Sigur Rós is the Amélie of post-rock bands
So Sigur Rós just released their 5th studio album and what I've heard so far is really awesome. The new album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, is their popiest to date and is pretty up-tempo. It's good to see them stretch into newer areas.
Then what prompts the sort-of bitter title up above? Well, Sigur Rós really brings out the music snob in me and the best comparison for my feelings towards them is to compare them to the French movie Amélie.
Amélie
If you meet someone at a party and talk movies and he or she says that he or she is "into" foreign films this movie will inevitably come up. Why? Because it's the one movie in a foreign language that has been seen by every college-educated American between 22 and 35. Seriously, it's even more widely seen than Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Amélie poster is also the female analogue to the male Scarface dorm poster. And to top it off, it's also a really beautiful, charming film. And that's what is rough. Foreign films are cool but part of the coolness is always the fact that few people ever watch a lot of them. Having so many Amélie fan totally ruins it for me, you know? Because if mainstream people like what I like, then I'm no longer special. Bummer.
Post-rock
Post-rock itself is a pretty out-there genre. Post-rock is like the marriage of alt-rock and classical or something. Compared to continents like Hip-Hop and Pop40, post-rock is a mere archipelago someplace far off the coast. The sounds on these islands are as diverse as anything out there, but because of some loose connections, they've all been lumped together. An album of songs longer than 5 minutes? Post-rock. An album with only instrumental tracks? Post-rock. Math-rock? Post-rock. Electronic music that doesn't quite fit with mainstream electronica? Also post-rock. You get the idea.
So if people are going to be into just one foreign movie, it's Amélie. And if people are going to listen to just one band that's out there on the islands of post-rock, it's going to have to be Sigur Rós. My apologies to the Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky fans out there. Your favorite band is not as big as those four dudes from Iceland.
Sigur Rós
And why not like Sigur Rós? Their music was featured in the Children of Men trailer AND the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. They might've even been in an episode of The O.C. for all I know.
So yeah, when I listen to Sigur Rós I face a minor conflict. Can I really enjoy a band that so many super-casual post-rock listeners enjoy? The answer is yes. Especially when they keep releasing such awesome stuff. Track 7 just reached its crescendo (climax?) on my speakers as I typed that. That was awesome. So is the new record. Check it out! (I even heard there's a track in English! OMG.)
Also, who's totally excited for Paramore at Summerfest?
I know I am.
Then what prompts the sort-of bitter title up above? Well, Sigur Rós really brings out the music snob in me and the best comparison for my feelings towards them is to compare them to the French movie Amélie.
Amélie
If you meet someone at a party and talk movies and he or she says that he or she is "into" foreign films this movie will inevitably come up. Why? Because it's the one movie in a foreign language that has been seen by every college-educated American between 22 and 35. Seriously, it's even more widely seen than Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Amélie poster is also the female analogue to the male Scarface dorm poster. And to top it off, it's also a really beautiful, charming film. And that's what is rough. Foreign films are cool but part of the coolness is always the fact that few people ever watch a lot of them. Having so many Amélie fan totally ruins it for me, you know? Because if mainstream people like what I like, then I'm no longer special. Bummer.
Post-rock
Post-rock itself is a pretty out-there genre. Post-rock is like the marriage of alt-rock and classical or something. Compared to continents like Hip-Hop and Pop40, post-rock is a mere archipelago someplace far off the coast. The sounds on these islands are as diverse as anything out there, but because of some loose connections, they've all been lumped together. An album of songs longer than 5 minutes? Post-rock. An album with only instrumental tracks? Post-rock. Math-rock? Post-rock. Electronic music that doesn't quite fit with mainstream electronica? Also post-rock. You get the idea.
So if people are going to be into just one foreign movie, it's Amélie. And if people are going to listen to just one band that's out there on the islands of post-rock, it's going to have to be Sigur Rós. My apologies to the Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky fans out there. Your favorite band is not as big as those four dudes from Iceland.
Sigur RósAnd why not like Sigur Rós? Their music was featured in the Children of Men trailer AND the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. They might've even been in an episode of The O.C. for all I know.
So yeah, when I listen to Sigur Rós I face a minor conflict. Can I really enjoy a band that so many super-casual post-rock listeners enjoy? The answer is yes. Especially when they keep releasing such awesome stuff. Track 7 just reached its crescendo (climax?) on my speakers as I typed that. That was awesome. So is the new record. Check it out! (I even heard there's a track in English! OMG.)
Also, who's totally excited for Paramore at Summerfest?
I know I am.
This entry was posted by Sean, on
Tuesday, June 24, 2008.
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Since I am amongst other Sigur Ros fans, I wanted to see if anyone else thinks that in the song Hljomalind, i.e. track 2 from Hvarf-Heim, the lead singer is singing "orange juice!" during the chorus. Maybe Sigur Ros wants us all to be healthy!
Would Paramore open for Sigur Ros, or the other way around?
(PS Sorry I missed your call, honey. I was out winning softball games with bottom of the 9th triples.)
1) Nice going, Brammer! We won our kickball game last night by forfeit and then lost a pickup game after that. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
2) Right now, in an alternate time-scape, Pat just finished reading that post and literally cannot get into the comments section fast enough to express his excitement about seeing Paramore. Too bad its on a Monday or whatever - otherwise I'd come to rock out.
I had an Amelie poster in my dorm room freshman year. I'm a girl.
This was a pretty apt analogy though - except the bigger snob in me (i.e. the a-hole that I am) would say they're not casual foreign movie watchers/post-rock listeners. I would say they lack the ambition to actually diversify their tastes and support smaller foreign movies/post-rock artists, but they enjoy pretending they know a lot about "indie" cinema/music.
I've never wished I lived back in Milwaukee until I heard about Paramore being at Bummerfest.
Hey grandkids, who is this Paramore you talk about? Are they the same as Green Day?
I would say Amelie is to foreign indie films what M.I.A. is to world music -- both excellent on their own merits, but too-oft-used as an example of one's worldly taste in art. Man, I'm a snob.
I am probably more excited to see Paramore than I am to see Sigur Ros this fall. Being that Sigur Ros is by far the best live show I've ever seen, that says something! Sean, I think we need a concert review in your next post.
I really like your Amelie comparison. For some reason I never get the same popularity-shame with Sigur Ros that I do with other bands (Death Cab comes to mind--I had a love affair with them for years, and now when talking to (other) music snobs it's mildly embarrassing that I am (still) a fan). I attribute it to one of the following factors:
-They're from Iceland, which gives them a free pass.
-They're live show is second to none
-Or most likely, their music has been consistently good throughout their career.
Also, Dave knows me too well.
Qualler! Download "Misery Business" and "CrushCrushCrush" stat! Grrrl emo! Refer to my post from November!
Wahhhh...I'm too old for this emo crap.
MIA sucks.
Care to elaborate? I don't feel too strongly one way or another toward Kala, but Arular is a solid album, though much of the credit goes to her beatmaker, the ridiculously talented Diplo.
Of course, leave it to Chris to point out that M.I.A.'s better album is mostly courtesy of a man's work!
Don't worry about Brigitte, she's just trolling. And so am I. (Or am I? CONTROVERSEY!)
p.s. Totally unrelated, but if anybody was worried about Michael from The Wire...don't worry! He's an adopted foster child now on 90210.
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20080620
i just wanted to get qualler's reaction to my saying MIA sucks. it's pretty much what i've been doing for the past 2 or so years now.
pull up the ping pong, pull up the poo!
Grrrrr you insufferable troller!!!! And Panda Bear does NOT sound like Better Than Ezra!!!!!!!!!!!!!
haha...i said better than ezra mixed with queen. but, i guess i'm just not used to listening to something so...mainstream...as panda bear. sorry. :)
BTE is awesome!!!!
nahh, they're not. world music?? what is that? music that is made in either south america, africa or loser-asia?
loser-asia = not russia, japan or china. sometimes s. korea is okay..
If I do say so myself, I believe the quality of MIA's music is, dare I say, MIA. YEAH BOYYYYYY!
Actually I've never listened to MIA in my life.
Here's what the nowlikephotographs intern had to say on Facebook:
Gehnifuh wrote
at 8:57pm
"i think it can be disheartening to hear someone talk about how they casually listen to sigur ros. i wouldn't look down on them or anything, but it's more than a casual experience for me and it's demeaning in a sense to have people regard sigur ros, or any music you strongly appreciate, as good background music or a fad or what-have-you. yeah, good call."
cool. i like that. i agree.
what about liking music purely on an ironic level? well, not purely. i guess my appreciation for duran duran is 20% serious, 80% hilarious.
My appreciation for Duran Duran is 99% Simon LeBon circe 80's, 1% hilarious jungle fighting;)
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