Can post-rockers rock out?
It's still in Icelandic, but Jónsi is switching it up.
Sigur Ros
Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Released on Jun 23, 2008
Tom Cruise may be a complete wanker in most people's eyes, but his film Vanilla Sky opened up audiences to the Icelandic power group Sigur Rós. The post-rock band has continually wowed critics with their albums, and their 2008 release Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, or for us English speakers With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly, is no exception to the rule. Straying from the ambient minimalism that they are known for, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust pushes the boundaries for Sigur Rós with beautiful orchestral and choral work over harder guitar beats more like their previous album Takk... than other albums like ( ). This deviation could be attributed to their work with respected producer Flood (Mark Ellis). Primarily known for his work with rock bands such as the Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails and U2, working with Sigur Rós must have been a departure for both parties, but one that has created possibly one of the best albums this summer.
The direction of Með suð… is clearly established right off the back with the explosive first track "Gobbledigook". Quick, almost tribal drum beats accent lead singer Jón "Jónsi" Þór Birgisson's soft falsetto voice. The track's a huge diversion from the sound that made them famous, but it's a welcome one. The strange distortion is still there, but coupled with something bigger and more adventurous. Með suð… is definitely more guitar oriented than the usual string dominated tracks on other albums. "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur (Within me a lunatic sings)" is no different, the sounds of tiny bells and strings surprisingly almost too upbeat for a Sigur Rós song.
Then comes "Festival". The track brings the speed of the album way down, calling back on standard themes of Sigur Rós's music to create a haunting piece. Jónsi's voice coupled with Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson's slow, melodic keyboard work makes you stop in your tracks. It's hard to imagine after a piece like this how the band can bring back that rock beat that they've been jamming to for the past fifteen minutes. Almost exactly halfway through the song, the ambience gives way to pounding drums and a punchy bass line. We're brought back to exactly where we left off, and the change-up isn't jarring at all. The drums and violins become louder, and Jónsi comes back with a chorus to mix with the rest of the instruments. By the tail end of the track everyone is rocking out. "Festival" is like Sigur Rós's assurance that they can still do what they use to do with the same style and finesse, only combined with the direction they want to pursue.
Með suð… slows down at "Ára bátur" (Row boat)" and never picks up to the point that it was, losing some of the edge that it had towards the beginning. "Illgresi (Weeds)" brings a more acoustic sound to the album, but the heavy guitar work has left the building so to speak. The real surprise is the last track, "All Alright." It's still a slower track, but Jónsi sings the words in English. For one of the first times on a Sigur Rós album, we understand what they are saying. His lyrics still have that mysterious tone to them despite not being in his native language, and at certain points they might as well be in Icelandic because you can't understand quite what he's saying. It's a good closer to an amazing album, one that signals a change for the band as whole.
High Point
It's the perfect album to listen to during a nice summer's day, especially tracks "Góðan daginn (Good day)" and "Festival."
Low Point
"Ára bátur" (Row boat)" doesn't really fit the rest of the album and although it is quite beautiful, it's a bit too long.
Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Jun 25, 2008 @ 8:10 am
