Irish singer, songwriter, and actor Glen Hansard released a new single titled “The Feast of St. John” on July 26th. The grandiose new song is the opening track from his upcoming album All That Was East Is West Of Me Now, which comes out Oct. 20th via ANTI- Records.
Hansard’s career in music began with his band The Frames, which he formed in 1991 in Dublin, Ireland. Since its Island Records debut in 1992 with Another Love Song, the group has released ten albums, with their most recent release being 2015’s Longitude. Despite generating moderate commercial success and influence in Ireland with The Frames, Hansard’s largest breakthrough would come in 2006 with his role in the movie Once, along with the movie’s award-winning soundtrack hit “Falling Slowly.” His collaborative group The Swell Season featuring Once co-star Markéta Irglová has remained semi-active since recording the movie’s soundtrack, including a recent single “The Answer Is Yes,” released on June 26th. Since 2006, Hansard has released four solo albums, with his most recent being 2019’s This Wild Willing.
The singer’s expressive delivery is present on “The Feast of St. John,” exploring a stormy, electric folk-rock style with lyrics that read like old poetry. Reflecting Hansard’s past acting roles, the song is very performative and captivating. In a post from his personal Instagram account, Hansard states “This song was written in Kilreilig, County Kerry, Ireland, in the fine company of Breandán Begley, remembering our dear friend who died at sea, Danny Sheahy.” He goes on to explain the traditional Irish concepts and sayings built into the song’s lyrics. The emotional power swells in the song’s choruses, where Hansard bellows for “monsters to be gone”.
The album title All That Was East Is West Of Me Now comes from the first verse of “The Feast of St. John,” and infers a moving-forward in Hansard’s life and career. As Harsard’s first album in four years, the sonic direction of his new single appears to be steering towards a more electric sound than most of his past solo work, which played in a more acoustic, folk palette.
“The Feast of St. John” features former Frames members David Oldum and Joseph Doyle on guitar and bass respectively, who may have helped bring some of the group’s rock sensibility back into Hansard’s music.
“The Feast of St. John” is out now on all streaming platforms, with a performance video on ANTI- Records YouTube channel that you can watch below. Hansard’s new album All That Was East Is West Of Me Now is available for pre-order and pre-save here.