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3 1/2An earnest first stab at greatness finds the sonic innovators gently beginning to click into space as slight missteps are made
This music is aptly named Space-rock. It's spacey; appealing toa peculiar taste in music.
First off,what's with all these Radiohead fans getting sent over to Sigur Ros.Bjork fans too.I bet a good percentage of the fans from those two bands will "not get" this album or dismiss it as "pretentious foo-foo fluff","shoe-gazing", etc.--whatever little label they can stamp on it so that they are finally able to feel comfortable.Radiohead and Bjork as easily-accessable pop music,albiet great pop music.You are able to dance to most of the songs or understand the song's meaning without the need for too much contemplation.So is not the case with Sigur Ros.Basically, the album doesn't offer instant gratification(for most),is in a different language,is sung out of tune at times,and is not a smorgasbourg of technical showboating:if these are things that a listener requires to be able to appreciate music,then this album will probably bore you,piss you off,or just leave you confused.To those who are able to resist self-restriction to the confines of convention,this stuff will go down nicely for the most part.The only thing I didn't really go for on this one was the lack of contunuity that "( )" and "Takk" have.Seems a bit like a Sigur Ros mix tape of cutting-room songs(not that they're cutting-room quality).I don't like it when musical messages or lyrics are thrown at me pre-deciphered with no room for after-thought.I know that a lot of people get mad,bored,and distracted when watching films by David Lynch or Stan Brakhage,or while hearing musicians like Buckethead or John Zorn for the first time.Maybe this is the "need-it-now" demanding trait of American pop culture,or it could be that people are not able(or given the chance)to have time to understand art that doesn't offer instant gratification.I think that if more people were able and/or willing to slow themselves down that bands like Sigur Ros would become more popular than pop bands as more people realized the value of a good"chill-out".
Ever since my older brother bought the album some time ago, I've taken a liking of the band's otherworldly music, some of which is so soothing to listen to. "Viorar vel til loftárása" (Good Weather for an Airstrike) has to be one of the finest songs that Sigur Ros has ever created. You might have found out about Sigur Ros through movies, such as Vanilla Sky and The Life Aquatic. "Flugufrelsarinn (The Fly's Savior)" is one of the darker songs; it makes me imagine the mountains of Alaska and the Yukon during a cloudy dusk and dawn. I'm glad that my older brother introduced me to this album. "Svefn-g-englar (Sleepwalkers)" is one of the most recognizeable songs on the album, and it is one of my favorites. "Hjartao hamast (The Heart Pounds)" doesn't add much to the album, but when the heavenly "chorus" is heard, it's hard not to like the song.
"Olsen Olsen" sounds good in the first half, but the second half sounds a bit too silly and fails in comparison. The first time I heard about this band was when the single "Svefn-g-englar" was played on KROQ-FM radio, uncut. The piano, strings, bass, violins, guitars, and of course, Jonsi Birgisson's singing voice are so incredibly divine that one has to wonder if these people made a visit to heaven sometime in their lifetime. "Starálfur (The Staring Elf)," which is heard in the film The Life Aquatic, has a very watery atmosphere to it (I think that's why it was featured in the film). "Ny Batteri (New Batteries)," one of the singles, contains some interesting instrumentations that grasp at the ears and never lets go. "Agaetis byrjun" and "Avalon" make fine conclusions to this stunning album. Now Iceland has been added to my list of "Places to visit".
And its an extremely beautiful and compelling effort. It is at times powerful, at others sublime, at still others tense.I gave it 4 stars only because at times the vocals (not the language, but the voice itself) take away from the music in my opinion. This however is not one of those times.Agaetis Byrjun is my first foray into Sigur Ros. There are times in my own past when I would have found this album to be pretentious, boring, all the other criticisms written. I believe that the degree of how much you enjoy music is directly related to your circumstances. Ti use a cliche, you will either love this album or absolutely hate it. This is music you play while doing other things. This is not music you listen to while staring at the speaker waiting for something to happen.
I came to this music through an enjoyment of Underworld, The Decemberists latest, even Rush. It sinks into you and through you, and reminds you of many other influences. There are times in your life when music resonates within you, and other times when the same music won't. However if I could give it 4 1/2 I would. And it is truly beautiful. I won't list since that's not the point. Music that provides a solid background for doing other things without being distracting. For me, fantastic and highly recomended.
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