I've had it for a week or so now. I'm not too well versed with their previous stuff, but this one seems a bit more accessible than their previous ones, as accessible as Sigur Ros can be anyways. The arrangements are a little tighter and the melodies a little stronger, strong enough where I "get it" much more than I did any of their other stuff I've heard. More melody + less rambling ambient noise = good.

2nd listen now... I don't find it any more (or any less) "accessible." If anything, it seems less melodic than ( ) on many tracks... it's still very "Sigur Rósian"...

Looking forward to next week's concert...

~fff - np: sigur rós - takk

where are you seeing them next week?
I'll be at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor.

Bruce, Margarita and I will also be at that show. We're driving up from Cincinnati that day.

I don't know what time we're arriving... but perchance we can hang out for a bit...

~fff - np: sigur rós - takk

cool! I think I remember what you look like (from my last Cinci visit). I'll say hi if I see you. I'm 9th row, right side, next to the center isle.

any chance you know of an extra ticket available for that show?

Held off on getting a ticket for the Michigan Theatre, since I didn't know if I would be able to make it. Now that I know that I can go (although the timing is tight), it's sold out.

I'm a'heading up there anyhow, hoping for the best.

The new Cd hasn't really grabbed me; may take several listens. Wish there were more days between the release date and the Ann Arbor concert.

By the third listen it's catching on with me... it's like a airier Agaetis byrjun to me...

~fff

fourth listen this morning... early favs from Takk...

Hoppípolla (#3)
Sæglópur (#6)
Gong (#8)
Svo Hljótt (#10)

~fff - np: Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun

Not a bad description...

For me, much "improved" on the second listen

Brookd, I'm fairly sure we DO have an extra ticket - K-Dawg4 can't make it I'm fairly sure.

I love this album. It's SO much more accessible than ( ) or AB. For the most part. Just regular drum parts in more songs, some shorter ones, etc... And singing in a regular human language! Well, it's not like I know Icelandic, but...

Brookd... you luck out. PM me for info on procuring said extra ticket.

Bruce... you're a crazy engineer. Hopelandic is just as accessible as Icelandic, as far as spoken (or written) tongues go. I can prove it to you using both calculus and metric:

Legend:
σ= Hopelandic lyrics
ю= Icelandic lyrics

Formulaic Comparison:
If you take the limit of (∆σ/∆y)*1.5mL as σ→∞, the end result is that it equates to just about the same as taking the limit of (∆ю/∆y)*1.5mL as ю→∞.

So, in short, don't give me this whole "more accessible" frog shit. Takk does grow on you/me/listener fairly well. Six listens, and I love it more and more each time. The area under the curve all smooshes into some sort of limit... and the derivative of acceleration will always be a jerk. Ágætis byrjun and ( ) hit me right away, but again, what's 1 listen to 6 listens among friends.

It's all good.
~fff

ooh ooh ooh...

Posty - your ears are just getting old.. Soon you'll be croaking on about how the music nowadays isn't listenable and the kids are just wasting their time with crap...

Just bought this. It's good and stuff.

I'm excited if only because I'll be able to put SR on Mix CDs for the first time ever.

I'm enjoying this so far... I bought it last Saturday, but am just now getting to spend time with it. I did purchase it at a little local indie record store - which meant I got a little dvd with it (has video of Glosoli) and three buttons! Indie stores rock, and cool stuff that comes with other cool stuff, just for being cool, rocks.

And, hey, the new Sigur Ros is cool, and rocks.

oh...that's not cool. I bought this last night at the show - came with the buttons, but no DVD! FUUUUUUUCK!

btw, AMAZING, mind-blowing show! and I don't know if it's just the high I was on because of the show, but on my first listen of the CD I think it's incredible. certainly their best, in my mind.

got to meet, for an all-too brief moment, Bruce, Posty (again) and his wife Margarite(sp?). Surreal moment of the night: Bruce and Posty's wife (both of whom I'd not yet met) walking through the crowd in front of the theater calling my name out at random intervals trying to find me (whom they'd never seen before). a strange game of Marco-Polo before the show... Wish we had a chance to hang out some after the show. hopefully next time...

anyway, I would highly suggest that anyone who has a chance to catch this show do so without hesitation. If you allow yourself to be fully present in the moment, it may even bring you to tears.

Great to meet you too!

It was an incredible show..

Here was a mini review I posted elsewhere:



Setlist
Takk
Glosoli
Ny Batteri
Saeglopur
Vaka
Gong
Andvari
Hoppipolla
Olsen Olsen
Vidrar vel til Loftarasa (+silence)
Hafssol
Untitled 9A + 9B
_____
Popplagid


Holy cow. Sure, sure - I love Sigur Rós and still their setlists seem like a jumble to me. It was such an amazing show.

They started playing the first song behind a thin screen with great lighting that kind of came from only a few sources but made it seem like an army was playing the instruments due to the number of silhouettes projected. There was less back-screen imagery than the shows for ( ) I saw, instead there were images projected on the floor.

The string quartet (Amina) played with them again for most of the songs and also opened with an amazingly diverse but quiet set.

It's so powerful when they play Vidrar vel til Loftarasa, and in the middle of kindof rockin' out in their own special way they just stop, and the entire venue is absolutely silent. For like a minute. We can't figure out why some buffoon doesn't start clapping at this point, but it's the combination of their stances and the lighting and it's just so powerful. Once the music kicks back in, and the awesome bright lights pan from the stage to the audience, it's like you're in space.

By the time the Untitled tracks from the single were played, they had only been playing about 90 minutes.. They came back for an encore of Popplagid - the last song of ( ) - and mid-song the curtain came down again in front of the band. At the loud racous end, the drummer pushed the drumkit down into shambles.. The silhouette of that was amazing - not the band I expected it from, but not really surprised either..

Then they all (Sigur and Amina) came out for a bow of thanks to the standing ovation...



I was looking over the Sigur Ros site, and this is one of my favorite things - they interview a 6-year old fan.. Great interview.

name: rymer
age: 6 (seven in october)
concert: avalon, hollywood, ca, usa.

how far have you traveled to tonight’s concert and is this the only time you will see them on this tour?
it took my mom forever to drive there. we live in the mountains. i get to see them again for my birthday in october. i want them to play the too song (ebow)

how did tonight’s performance compare with previous times you’ve seen them?
i went to see them when i was little (he was four) i liked this one better.

what are your thoughts on the new material previewed tonight? has it made you more excited about the forthcoming album? how do you think it compares with the older material?
i liked the new songs but i was sad that salka wont be on the new record. i like salka, it’s like the ocean. i also like the song that ends really fast (hafssól). i think the songs on the () record were my favourite but the new songs sound as good as that. the too song (ebow) is the best song ever, i make my mom play it on repeat.

what do you like most about sigur rós (rockier parts/sweet melodic parts/vocals, etc)?
oh! when jónsi sings like his heart is broken.

is there anything you would change about the band. if so what would it be?
i wish they would have new songs every day but my mom said that isn’t possible. oh and i like the songs in the secret jónsi language (hopelandic). more, please.

the new songs are sung mostly in icelandic. if you had to guess, what did you think jónsi was singing about in these songs?
he is telling stories about stuff he loves and things that make him sad. i like that i don’t know what the words are, it means i can make up my own stories.

if you had to use one word to describe sigur rós, what would it be?
rainstorms

do you have any other comments?
seeing sigur rós will be my favourite birthday present. because i love them and i get to miss school!

Damn... I wish I could miss school... wait. I do miss school, but in another way... Maybe Jonsi is singing about missing school, too?

I can't add really anything to Bruce's review, other than my "I second that motion" to the end. Amazing show! ~1 hour 45 minutes, 11 songs, could have listened for another hour without getting the least bit restless.

Likewise, it was great to meet (albiet very briefly) fellow Orchardites before the show, if only to sell-off an extra ticket to a needy fan. Next time, it'd be fun to hang out more... it was sort of a whirlwind Sigur Róadtrip for us (left Cinti around 1:30pm Tuesday, got back around 2:15am Wednesday). I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The review by the 6-yo was great!

~fff

First of all, in lieu of a reply to your PM, Brookd, thank you for the kind offer, but I didn't get a chance to check my e-mail untial just now, but I made it to Ann Arbor before the box office opened, and they released some fine tickets (Row K, right section, but a fairly decent angle - sounded and looked fine from there). So, TAKK's anyway!

I really enjoyed Amina's set, and I'm glad that I had already heard their EP. In some ways, I didn't enjoy the Sigur Ros set as much as I did the last time I saw them, but that is only because the first time one sees a band is often special, simply because it is the first time. In other ways, I enjoyed it more this time. Can't really articulate it that well. In summary: I had a nice time, well worth the 320 mile round trip and lack of sleep last night.

Bruce's review is fine! And kudos to the crowd for that wonderful silence! A friend of mine wasn't so lucky, some clod shouted something out in the middle.

Glad to hear everyone's trips went smoothly. (Me- left work at 3:30, arrived home at 1:00, in at work at 8:00 the next morning.)

Wonderful review! How do you do that? I didn't see a notebook with you...
What an amazing show. I am so grateful that I went. I liked it better than Beck's show two days later.

It was great to meet all the Orchardites. Hey Bruce if you think of it, what was the link to where you got that t-shirt you were wearing?

I have a mind like a steel sieve!

Here's that link:

http://store.ropeadope.com/reneworleans.html

ooo... I dig the Rope-a-Dope label... two great bands are on it... DJ Logic* (and Project Logic) and Antibalas.

~fff

*- 'member that show with DJ Logic and 4-Track All-Stars (and Baba opening) at Barrelhouse, B? Great stuff...

I got the special edition Takk yesterday... it was 25% cheaper than anywhere else via Amazon-UK... it's cool, but problematic in its design. It makes me think that it was initially intended for the regular issue, but they noted its problematic-ness... or something.

It's got a booklet, sans lyrics, all handstamped with birds / the tree arch / the kid. The place where the CD goes is what is problematic. It's a slipcase, with a bird logo cut-out. Easy to take the CD out... but difficult to put the CD back in due to the thin cardboard bird wings of the cut-out.

Oh, also no writing on the spine, which is different from the regular issue. The spine has more of a "old-hardback-library book" style (similar to the Radiohead Amnesiac special edition -- except the Sigur Rós one doesn't have the kitschy library card pullout like the RH one). The cover and back of Takk S.E. are more or less the same (if not exact).

All in all, if you're not a diehard, don't bother with the special edition. It's got cool packaging, but not even the best packaging I've seen this year... the award for Best Packaging 2005 definitively goes to Fantômas' Suspended Animation (Ipecac). That album is flippin' brilliantly packaged. Spiral bound, calendar style with great artwork by Japanese pop-cartoon illustrator Yoshimoto Nara. Naysayers, take off!

~fff - np: r.e.m. - in time: cd2, b-sides

Sticking it tó the man...



Brilliant! Plus it also means they have to pay less for shipping all of the t-shirts back to Iceland...

~fff - np: fiona apple - extraordinary machine

I was kind of stoked - I bought Takk today (even though I downloaded it a few weeks ago) and it came with the DVD and the buttons. I went to three different stores (I wasn't sure if I was going to buy this, or something else) and it was the only store selling it with the bonus items).

Sigur Rós will also be visiting the studio during the next two weeks to record some new material to appear on the next Takk single to be released next month (Nov 2005).

~fff - np: semi-automatic - semi-automatic

€₣₣ ỸẻặΉ!!!

I'll get to see 'em two more times without driving 9 hours...

USA TOUR 2006
feb 02 • state theatre, portland (me)
feb 07 • orpheum, boston (ma)
feb 09 • madison square garden theatre, new york city (ny)
feb 10 • borgata music box, atlantic city (ny)
feb 12 • playhouse square centre, cleveland (oh)
feb 13 • promo west pavillion, columbus (oh)
feb 14 • ryman auditorium, nashville (tn)
feb 16 • taft theatre, cincinnati (oh)
feb 17 • palace theatre, louisville (ky)
feb 18 • calvin college fine arts center, grand rapids (mi)
feb 20 • murat theatre, indianapolis (in)
feb 21 • the pageant, st louis (mo)
feb 22 • uptown theatre, kansas city (mo)
feb 23 • paramount theatre, denver (co)
feb 25 • verizon wireless theater, houston (tx)
feb 26 • performing arts center, austin (tx)
feb 27 • bass performance hall, dallas (tx)

~fff - np: no-man - flowermouth (re-issue)

that is SWEET.

SCORE!! I got tickets for Cincinnati & Columbus... it was a hassle, though... you couldn't order tickets for two different cities in the same order, and you couldn't order two different orders with the same credit card (they're trying to deter scalpers)... and they only took Visa & M/C... hassle-rific... but DONE.

Sigur Rós in 2006.... huzzah...

~fff - np: Thumbsucker Soundtrack (featuring the Polyphonic Spree & Elliott Smith)

i just saw this, hell dan, it's a closer/faster/easier drive to here than cols. and the palace is a great venue...

Sigur Rós
Louisville Palace
Louisville, KY
Fri, 02/17/06
On Sale Sat, 11/12/05

Since it's during the week and mrgrita isn't going to more than the Cinti show, I'd likely be leaving from work (Dayton, OH); so Columbus is closer/faster/easier drive. I like PromoWest enough.

Maybe Louisville at another time. The only show I've ever seen in Louisville was at the old Toy Tiger on Bardstown... fucking brilliant marque -> "KING'S X WITH GALACTIC COWBOYS... PLUS WILD FEMALE OIL WRESTLING" (the oil wrestling was in a separate room... and retarded... "or so I heard")... this was all circa 1996 or something...

Seeing Sigur Rós at TAFT is gonna be killer... Bruce is currently having issues with TAFT tickets... these damn online pre-orders not through TicketMaster are neat for the low fees, but NOT NEAT for the bastard way they go about doing things.

Hey, Bruce... I think the non-pre-sale tickets for Taft go onsale either Friday or Saturday (this weekend).

~fff - np: kevin max smith - between the fence and the universe -ep-

Sooooo...at the Calvin OtR concert they played a video of somthing from Takk for Sigur Ros because, ya know, they are going to be at Calvin in the near future. Anyway, completely loved it. Have downloaded and burned a bunch of stuff from their website. Am in awe of these awesome Icelanders. Will totally be seeing them.

Thanks for the info!! I didn't know they were coming back!!

*scratches head*
Sigur Rós at Calvin? They aren't one of those christian schools who disapproves of homosexuals are they? I know they do cool art forum thingies and tend to bring in cusp-christian artists (pedro, otr, sufjan)... but sigur rós ain't really of that ilk... I mean, they make GREAT music... it's actually quite cool that they'd play at Calvin (a step in the right direction). I wish a cool band played at my undergrad place, but that place (Cedarville) was a hell hole...
*scratches head*

That's cool, nonetheless. Oh, get your tickets early.

~fff - np: superior - behind (yeah, unfortunate band/album naming combolation)

Calvin's done a pretty good job over the years of being open-minded about who they bring in. I like their approach to music... rather than bringing in "christian" groups that the school doesn't have to "worry" about (i.e. think about), they bring in those musicians who seem to have something to say in their music, christian or no, and they engage in thoughtful discussion about it. novel concept, that.

This is the same college that didn't seem to flinch or blink an eye when David Bazaan (Pedro) said onstage last spring that we should boycott Blockbuster for editing their movies and "bring those fuckers down".

Indeed... for most christian colleges, it is novel.

Cheers for Calvin for being progressive...

~fff - np: supershine - supershine

Neat-o pics from the Sigur Rós & Amina homecoming gig in Reykjavík...







~fff - np: ben folds - songs for goldfish

ok y'all, i just bought tickets to both sigur ros shows at calvin on feb 18th....because its the closest venue to me that has a show on saturday or sunday....i can't believe i missed them when they were in ann arbor a couple of months ago...

bunnygirl, are you gonna be there??

looks like they're now doing two shows at Calvin... a 6pm and a 10:30pm on the same day (Feb 18th)...

~fff

An extended Sæglópur -EP- is set for release in the spring. Sigur Rós have recorded four new songs to appear on the -EP-, which can be described as being somewhere in between Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do, Untitled #9 and the end of "Glósóli." The band has also scripted a new video to "Sæglópur," which they will direct themselves next week. As befits "Sæglópur" (roughly translated as “lost at sea”), the video will be a waterborne epic...

~fff - np: frank zappa & the mothers of invention - burnt weeny sandwich

For any Sigur Rós-heads...

The 17 September 2006 entry on http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/news/

over the years we’ve come across some alternate versions of sigur rós songs circulating on the web, ranging from a capella arrangements to dance remixes. we thought we’d share some of the ones we found interesting/amusing by making them available for download below.

• "untitled #1" acoustic version by manuok LINK
• "untitled #1" a capella version by vocal infusion LINK
• "untitled #1" eurodance version by torgeir LINK
• "hoppípolla" acoustic version by we are scientists LINK
• "flugufrelsarinn" country version by fálkarnir LINK
• "starálfur" acoustic version by special moth LINK
• "svefn-g-englar" dance version by innerstate LINK
• "debata mandire" electronic version by biomechanoid LINK
• "untitled #7" country version by the lonesome traveller LINK

Oh, and this new Estradasphere CD (Palace of Mirrors) is wicked good... probably their best album, yet... amazing production, excellent string compositions, good surf and metal guitar offsetting the lush arrangements (like any good ADHD-musician would enjoy)...

~fff - np: estradasphere - palace of mirrors

Amiina (formerly known as Amina), tour opener and string backup for Sigur Rós, has a new 3-track -EP- out called Seoul.


http://www.workersinstitute.com/artists_amiina.html



~fff - np: pharaoh's daughter - out of the reeds

Sigur-spouses (some of 'em at least) Amiina will be touring the U.S. this spring. They've got Cincinnati (of all places) listed for three dates (April 5-7)... I think it might be the annual "Chicks Rock Fest" dates, and they don't know which date they're playing, or something... there recent single ("Seoul") will be released in vinyl format with a remix track by Frakkur (Jónsi's side-project).

Sigur Rós are recording their Takk follow-up and expect to finish it later this year.

~fff - np: dave douglas - freak in

Yes, and they might even according to this article, get the new record out this year.

sigh... yeah. exactly.
(and i LOVE the avatar bruce!)

i had no idea people here liked sigur ros! (yaaaaaaay) well, some anyway ; )

hey they are playing massey hall again!!!!! this is the very best venue to see them, in this neck, anyway.
so freakin excited.
the 2000 show at massey was THE BEST CONCERT I HAVE EVER, EVER ATTENDED. PERIOD.
::must get tickets::
::must get tickets::
::must get tickets::

i've seen them twice, and it was two of most absolute sonic adventures i've ever been to in my life.
i used to listen to them toned down, until i saw them in concert, now its crank it up baby, rock my face off music!
incredible stuff for sure.
i will never miss them here, ever.
and i think bruce you have described them very well.

i would love to see them live.

next time for sure.

Amiina tour dates for '07 (so far):

- march 21 Madison (Café Montmartre )

- march 22 Minneapolis (Varsity Theatre)

- march 23 Chicago (Lakeshore Theater)

- march 25 Cleveland (Cambridge Room)

- march26 Detroit (Magic Bag)

- march 27 Toronto (Music Gallery )

- march 28 Montreal (National)

- march 30 Philly (World Café Live)

- march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts)

- april 1 DC (9:30 Club)

- april 2 NYC (Lincoln Center)

- april 5-7 Cincinnati

JOSH!!!!

i knew you would pull through for me!!!! W00000000000000000T.
LOVE YA! (not just for posting this, but right now, id buy you all the ice cream you ever wanted)

: )
yay
thank you!
d