12th September - Sigur Rós' Takk...

Artist – Album: Sigur Rós – Takk…

Released:  12^th September 2005

Sounds Like: Planet Earth

Just how a band from Iceland, the world’s 178^th most populous country, have managed to release an album – an album with goobledigook lyrics and ten minute long songs no less – that has sold 800,000 units worldwide is anyone’s guess. On the face of it, Sigur Rós make music that is as far removed from conventional rock and pop as is imaginable. And yet... 

In actual fact, Takk is simply stadium rock done on the grandest scale. Don’t worry! They’re not U2! But their music on this less introspective album is made to be consumed by the masses, the sort of epic experiences that are best enjoyed as part of one exuberant throng. There’s a reason BBC have jumped upon the likes of ‘Hoppípolla’, ‘Sæglópur’ and ‘Mílanó’ for virtually every programme trailer they’ve made since 2005 – this is extraordinary music that speaks to people. 

Albumaday... rating: 9/10

1.       Takk… - 1:57

2.       Glósóli – 6:15

3.       Hoppípolla – 4:28

4.       Með blóðnasir – 2:17

5.       Sé lest – 8:40

6.       Sæglópur – 7:38

7.       Mílanó – 10:25

8.       Gong – 5:33

9.       Andvari – 6:40

10.   Svo hljótt – 7:24

11.   Heysátan – 4:09

Listen to ‘Sæglópur’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84i7zQ_ACnU

Also released on 12^th September:

1975: Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here

Also released on 12^th September:

1980: David Bowie – Scary Monsters... And Super Creeps

Also released on 12^th September:

2006: The Black Keys – Magic Potion

23rd June - Sigur Rós' Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Artist – Album: Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Released: 23^rd June 2008

Sounds Like: Gobbledigook

The traditional Sigur Rós sound could be described as tectonic: it’s slow and creeps up on you gradually, yet it’s also almost incomprehensibly vast and colossal. Similarly, the fact that on Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust the group so emphatically discard this decade-long-honed approach is nothing short of plate-shifting.

The albums first two tracks, ‘Gobbledigook’ and ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’, make giant leaps on from the previous albums lightest moments, becoming (still relatively!) poppy and rousing. In fact, the former is such a change in direction that it almost feels like a statement. After all, it’s title is surely a reference to the media’s fascination with singing songs in their invented Hopelandish language. Fidgety and playful, the song is propelled by a dancing guitar riff, foot stomping percussion and chattering vocals, and still sounds like nothing else. ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’ is an infectious, sunny slice of indie pop and these two (plus ‘Við spilum endalaust’) high tempo songs are where the album works best.

Unfortunately, the diversification somewhat loses momentum about halfway through, and Sigur Rós slip back into their old habits of epic soundscapes and snail-paced ballads. Which isn’t such a bad thing, but having re-imagined themselves so fruitfully it’s just a touch disappointing that they couldn’t make that last for the full hour.

Albumaday... rating: 7/10

1.       Gobbledigook – 3:08

2.       Inní mér syngur vitleysingur – 4:05

3.       Góðan daginn – 5:15

4.       Við spilum endalaust – 3:33

5.       Festival – 9:24

6.       Með suð í eyrum – 4:56

7.       Ára bátur – 8:57

8.       Illgresi – 4:13

9.       Fljótavík – 3:49

10.   Straumnes – 2:01

11.   All Alright - 6:21

Listen to ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiOU9NAiYlQ

12th June - Sigur Rós' Ágætis Byrjun

Artist – Album: Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun

Released:  12^th June 1999            

Sounds Like: Music to make documentaries by

There’s no doubt, 1999 was a simpler time. You listened to CDs on your walkman, your choice of TV had just been expanded to a whole five channels and the internet was strictly for geeks. People were partying like it was the year it was and one of the biggest worries was just some sort of bug apparently... For me, life mostly revolved around kicking ass in primary school (I could do all the times tables) and wondering just which trophy my favourite football team would pick up next.

In the music world, SMTV Live and Top of the Pops showcased a fluffy diet of boyband schmaltz and weedy indie. Although we were spared Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh’s ridiculous talent contests (alright I’ve never seen X-Factor, it may well be awesome), we were instead treated to their managed, polished pop bands. And it was in to this comfortable climate that the alien sound of Sigur Rós drifted over from Iceland.

Slow and steady (glacial is the buzzword here), the music creeps on you and before you know it you’re facing a mammoth wall of sound. Dramatic falsetto wails out the band’s legendary made up language Hopplandish amid cinematic, epic soundscapes. On an album bursting with lush gems, of particular note are 'Svefn-g-englar', 'Viðrar vel til loftárása' and 'Olsen Olsen'.

Nowadays we’ve become somewhat accustomed to the group’s gorgeous music, with it now being the template soundtrack to David Attenborough documentaries. You can’t blame the lazy editors at the BBC though, you listen to this stuff and you can’t help but picture coasting glaciers, cascading waterfalls and stop motion photography of plants unfurling. Blank slate it though, and reward yourself with one of the most original and beautiful albums of all time.

Albumaday... rating: 10/10

1.       Intro – 1:36

2.       Svefn-g-englar – 10:04

3.       Starálfur – 6:46

4.       Flugufrelsarinn – 7:48

5.       Ný batterí – 8:06

6.       Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm) – 7:08

7.       Viðrar vel til loftárása – 10:13

8.       Olsen Olsen – 8:03

9.       Ágætis byrjun – 7:39

10.   Avalon – 4:01

Listen to ‘Olsen Olsen’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LeQN249Jqw