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Sigur Ros (the parentheses hype)
By Amanda Zackem
Gila banra tage lo lu shoop bop dert. While this sounds like gibberish
to many, to Sigur Ros it may have oodles of meaning. Adding to the collection
of trendy Scandinavian bands Sigur Ros -- Jon Thor Birgisson, (guitarist/vocalist),
Georg Holm (bassist), Orri Pall Dyrason (drums) and Kjartan Sveinsson
(keyboard) -- has managed to entertain the public with its very own
musical arcana.
That's right, the members of Sigur Ros prides themselves on having no
lyrics -- instead they sing a made up language called “Hopelandish”--
no song titles and if that's not enough, they're latest album is titled
( ). Yes, this band is like a musical mad-lib, leaving the listener
to fill in the blanks. Adding to these bizarre requests, the band doesn't
really like to be photographed except during live performances. They're
the epitome of the anti-media, yet their faces grace magazine covers
worldwide. While some call Sigur Ros avant-garde, others might use the
term pretentious.
So let's dive right into this.
The first song on the eight-track CD starts off with Sveinsson on keys,
playing a slow (think sedatives), somber (think wrist-slitting) tune,
with a whining Birgisson sporadically woven in. Not the most uplifting,
but hey, there's always untitled song #2, right?
Wrong. Beginning with what sounds like a swarm of mosquitoes attacking
a moving lawnmower, the tempo in song #2 actually decreases to a speed
equivalent of honey pouring out of a very tall jar. Though the music
is melodic and peaceful, the repetitive nature of the notes and its
primitive sound make you think your CD is skipping. You just sit there
waiting for something to happen, and nothing does.
As the CD progresses, the music becomes a bit deeper, a bit richer,
almost as if you can feel a little more substance (that's like sand
running through your hands type substance). On untitled track #4 the
chord switches from a thematically depressing melody to a placid tune.
The song consists of a variety of instrumental highs and lows with Birgissons
voice chanting mellifluous melodies and for a mere seven minutes and
thirty-four seconds you may actually refrain from gouging your eardrums
with a dull spoon---that is unless, of course, you've already passed
out.
Keeping with the lethargic pace, untitled track #5 reinforces how banal
this CD is. Actually I didn't realize that a human could physically
play the drums this slow. So the midst of my boredom, I decided to play
into their “let the music guide you,” and title song #5. Here
are a few options I came up with: “One Too Many Muscle Relaxants,”
“Overwhelming Misery,” and “Please Shoot Me Now.”
How's that for letting the music guide one's emotion?
If you're still wondering what ( ) sounds like think Radiohead on a
mass dose of Demerol. The tempo of the tracks hardly changes -- until
you reach the very end where Bigisson lets out a few cathartic screams,
while the rest of the band pounds their instruments with full-fledged
adrenaline. And after an entire CD of music that sounds like a lullaby,
in a sick way, it's refreshing.
I hate to be the one to say it, but this CD is utter disappointment.
Kind of like when you open a birthday present thinking it's something
awesome, only to find out that it's a pair of cheesy puke-green socks
and matching headband your aunt thought you'd love. With all the hoopla
that's been said about Sigur Ros, you'd think their music would be at
least tolerable. Maybe you think I'm a musical imbecile for going against
the hype. And maybe you don't agree with this review at all. But hey,
(that's your interpretation).
Amanda Zackem is a senior writing major. Email her at AManda2681@aol.com
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