Með Suðí Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
Sigur Ros
Score:80
Reviewer: Ed Butler
Label: EMI (UK), XL (USA), Capitol (Australia)
Reviewed: Jun 25th '08, Released:2008
Reinventions are a dime a dozen these days. Po-faced bands do the media rounds upon the release of a new album arm-in-arm with a solemnly decree that they were looking to 'challenge' themselves, their label and anyone who may come within earshot of their newest release. Apparently Coldplay's X&Y was 'a new direction' for the band, the Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium was to be their Physical Graffiti.
As evidenced by the aforementioned mega-releases, the notion of reinvention is often a bald furphy. Pressure from labels and fans tend to ensure that the sound that pushed millions of records remains intact. But this appears to be the exception, rather than the rule.
So, when Sigur Rós declared that their new album involved a more 'organic' recording process, with none of the epic soundscapes of their previous releases, the world's interest was piqued. Having made three albums which are widely agreed to be seminal, a reinvention was probably due.
It is a relief to announce that this is one of the most successful of these efforts in recent memory. Opening track, and lead single, 'Gobbledigook' leads the way, with tribal beats, a three-minute runtime, all manner of layered random noises, and not a cello bow thrashing an electric guitar to be found. Starting the album in such a manner is clearly a statement of intent. The result is a more user-friendly sound, which simultaneously ensures that their hard-won credibility is not be threatened by 'Gobbledigook' appearing on Saturday morning teen music shows.
In ensuring that the world's music journalists will wear out the copy and paste functions on their computers, Með Suðí Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust has undoubtedly ensured that Sigur Rós have the longevity that many of those repeatedly hitting 'Ctrl+C' assured us all that they didn’t. It is a reinvention that, while failing to scale the lofty heights to which their old sound ascended, is a statement that Sigur Rós are about more than mere alien soundscapes, and still have places to go. Places that millions will certainly be willing to follow, and will be duly rewarded for doing so.
