Hidden Gem (Agaetis Byrjun - Sigur Ros)

Member Name: Logan33

Product:	Agaetis Byrjun - Sigur Ros
Date:	19/02/09 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unbelievably beautiful, you will already recognise their music!

Disadvantages: Its all in Icelandic

Now I know that music is totally subjective, but having watched this years Brit awards, it left me thinking, where has all the good music gone? It seems we are force fed a load of mainstream nothingness with middle of the road pop music dominating the headlines (apologee's to bands like Kings of Leon who are the shining light in a world of mediocre media hype).
Now if your still with me and you think Coldplay deserved nothing this year for creating yet another unispiring album, then the next couple of minutes will atleast grab your attention away from the periodic dumbing down of our ears.

Now the band I'm pitching for today hail all the way from Iceland and are called SIGUR ROS. Ironically everyone will have their music as it permiates its way though numerous tv adverts and even then you will have been thinking that that tune was amazing, but you never knew who it was. For me that encapsulates their own brilliance, letting for once, their music to grab attention, rather than the self indulgent ramblings of yet another cliched pop/rock act.

Now just before I wax lyrical about how amazing this band are, I will divert your attention to YOUTUBE. type in Sigur Ros and choose, lets see, well go for something off the new album which is a song called Hoppipolla. The only reason I choose this is it is truely beautiful and evocative and will convert you forever.

And so to ther Band in question. Well As I mentioned Sigur Ros hail from Iceland and the band name is icelandic for victory rose (this was actually the name of the lead singers new born sister). They formed back in 1997 and really stayed underground for a good many years (its only within the last 7/8 years they have achieved slightly more mainstream success. Perhaps this is because they perform all their music in their native language of Icelandic which for some people may be a stumbling block, but for me adds to the authenticity of the music as well as giving an insight to their own moralistic values to their music.
THE BAND

Jón Þór (Jónsi) Birgisson (guitar and vocals),
Georg Hólm (bass)
Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson (drums) replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason in 2002

THE SOUND

Ha ha, this is almost impossible to pidgeon hole and is perhaps the most endearing aspect of the band. Most muso's would call them either Ambient or the slightly irritating Dream pop. I personally would call it classical retro rock, a mish mash of classical influence with poppy melodies, but rockstar charisma. Not sure that really helps but when you listen to them you will understand that in many ways they are stand alone. They are certainly alternative but still have mainstream appeal. In that sense they kind of sit in the same bracket as someone like Radiohead who are idolised by some but not loved by everyone.........or as I like to call it.......my perfect band. I enjoy the way that as a fan of bands like Sigur Ros and the unbeliveable Radiohead, you get a sense of ownership of their music, safe in the knowledge that your not selling your musical soul to the glutenous pop/RnB machine. Anyway, I digress
THE ALBUM

Agaetis Byrjun was released in 1999 and is the second album that Sigur Ros released (The first was called Von but was only released in iceland, although it was rereleased in 2004 to the rest of the world). I will always remember the moment that a friend of mine popped round telling me about this amazing new band from Iceland. With the humdrum of Oasis and Blur still ringing in our ears, this album cut through with incredible resonance. I read a review on here that said each song sounded like its own opera and actually that sums up this album perfectly. Here's the play list.
1 "Intro"[4] ? 1:36
2 "Svefn-g-englar" [Sleepwalkers] ? 10:04
3 "Starálfur" [Staring Elf] ? 6:47
4 "Flugufrelsarinn" [The Fly Saviour] ? 7:47
5 "Ný batterí" [New Batteries] ? 8:11
6 "Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)" [The Heart Pounds (Boom Boom Boom)] ? 7:11
7 "Viðrar vel til loftárása" [Good Weather for an Airstrike] ? 10:18
8 "Olsen Olsen" ? 8:03
9 "Ágætis byrjun" [A Good Beginning] ? 7:56
10 "Avalon" ? 4:00


Now the intriguing thing about this album is you will never actually know what they are talking about, which does in turn make it very difficult to review. Infact even if you were Icelandic, you may struggle to understand many of the tunes, this is because they are written in something called Vonlenska which is a gibberish language!
Strangely however, I find that this makes the music all the more interesting. You listen more to the beautiful layers and arrangements, much like when you listen to classical music. Your not sure what the songs about but somehow you seem to have an affinity with it and you can fall in love with its simplicity as it ebbs and flows around you.

The album itself is Icelandic for Good Beginning, and you get a sense of this kind of tentative dipping of the feet into the pond that is the critical music industry. The album has a melancholic introduction, followed by the stirring Svefn-g-englar, which is a dreamy sounding tune with thick organs and lethargic distortions entwined throughout.
You then move onto the truely outstanding Starálfur, with its resonant punctured piano supported with stunning string sections. My favourite part is the middle section which has a staccato string section that wouldn't be out of place on a beatles album (actually has a hint of Elanor rigby about it).

Song 4 is Flugufrelsarinn and I must admit is not one of my favourites, it sounds slightly torchered and depressing to start with although the chorus appears to offer some release. This is the one time not knowing the words appears to be a bit of a disadvantage.
Song 5 is Ny Batteri. This is one of the most confused sounding songs on the album, with the strange Jazz like Trumpets permiated by the angelic lead vocals of Jonsi. Be patient because once the distorted drums kick in, you get a sense of the drama thats trying to be created. Not for everyone this track, but I like it.

Hjartað hamast comes next. This challenges your own diversity as a listener as it starts with a jazz vibe, with a friendly sounding Hammond organ providing ther backdrop. This is soon followed up with the familiar wailing guitar. The guitar sound is actually created by playing the guitar with a bow (like a violin) This is the first time I've ever heard of this and it does create a unique sound. This song actually gets better as it goes along and to me it sounds like at the start of the song they weren't sure where they were going with it until it finally finds its feet in the middle section.
Viðrar vel til loftárása one of my favourites on the album. In this song you return to the pianos and strings, which they seem to marry up to such beautiful effect. Again not sure what the song is actually about, but to me it feels uplifting and spirited, telling a story of success against adversity....I'm not sure but its excellent nonetheless.

Olsen Olsen is another evocative song with the rolling guitar rift and lazy strings taking you through a euphoric adventure. The song seems to hook you in and your left wondering where its going to take you. This journey takes an unexpected turn when an amazing flute solo kicks in. I always find it hard to explain but the flute punctuates the dream like sound with such beautiful clarity that its like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. Again be patient because you'll be treated to a stirring piano concerto and strings towards the end of the song. Magnificent I love it!
Ágætis byrjun is the penultimate song on the album and also the albums namesake. Again is a truely stunning song, beautifully crafted and Jonsi's voice is at its delicate best. Its actually a really simple sounding song but well worth a listen.

Oh, were already at the end of the album with their final salute Avalon. A very strange mundane sounding song. But wait, its another clever trick. If you speed the song up, its actually song 3 on the album, you just never knew it. Experimental to the last moment. Fantastic!

Just realised that I now love this album even more than when I started writing (thats because I've been listening to all the tunes as I wrote about them!)

THE COVER
I must admit, I'm not really into disecting all the details of the album, particulary what the covers like! For me its about the music, but I guess the cover is certainly striking. It depicts what looks like an Alien angel in utero which fits in well with the title of the album A Good Beginning.....I guess we are all angels when were born.

PRICE
You can't put a price on genious, but this perfect introduction to Sigur Ros will set you back £6 from Amazon. Alternatively you can go to HMV and pick it up for £12. The choice is yours but personally the money is irrelevant to waht is a fantastic album. Or if your really tight, go to Youtube, it has everyone of their tunes on there!!!!!

ALTERNATIVES
Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008) is Sigur Ros latest album and is truely fantastic...but then I would say that! Just don't try asking for it at HMV

Or
Anything by Radiohead


Hope that helps,
Kind Regards,

Logan

Summary: Superb Album, stunning and evocative