I drove out to see Sigur Ros play in Denver when I was in high school and they were in support of ( ). Somehow I corralled two of my friends who had never listened to the band to join me. The driving (and later sleeping in the car) weren’t the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in my life, but the experience that night listening to Sigur Ros live was the most mind blowing musical experience that I think I have ever seen. Unparalleled. Sure, I rank other live shows I’ve been to right up there, but there was no denying the specific, unique quality of the experience of hearing Sigur Ros live for the first time. My two friends, with no background at all in the band or any similar type music couldn't deny the same feeling. Ageatis Byrjun, just like that night, gives me chills every time I listen to it.
Sigur Ros Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (06.08, Beggars Xl Recordings) Verdict: Deserving of the praise
I thought it would be funny to use my censoring skills again on the cover art of the new Sigur Ros, but then, on second thought, I am pretty sick of all the mean comments people leave us, and it would make me late for work, so all you can just stare at these four butts all day for all I care. I recently read a review that said the album cover fit the music perfectly, but I don't necessarily agree that naked dudes in a field is really what comes to mind when listen to its' majesty, and let me assure you, this is not a stinky album. In fact, it opposite of stinks. It's like bathing in a million colorful, silky flower petals. There is something more raw and inviting on the new Sigur Ros that is unlike their past albums. Don't expect anything incredibly different, it's still the lush dramaticism we have all come to know and love. The only song where the band's sound changes drastically is opener "Gobbledigook" which sounds like a Sigur Ros, Animal Collective love child. The other tracks set themselves apart by being looser and less pristinely untouchable than older work. The tracks are still extraordinarily triumphant, like "Ara Batur" which had 90 people playing at the same time during recording, those people including a full orchestra and the London Oratory Boys Choir. Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust translates to "With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly," but may as well translate into "With a buzz in our ears we listen endlessly" because this album is just another absolutely solid and crowning achievement to add to their pile of other incredible solid achievements rendering the band once again a tour de force in the world of music.
-Sassigrss
I don't have a YouTube account and users have flagged the new video as "inappropriate" so I am unable to post the real video. See, not everyone likes butts. Here are some stills from the video, but you can watch the full thing at sigurros.com
Sometimes I wonder if it's even worth going through the motions of writing reviews about albums like this. It's been out a month, sold over 50,000 copies in it's first week, and now I am finally getting around to writing a review after everyone has already heard the album and made up their mind about how much they like it. After reading blogs by many Sigur Ros fanatics it's seems to me that people were very divided about how they felt about Hvarf/Heim. Obviously with Sigor Ros' cult status many people can find no wrong in them and worship everything to do with the band, others however were disappointed after waiting and anticipating a new SR release, mostly by how short the 2 disc album is. The 2 discs together are 70 minutes, which could have fit on one disc. The reason they split the album is because it acts as two separate releases, probably EP's. Disc one Hvarf, which in Icelandic means "disappeared" contains studio versions of primarily unreleased songs which occasionally surfaced at their live shows and delighted fans who pushed for the release of the songs. Heim, which means "home" is comprised of acoustic already released songs played live in various settings while the band played surprise shows in odd places like deserted fish factories and dark caves. These shows are filmed and documented in the DVD Heima, which somewhat accompanies Hvarf/Heim. Even live the songs remain full bodied and magnificently grandiose. It's exactly what you would expect from Sigur Ros, especially if you have already seen them live. There is no new material here so we don't see the band advancing or growing, but it's a great addition to the Sigur Ros fan's collection.
Sigur Ros
