The Swell Season have announced the release of their first album in 16 years, titled Forward, set for June 13.

Consisting of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, the folk duo also dropped the new single ‘Stuck in Reverse’ paired with an accompanying music video directed by Anthony Mulcahy. They released 'People We Used To Be' back in March, and will tour across the UK, Europe and North America, with two shows set at Dublin’s National Concert Hall on May 31 and June 1.

“In any situation of letting go, moving on is clearly the right and natural thing to do,” said Hansard of ‘Stuck in Reverse.’ “This song speaks to that part of us that can’t quite get there. The moment just before complete acceptance.”

Formed in 2005, the duo dropped their self-titled debut album the following year, before starring in and performing their songs in the film Once. The movie earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2007 for ‘Falling Slowly,’ and was eventually adapted into a Tony Award-winning musical. Their last album, Strict Joy, was released in October of 2009.

“After our whirlwind that led up to the Oscars and after, we were so busy and with that came a pressure that neither of us particularly wanted, and ultimately we kind of drifted in the middle of all of that hard work and celebration,” said Hansard. “We remained good friends, helping on each other’s records, keeping up with each other’s families. While touring my last record, I realized I just missed her.”

After focusing on their solo careers, Hansard and Irglová reunited in 2022 to perform at a few shows together, leading to more dates the following year. This gave birth to the 2023 single ‘The Answer Is Yes,’ and eventually the recording of their upcoming album.

“It felt right to title the record Forward because it’s a reunion of sorts, but we’re not going backwards,” said Irglová. “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 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 Stodoła
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

See the music video for ‘Stuck in Reverse’ below: