Sigur Ros – Takk
The Inside Pulse:
Sigur Ros is the reason terms like aquired taste exist. It’s also the reason some people grow up and make great movies with great soundtracks. Sigur Ros makes music for the most passionate moments of life, and they do it with so much style that “normal” bands seem like nothing more than punks living in their parents’ basement.
Only two bands can prepare you for the sound that is Sigur Ros. These two bands are Explosions in the Sky and Bjork, two bands just as out there as Sigur Ros. This is circular logic, and I am sorry. What I’m trying to say is that there’s no turnoff on the MTV expressway into the town Sigur Ros resides. There’s no easy way to get to this planet. You simply have to jump in with both feet and see if it’s the kind of lake you like to float. To borrow a theme I used in a recent column of mine, you either find Sigur Ros to be a band that completely blows your mind, or you find them to suck because they don’t sound like a rock band.
Positives:
Sigur Ros’ last album was something very difficult for even the sort of folk that enjoy things to be difficult. The entire thing seemed to be about the end of the world and the haunting feeling that came along with it ended in weeks of nightmares and cuddling with Smiths’ singles for protection. Takk, meaning Thanks, is much more optimistic, feeling like the sunday morning after the apocalypse when we all realize that it’s going to be okay. “hoppipolla” and “gong” are especially upbeat tracks, using a fast pace and a more rock-ish sound that really just makes you smile. The entire album keeps a similar tone of positivity and warmth. As well, the “hopelandic” in which the lead singer speaks is still not annoying (as we all thought it would become) and fits in with the instrumentals much smoother (finally becoming an instrument unto itself) than before.
Negatives:
This is going to sound strange, but the album’s biggest fault is that it doesn’t get any weirder than Sigur Ros already is. It gets happier than they’ve ever sounded, it is most certainly poppier than ever before, but there aren’t any instances on the album where you are shocked that this sort of music wasn’t teleported from Japan in 2098.
As well, for people who don’t like orchestral-like music with indecipherable lyrics will do best to ignore the presence of this band entirely.
Cross-Breed:
As I said before, Sigur Ros would result if you were to mix Bjork with Explosions in the Sky. As well, Final Fantasy also shares some of the ideas presented here, at least, on this particular album.
Reason To Buy:
If music were to take the path of literature, Sigur Ros would be known as high music. It is difficult, yet more rewarding than general pop music. It’s close to orchestral-style, really, and if you want to hear music that takes “sound” and goes in new directions, pick this one up.
