creates the illusion that this is the first time I’m ever hearing him. The songs have a new confidence and a deeper vulnerability, as if he’s finally giving up the ghost and showing us what he’s made of.
He was in The Frames for many, many years, so if you’ve never heard The Frames, you should check them out—they’re an incredible group. And if you go way back, he got part of his start as the guitar player in the movie The Commitments. He was pursuing his music career, doing a lot of busking in Dublin, and the film was looking for real musicians to cast as the band members, so he auditioned. I still remember going to Mercury Lounge one night when I was living in New York, and there on stage I saw “that guy from The Commitments”—something I’m sure he’s gotten a lot of in his lifetime, like it or not. They were playing “God Bless Mom,” which is both a hilarious song and a really fast, virtuosic rocker. I just fell in love with them, and continued to follow as Once came out. The Swell Season holds a special place in my heart—when they went on that first tour, their concert here in Buffalo was the first date my wife and I had after our daughter was born.
The opening track of Rhythm And Repose, “You Will Become,” really sets the tone for the whole album—sparse, dark, and meditative. The strings on “The Storm, It’s Coming” are particularly shimmery, and the vocal performance is absolutely heartbreaking. “What Are We Gonna Do” is so restrained, I feel I’m holding my breath through the entire song. Even though Marketa Irglova is singing harmonies on two of the three songs I just mentioned, it is clear that this music is not coming from The Swell Season.
After having listened to The Frames, the Once soundtrack, and The Swell Season, Rhythm And Repose was the first time I really felt like he let everything else fall away—just stood there and presented his songs. It’s just me, and these are the songs I’ve written. They feel different—more patient, more confessional, and most importantly, more honest.
Taken from an interview with David Cloyd in July 2025 about what albums inspired his latest album, Red Sky Warning, out now on ECR Music Group. – https://ecrmusicgroup.com/artists/david-cloyd/
