Episode 221: Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (The Swell Season)

It's been nearly two decades since the tender indie film Once -- an intimate depiction of two struggling musicians at multiple crossroads -- became a global phenomenon, earning stars and songwriters Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová an Oscar for their tremendous ballad "Falling Slowly." Based in Dublin, the picture won over audiences with its modesty, as director/writer John Carney chose a rather fly-on-the-wall look to the ebbs and flows of artistic collaboration. Together known as The Swell Season, their first LP together in over 15 years arrived last week (titled Forward), bringing in a new generation of fans who may have missed the duo's magic the first time around. Today, Hansard divulges whose handwritten lyrics he keeps in his wallet, Irglová shares the music that quelled her nightmares as a kid, and the pair discuss how they've each managed to balance songwriting with parenthood. Find tour dates, social media and Forward on vinyl at theswellseason.com.