One of my close friends, who I love very much, is a Sigur Ros fanatic. This is the one issue that I am at ends with her on. Trust me, I’ve been fair. I’ve listened to their most-praised albums, which my friend has lent me:
() - Huh? The most beautiful music ever recorded? All I hear is some aimless string noise, quiet, ghostly vocals, some light percussion, and odd background noise. The CD picks up once and awhile, but usually dips right back into the wash that most of the music is lost in. It’s pretty, sure, but it’s just noodling. Silly noodling.
Agaetis Byrjun - This is quite a bit better. Quite creative. And very pretty. Some bits of orchestration left me in awe. But there are a lot of in-betweens. Same goes with the vocals - they drift from angelic to annoying. A fairly good CD, but it didn’t bring me to tears, or redefine my conceptions of music, or take me for a ride on a rollercoaster of emotions, or anything.
Also - any group of anything with the nerve to name anything “Luvstory” is just asking for their gums to be removed with a jeweller’s file.
So. I give you Hopelandic-loving dopers an assignment: Convince me that I’m wrong. Point me towards some standout songs. I want to like Sigur Ros, but at this point, I don’t. In fact, right now, I would very much like to see Sigur Ros get beaten senseless with very large and pointy sticks.
So, you don’t like beautiful music. Why do you want to like them so much? It sounds like you’ve made up your mind. And just because you don’t understand their music doesn’t mean they need to be castrated.
I personally loved both Agaetis Byrjun and ( ). This isn’t a cd you first listen too while on the computer or reading a book, you need to be completely focused on what you are hearing.
Alright, my favorite tracks on ( ) are Track 1 and 6. Listen to those again, and then make a decision. Its okay if you don’t like them.
I think that the band is fine to listen to if you’re into that kind of music. But on the other hand, I can see the whole “made up language” thing being a little too much for some.
Especially since on the new disc, the vocalist repeats the same “words” over and over.
Many of my friends, some which has never really had an appreciation for good music before, is in love with these super pretensions Icelandic elf’s.
So I’m in the same boat as you Gadfly, having it thrust upon me by my friends, which have all suffered under my strict diet off weekly music recommendations for years. And as such, I’m in no position to say no.
I’ve tried, I really have, but this band bores me like no other noodling pretensions band has ever done, except maybe Tortoise. But I can understand the reason why they are so acclaimed by the music press and they really do create some beautiful music. But there is a hundred other great contemporary bands I would rather spend my time listening to.
I listened to Agaetis Byrjun again, with little-no distraction involved. It’s decent, but not astounding. It actually reminded me a lot of U2, strangely enough, with prettier arrangements, but with less hooks, and taken down a notch or two in tempo.
The vocals annoyed me a lot more this time around, though. Angelic, maybe. Whiny, too.
It’s not that I don’t like beautiful music. But in order for beauty to keep my attention, it has to have structure of some sort, even if it’s minimal structure. That rule is followed and underlined by my two favoritealbums. () is much like a daddy-long-legs - barely enough structure to stand on. Hence, I dislike ().
Why do I want to like Sigur Ros? A close friend who I love and respect immensely is fanatical about them. I want to at least understand where she’s coming from.
If you’ve listened to them each more than once asnd you don’t like it, what can anyone do?
Write them off and move on. There’s plenty of bands that seem to be all the rage with the kids that I can’t get into at all. Most recently, The New Pornographers and Grandaddy fit into this category.
Well I don’t think anyone here can make you “get” Sigur Ros. Either you like it or not. I really enjoy them but I also do not think they are the be all end all. Like any music, you have to be in the right mind set to listen to it. There are times when I am in the mood for Radiohead and there are times when I am in the mood for Bruce Springsteen or Sigur Ros, or Beatles or Iron Maiden or Macy Gray, etc.
If you listen to an album for the first time with such high expectations I don’t think it will ever live up to the standards as “the greatest ever”. You don’t have to love Sigur Ros as much as your friend, or at all, but one day just listen to them as background music (Sorry Teelo but I disagree that you need to be totally focused on the music) while reading or whatever and let the music set a tone for you. Then if you find yourself enjoying it without having to enjoy it you will appreciate it more. After all it is just music and IMO should be appreciated more than dissected.
FYI Radiohead and Sigur Ros will be performing together at the Brooklyn Academy of Dance (Music?) very soon. I believe they have composed a few songs together and will be playing as the dancers perform. I think it is the first time the dancers are hearing the music as well. I haven’t heard anything about it in a while so I assume it is still going to happen.
You don’t like Sigur Ros. What’s the problem really?
I don’t like Elvis Presley, it doesn’t mean Elvis was somehow a poor musician and singer who only foolish people like. Nor does it mean I have to learn to like Elvis. With your friend, just find some middle ground. With Sigur Ros, maybe try listening to it when your sleepy or just want to relax, or just put up with it occasionally when your friend is arround.
Lissener, I feel that people who haven’t listened to Kid A the whole way through have a gaping hole in their life, heh. Different strokes for different folks.
My top five acts would probably be…
1: Radiohead
2-5: Beck, Blur, the Beatles, and the Pixies. In no particular order.
Oh yeah, NYR407? I listened to OK Computer expecting the Best Album Ever (it was recommended by a friend, who raved about it for weeks). Guess what? It was the Best Album Ever. Until Kid A came out. Then it had some competition.
Oh come one Gadfly, everyone knows that The Bends is better than both of those albums. Oh this debate could go on for a while. Lets call it a draw because they are all great albums.
Seriously though, were you a Radiohead fan before you heard OK Computer? That could have influenced your thoughts on the album. If you weren’t I ask you, why the hell not?
Perhaps you listened to Sigur Ros a few albums too early? Maybe their “OK Computer” is still in the works. Hmmmmm?
I heard Sigur Rós on Alan Cross’ excellent “History of New Music” show on The Edge last week. It triggered a memory that I’d heard it on that station before and filed the name away for reference.
I liked it. I went out and bought Àgætis Byrjun last weekend. I liked it more. I went out and bought ( ) on Monday. I checked out the band’s website on Tuesday, and downloaded some of the MP3s.
I am now a fan. It’s exactly the kind of music I create best to.
I’m going to check out some of the other mentioned music as well. Perhaps it’s time I picked up some more Radiohead.
I’m going to Lithuania in 2005 and I’m seriously thinking of going via Iceland…
