Glen Hansard Announces New Solo Album ‘All That Was East Is West of Me Now’

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard will share his first new music in four years this fall. His fifth studio album, All That Was East Is West of Me Now, is set for release on October 20 via ANTI Records. The nine-track project was born from five intimate, unpublicized concerts that the Grammy-nominated artist played in his local pub in November 2022. 

“I told no one. We set up in the corner and played to the locals, some of whom were only half listening,” Hansard says in a statement. “A collection of farmers and workers, dart players, pool sharks. I played two hours of new songs each week; some songs finished, some half-baked. Through this process, I realized what I had and what I had to work on further—which songs landed and which ones were only good in my imagination. It solidified my choices right away. It was as if the album appeared in that bar. And not before.”  

Ahead of his solo album, Hansard will go on tour this August as one-half of the indie-folk duo The Swell Season alongside longtime creative collaborator Markéta Irglová. Additional headlining dates from Hansard are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

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To coincide with the announcement of All That Was East Is West of Me Now, the 53-year-old talent shared the captivating opening track “The Feast of St. John.” With rolling electric guitar and a punchy drum beat that builds to an emotive peak, Hansard’s rich vocals relay the painful frustration weaved within each lyric.

Watch the official live performance video for “The Feast of St. John” below.

All That Was East Is West of Me Now Track List:

1. “The Feast of St. John”
2. “Down On Our Knees”
3. “There’s No Mountain” 
4. “Sure As The Rain”
5. “Between Us There Is Music”
6. “Ghost”
7. “Bearing Witness”
8. “Short Life”
9. “Reprise”

Photo Credit: Stephan VanFleteren