Glen Hansard is an Irish musician best known for his starring role and Grammy-winning piece “Falling Slowly” in the 2006 film “Once.” He’s also the frontman of Irish rock group The Frames and folk-rock duo The Swell Season. In addition, he helms a number of solo projects, many including covers and original songs alike. His latest EP, Drive All Night, is a four-song project, anchored by the title track, a Bruce Springsteen cover. Hansard performed the more than eight-minute track regularly while on tour with Eddie Vedder in 2012. The recording features Vedder singing harmony and saxophone accompaniment by Jake Clemons, nephew of the late Clarence Clemons, beloved saxophonist of Springsteen’s E Street Band. The cover is a respectful tribute to the Boss and the vocal duet of Hansard and Vedder complement each other beautifully.
The three remaining tracks each showcase specific strengths Hansard possesses as a musician. “Pennies in the Fountain” best exemplifies his amazing musicality. The composition of the song is simple at first listen—maybe even basic or boring— but a closer listen reveals the smooth picking guitar, enticingly fast piano and perfectly messy percussion backing Hansard’s vulnerable lyrics. “Renata” is the most upbeat song on the EP—which isn’t saying much— and highlights Hansard’s rough and emotional vocal style. The closing track, “Step Out of the Shadows,” is an a cappella hymn that is so quintessentially Irish I’m almost positive I’ve heard it before at a funeral of a distant relative or in some old Irish documentary my dad made me watch as a kid.
Overall, “Drive All Night” is the obvious standout of the EP, but each of the other tracks serve their purposes as well. Glen Hansard has been making music for over two decades and his expertise in the field is nothing to be ignored.
Rating: B
