One of this decade's most original voices, Iceland's Sigur Ros established their near-mythic status with their second album, Agaetis Byrjun. Released in the United States in 2001, the album introduced listeners to sounds they could not have imagined: lush, ambient post-rock orchestration helmed by lead singer Jonsi Birgisson's otherworldly vocals and cello-bowed guitarwork. The band further moved listeners' conception of music and language on third album ( ) when every song was recorded in Vonlenska or "Hopelandic," a form of gibberish focusing on the melodic and rhythmic elements of music without the content of understandable language.
With songs that seem to reinvent the natural world, how does one distinguish between Sigur Ros' best musical moments? The task is nearly impossible. It's like asking someone if he likes dawn better than twilight, trees better than flowers, air better than water. Nonetheless, The D Man will attempt to offer some guidance, and ultimately, choose his personal favorite, despite the fact that this list has attempted to showcase the best in popular music, rather than be a mere love letter from yours truly. But when Mother Nature herself is sending the sweet-nothings, it's difficult to stay focused.
A listener might rightfully consider "Staralfur" or "Svefn-g-englar" as the band's finest songs. Indeed, both are from Agaetis Byrjun, both are unlike anything we've heard before, and both were used to great affect in movies and videos. Of course, one would have a hard time arguing over your choice of the title track too.
Perhaps you speak in tongues and the beauty of "Untitled #1" and "Untitled #4" from ( ) are your favored choice. Or maybe you prefer the band's full-bodied efforts on Takk, the band's somewhat underrated fourth album. Indeed, it's hard to complain about the mesmerizing second and third tracks, respectively "Glosoli" and "Hoppipolla." Then again, the band's most recent release might suit your fancy. The verdant "Gobbledigook" or the heavenly "Festival" would not be out of the question.
For The D Man, "Olsen Olsen" typifies all that a great Sigur Ros song is supposed to be: otherwordly, beautiful, forlorn, epic. Birgisson's ethereal voice unfurls over a dreamy bass line and conjures up untold ages of men, ghosts, summers, winters, suns. The song transitions to a fully orchestrated conclusion, complete with swelling choirs, as if to say, "the first five minutes of this song were so good, we need to immediately celebrate it now." And so we should.
The album version (and fan video):
And a stunning live version in Iceland from the film Heima:
Why listen? "Olsen Olsen," like many Sigur Ros' songs, allows the Self to be augmented by the musical contemplation of Nature. No band created authentic soundscapes like Sigur Ros this decade (or in any other decade for that matter); the band collectively tapped into something elemental in our understanding of the way the planet is supposed to sound. The music's beauty, cognitive power, originality, and timelessness, will enhance every sincere listener's consciousness.
4 comments:
"Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur" is still my favorite. Probably because it always brings to my mind visions of Dylan and Colin dancing around our kitchen.
An excellent choice. Bursting with life and color. Like Lil' D and C-Dog.
It seems everyone has a different favorite when it comes to Sigur Ros. My favorite is Sæglópur but you can't go wrong with any of them. Ára bátur is often overlooked perhaps due to its slow beginning, but the payoff at the end blows me away every time I hear it.
Again, excellent choices.
I listened to "Saeglopur" while running this morning. The pulsating build-up fit perfectly with the rainy weather and my syncopated treadmill pace. Awesome song.
(You need to tell me how to get those cool symbols to work on your keyboard; I feel like I'm always short-changing our friends from Iceland).
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