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Marketa Irglova (classically trained Czech pianist and vocalist). In 2007,

Once, a film about two people meeting and falling in love on the streets of

Dublin, became an indie phenomenon, as audiences everywhere responded

to the unassuming charm of the two leads, Glen and Marketa, and the

beautiful music they made together. On the way to going gold, the Once

soundtrack brought the Swell Season onto the stage of the Academy

Awards, where the band won the Best Original Song award, and into the

hearts of the audience and host Jon Stewart. Since then they have toured to

sold-out venues as the Swell Season, Once has become a perennial top DVD

rental and seller, and now the film is in development for a Broadway

musical to open early in 2010.

Now comes the much anticipated follow-up, Strict Joy, and from the first

notes of first track Low Rising, the musical magic audiences found in

Once is back. The band returns to map the rocky peaks and valleys of

relationships in songs like the haunting I Have Loved You Wrong, a

Marketa feature, and the driving, anthemic The Rain. A feature

documentary will make the festival rounds this fall, covering the making of

Once and Glen and Marketa s musical coming together, but in the

meantime, the beautiful songs of Strict Joy will tell their story.