IFLTS: 'The Hill,' Marketa Irglova

'The Hill,' Marketa Irglova
From 2007's 'Once'

It's rare that a ballad overwhelms me with the type of emotion that can even remotely come close to that of an Elvis Presley track. But when this sweet but emotional tune -- performed by one-half of the Swell Season, Marketa Irglova -- pops up on my shuffle's playlist, my entire life slows down. The only time I've been able to recreate this feeling is when I'm stuck in yoga class and forced to focus all of my energy, thus forgetting my day.

I was one of the many people to hear the 'Once' soundtrack prior to seeing the movie and admittedly, I was concerned that the film would not hold up to the music. I was wrong. When Glen Hansard of the Frames asked Irglova to play her song, she replies, "They are all half-written and just ideas ... it's not finished." When she plays the unfinished, skeleton of a song, it is the most heartfelt moment I've seen in a movie since the BBC's version of 'Pride and Prejudice.' Watching this moment is the first time I've really been able to experience the emotion that goes into composing such a piece of art.

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