New Wax
Following the brilliant 2005 release Takk and 2007’s documentary Heima, Icelandic post-rockers Sigur Rós are set to drop their latest LP, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust on June 23rd. For those who aren’t from Reykjavík, the title translates roughly into “With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly.”
In a somewhat startling departure from their typical laid-back approach, Sigur Rós apparently chose to record the album largely outside of Iceland, visiting locations like New York, Abbey Road in London, and Havana, Cuba. In an even more startling breach of Sigur Rósian normality, they’ve recruited producer Flood (of NIN/U2 credibility). The good news is you won’t mistake the new album for Downward Spiral. It is, however, a distinctly different aural experience. Gone are the slow-burning, sparse key arrangements of Ágætis byrjun, the trance-like guitar distortion of ( ), and in general, the duplicitous edge between relatively conventional pop-rock arrangements and abstract post-rock that Sigur Rós often negotiate. The majority of the new album is more reminiscent of Takk’s “Sæglópur,” albeit without all the distortion. Also new is a rather important track titled “All Alright,” which contains lyrics written in—gasp—English. Most other tracks are penned in Icelandic, with only one deviation into vocalist Jónsi’s trademark fictional language. The album art deserves brief mention. In short, it reaffirms my long-held belief that nothing spells fun like a healthy dose of naked asses.
The album opens with “Gobbledigook,” which hammers out a tribalesque four-on-the-floor drum beat that feels somewhat out of touch with the band’s previous efforts. That being said, the track is outstanding! The simplicity and celebratory feel of “Gobbledigook” also carries over into deeper cuts like “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur,” “Við spilum endalaust,” and the latter half of “Festival.” It sounds like Sigur Rós are actually enjoying playing their instruments, which is something we tend to lose sight of as critics. So, ala the famed Frosted Mini-Wheats commercial, you may find yourself somewhat torn as a listener. I find that while the elitist snob in me bemoans the lack of fuzz and adventurous post-rockish tumult at times, the optimist in me loves the new album’s more direct attitude, especially on “Festival,” during which Sigur Rós legitimately rock out (on their own terms, of course).
That being said, I’d hate to leave the impression that Sigur Rós have gone TRL. The album contains an appropriate share of lumbering key arrangements, the most notable of which fall on slow-burning tracks like “Ára bátur,” and “Fljótavík,” perhaps the most moving piece in this beautiful collection. Longtime fans should appreciate this release for its compelling departure from complacency, though clearly its more listener-friendly format will garner new fans. I must admit I’m a bit puzzled by all the attention the English-penned “All Alright” is receiving. It’s a fine track, but for my money, part of the Sigur Rós experience is forgetting the constraints of language and simply becoming lost in the pure emotive power of music.
The band’s website was hacked just prior to the time of this publication, but be sure to check it out later (www.sigurros.com) for a video companion for “Gobbledigook” featuring some out of control, multi-gender Icelandic nudity. Sigur Rós may function somewhat like a bridge between more mainstream groups like Radiohead and more obscure groups like Múm, but this album proves how legitimate such a position can be.
Memorable line: “I want him to know / what I have done. / I want him to know / it’s bad.”
-- Kilgore Trout
