A Sigur Rós Rundown
This is a band that has captured my emotional state on just about every turn. I first heard their music in the movie Vanilla Sky. I was watching the movie (almost everyone I know hates it, I love it) and at the end there was this amazingly haunting and beautiful piece playing, and I just had to figure out who it was. It didn’t take long. Before I knew it I had the band name, song name (Njósnavélin, but was left Untitled #4 on the next album) and was downloading all the tracks I could find of the band. I was blown away! Even though I had NO clue what was being said or 
sung about (as it is either Icelandic or Hopelandic), it didn’t matter, the emotion conveyed by the tone and melody, the sound of the music and voice just encompassed me. The next day I ran out and bought Ágætis Byrjun, and then eagerly awaited the release of ( ), their next album.
When ( ) dropped so did my jaw. It was so simplistic in it’s packaging, no names no lyrics, no anything. Just images that represented the music inside. The album was a small 
departure from the previous record but it remained true to the band’s style and nature. The emotional baggage thrown towards the listener remained and the glimmer of hope that was handed out at times held the pieces together! The album comprised of all Untitled tracks left me breathless from day one, and because of the Untitled tracks, I believe I experienced a much broader scope of emotional passing.
Besides the emotional drain given away by the singer and vocal connections, his guitar playing style is also unique as he plays his electric guitar with a Cello Bow, and it provides the amazing atmospheric elements in the music. That along with the tribal feeling drums and other instruments makes for one full bodied adventure.
Takk…released in 2005, is largely a mix of the two albums [Ágætis Byrjun and ( )]. The band, on this album, have created the perfect blend of pop-rock, ethereal melodies, and gripping rhythms. It’s amazing how a band can evoke so much emotion from a listener, even one who has no clue what is being said. To me that alone shows how passionate this music and band is…
September 11, 2006 at 8:37 pm
Is there any way to display the author name directly from the permalink?
I use an RSS reader to reach this page directly and it does not show on:
http://mediumofmusic.wordpress.com/2006/09/11/a-sigur-ros-rundown/
Aside from that, this band has blown me away since their debut release. I was at a New Year’s party speaking with some random girl [she had a colored bowling pin tattooed on her arm] about music and she suggested that one for me–probably the best recommendation that I’ve ever received.
Re: Vanilla sky–I love the movie. I own it, in fact. In my simple-minded opinion, people dislike it because it simply requires too much thinking for an activity that they engage in specifically NOT to think. Other sophisticated movies such as The Thin Red Line, Magnolia, Donnie Darko, AI, and American Beauty generally fall flat with American audiences for the same reason.
P.S. The Vanilla Sky OST has many other fantastic tracks if you have not heard it.
September 15, 2006 at 1:21 am
I picked up Ágætis Byrjun a while back needless to say it has sat on the back shelf of my ipod for some time now. It will definately be making a move towards the front soon when i can find the right time and place to slip in an entire album listen.
These guys are a perfect example of evoking emotions solely through notes, sounds, and melodies (for those icelandicly impaired at least). I think it would be a great study. How different sounds and notes affect ones emotional mind.
September 26, 2006 at 7:11 pm
I love Vanilla Sky as well. A much underrated movie to say the least…I haven’t seen the original however, though I’ve heard it’s easily better (hard to believe in my opinion.) I hate to stray from Ros, but I enjoyed the theatrical version so much better of Vanilla Sky. There was a version of Red House Painters “Have You Forgotten”…which to me is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. That’s right…check it out.
Okay, I can’t really do the Ros thing for very long. I’m such a lyrical person that it’s hard for me to truly get into it. I do like the music. It’s very thought provoking and excellently played. I usually listen to a couple of songs and have to move on. When I first got Takk, I listened all the way through, and though I thought that it was truly beautiful music, it doesn’t keep me listening for more.
I can easily write to it though. Listening to the music (somehow reminds me of what I used to do listening to Nine Inch Nails music tracks…hmm..) puts you in quite a state and is very soothing.
Again, being a lyrical type of guy, it’s a good break, but I can’t seem to TRULY enjoy it as much as I know most people do.