All That Was East Is West of Me Now

Glen Hansard came up with the title for his 2023 album All That Was East Is West of Me Now when it occurred to him that, at the age of 53, more of his life was in the past than would likely be in his future. To what degree this gave Hansard a greater sense of urgency about what he hoped to accomplish as an artist is an open question, but All That Was East is the work of a songwriter with a great deal to say and a desire to speak boldly and passionately about his world. The first two tracks, "The Feast of St. John" and "Down on Our Knees," are raw, noisy, and fervent, the sound of a man who believes he can stave off the dying of the light with the power of his music, and if their attack is more physical than the rest of the LP, they set the stage for a collection of songs that dig deep into the songwriters spirit. "Sure as the Rain" could pass for late-period Leonard Cohen in its low-key but emotionally intense declaration of love, the languid folk rock of "Short Life" is matched to lyrics about how precious a resource time can be, and "Theres No Mountain" concerns the hard work of making the most of life and love, and the high stakes of the reward. Musically, All That Was Easts sense of dynamics and melodic and lyrical intelligence lives up to the standard Hansard has established as a solo artist, and the presence of Warren Ellis of the Dirty Three and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds on "The Feast of St. John" adds to the songs powerful, ambitious tone of controlled chaos. Producer and engineer David Odlum, a frequent collaborator with Hansard, has given the material a sound thats full but wisely dynamic, leaving just enough open space to suit the peaks and valleys of the arrangements. Hansards accompanists (built around the core of guitarist Rob Bochnik, bassist Joseph Doyle, and drummer Earl Harvin on most tracks) mesh beautifully with the heat and light of his songs. If Glen Hansard has become increasingly aware of his mortality, All That Was East Is West of Me Now confirms that as an artist, hes not wasting the days he has left on the trivial, and the craft and the emotional power of this music is strong enough that we can all hope he might have another 10 or 20 years of music this good left in him. ~ Mark Deming