Review: Glen Hansard Determines His Direction with ‘All That Was East Is West Of Me Now’

GLEN HANSARD
ALL THAT WAS EAST IS WEST OF ME NOW
(Anti)
Fout out of Five Stars

Glen Hansard has always seemed like the tenacious type, having clearly distanced himself from the role he played at the helm of the excellent Irish ensemble known as the Frames, and later, his partnership with Marketa Irglová, with whom he partnered in the folk duo known as the Swell Season. While the hoary sounds he shared suggested a forthright stance, All That Was East Is West Of Me Now is decidedly dogmatic like never before. The anthemic “The Feast of St. John” and the unrelenting rumble that characterizes “Down On Our Knees” testify to his arched intents. “There’s No Mountain” begins quietly enough, only to gather steam and draw the listener toward a tumultuous conclusion.

     Not that the album is fully immersed in discontent. The contemplative sound of the album’s most beautiful ballads “Sure As the Rain,” “Ghost” and “Between Us There Is Music” are calming and captivating, even though the eerie ambiance and atmosphere may suggest otherwise.

     Still, some contradiction is to be expected, given an album title that suggests Hansard’s otherwise in search of his way. So too, that’s part of what makes his music consistently compelling. After all, he takes on the guise of an elusive soul, beckoning his audiences while keeping them slightly at bay. Like most great poets and proselytizers, he separates himself from earthier intent through music and mystique. Dylan and Cohen are but two of those who effectively succeeded on that score.

      If it wasn’t for the kindness of others I would have gone down long ago, Hansard sings on “Bearing Witness,” another example of how he manipulates edge and admonishment. Even when he’s seemingly calm and composed, as the song “Short Life” otherwise indicates, there’s still some angst lurking just below the surface. Falling out of step, running out of road, he insists, making uncertainty all the more emphatic. 

     No one need worry though. With All That Was East Is West Of Me Now, Hansard has determined his direction. 

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for US-Ireland Alliance