Happier Sigur Rós emerges fresh from Iceland

Sigur Rós, the international super band, reinvigorates its style with an almost childish energy.

By John Hendel

Published Sept. 30, 2005

Sigur Rós is fast becoming a household name and is further proof that Iceland has more to offer than frosty hillsides and Bjork.

For the unfamiliar, Sigur Rós means "victory rose" in Icelandic and refers to one of the rising stars on the international music scene. The band released its fourth album Takk..., which means "thanks", on Sept. 13, and within the week, it was one of iTunes' top 10 downloaded albums.

The band has slowly attracted global attention in the past five years. Two of its songs appeared in the 2001 film "Vanilla Sky." Radiohead toured with them. People began to take notice for good reason.

Grace always has been a trademark characteristic of Sigur Rós' music. All the band's albums feature powerful, resonating post rock with soaring vocals and crashing, majestic melodies. The newest album, however, shows a change of mood.

Rather than the contemplative, pained music of previous albums, Takk... bursts with whimsical energy. Past efforts have been glacial masterpieces, but now the music rushes forth, at times almost approaching pop levels. For once there are various songs less than five minutes long. Yet, it never abandons what made the band great. Their strong music and atmosphere still is first among priorities.

In many ways, this album is the true sequel to the band's 1999 album Ágætis Byrjun rather than 2002's (). They again sing in Icelandic and embrace warm, intimate instrumentals.

The warmth also extends to the lyrics. Consider some of the translated track titles: "Lost at Sea," "Hopping in Puddles," "I See a Train," "Haystacks." The child-like perspective of Sigur Rós, combined with the high-pitched, otherworldly vocals of Jónsi Birgisson, manage to evoke an ethereal stirring in the listener. As this exceedingly rare, innocent point of view emerges in the album, it only makes the listener appreciate it more. Oftentimes, the sentiments are closer to Eisley than Radiohead.

Musically, they've never been stronger. The centerpiece of Takk..., "Glósóli," starts gently and evolves, finally pounding into an emotional explosion during the last two minutes. The instrumental range continues to be as wide as in the past. "Mílanó" even features a string quartet. Horns, guitars, strings and pianos all manage to add to the album and enrich it considerably.

Soaring epic after soaring epic appears on Takk..., though generally each manages to remain innovative and intriguing. "Hoppípolla" and "Sæglópur" fit that description perfectly. They ascend to inspirational levels, drawing on the plethora of instruments to create a stunningly powerful effect in the end.

Of course, Sigur Rós remains Sigur Rós. Plenty of slower tracks do exist, such as "Mílanó," "Takk," and "Sé Lest." Sometimes they meander into self-indulgent territory, but it's largely forgivable. Others, like the Hopelandic "Andvari," aim at the heartstrings in a more subtle way. Most reminiscent of the most recent album () is a track entitled "Gong." Darker and almost bittersweet, the track sounds like a lament. It sounds of desperation. But the familiar bleakness is largely scarce overall.

Ultimately, Sigur Rós sounds like a much happier band. Perhaps the chance to record fresh material helped them this time around. They had toured most of the tracks for () before recording.

Whatever the case, it seems that a remarkable second wind has taken hold of the band, and the members have a new perspective about their music. This branching into whimsical, new still-beautiful territory is bound to satisfy most listeners. Sigur Rós attracted such a large international following because of how austere and alien the music seemed. Takk... reinvents that description and guarantees an even broader following for this unusual Icelandic band.