Sigur Rós - Takk
This week, we discuss the “post-rock” band Sigur Rós and their 2005 release Takk.
One of the biggest bands to ever come out of Iceland. Sigur Rós have gone through numerous personnel and style change since it's formation in the 90s, but their music has always been unique. Takk is their fourth and is a bit difficult to categorize. It is atmospheric and ethereal, with lush orchestration, and an abundance of chiming sounds. The songs on this album have found their way onto soundtracks, sports television themes, and commercials more than they have the radio. The band plays traditional instruments, but in a very nontraditional way. The guitars are played with bows (instead of picks) and the drums aren't designed to keep rhythm. there are songs here, just maybe not in the conventional sense of the word.
Recommendation for this episode: The Turning Year by Roger Eno.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
The original Sigur Rós line-up. (Pictured L to R): Jón Þór Birgisson (Jónsi), Georg Holm and Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson.
Jón Þór Birgisson (Jónsi) forgoing a guitar pick for a cello bow.
Sigur Rós often perform live in unusual locals. Here is “Glósóli” from Takk, recorded live in 2006 in Ólafsvík, a Icelandic fishing town of just over a 1000 people.
Here is producer and engineer Ken Thomas with Jonsi of Sigur Rós. Thomas produced several of the bands early recordings.
Adding depth and multi-instrumental talent to the band, Kjartan Sveinsson joined Sigur Rós on keyboards in 1998.
In 2002, Sigur Rós released their third album entitled ( ) (aka the Bracket album). When it was released all of the tracks tracks were untitled and all of the lyrics were sung in “Vonlenska,” also known as “Hopelandic",” which was a language created by the band. Sigur Rós said at the time that the listener is supposed to interpret their own meanings from the lyrics and the band even provided album booklet with blank pages that allowed the listen to write them down.
