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Lights on the HighwaySelf-titled.
There’s a lot of layered acoustic guitar here, and a lot of layered vocals. Vocal effects and outstanding fill-heavy drumming also figure in prominently. The total of the parts sounds much like 90s Seattle band Alice in Chains, though instead of Layne…
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t.A.T.u: Good Music, Sleazy Origins
Invented pop groups – bands formed by managers more concerned with marketing than talent – have been with us since the Monkees first oozed forth onto America’s airwaves. Malcolm McLaren claimed to have created a punk version of such with the Sex…
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Original Music from the film Screaming Masterpiece
Many visitors and fans of Iceland enjoy the film Screaming Masterpiece, by Ari Alexander Magnússon. The film features the best and brightest of Iceland’s “Cute Generation”, and some of our staff were so repulsed by it that we ran a feature discussing…
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SNOOP DOGG
PIMP MY COUNTRY Despite being probably the world’s second best-known rapper (after Eminem), Snoop Dogg still saw reason to end his European tour with a quick stop in Iceland. The mainly sub-16-year-old crowd came a bit as a surprise when I entered…
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The Nohito and Other Brennivín Cocktails
Brennivín is a fine hard caraway-flavoured schnapps, traditionally served as cold as possible. So cold that the liquor gels, if possible. To achieve this effect, place the bottle inside a milk carton full of water, and let it freeze overnight. This allows…
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FLÍS: Vottur
There’s usually integrity to any release from 12 Tónar, Iceland’s independent record label that closely resembles America’s Nonesuch Records. The store and the local music scene always have a stake in one of their releases, and even the failures are compelling. And…
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BjörkMusic from Matthew Barney’s Drawing Restraint 9
With this new release, we get the dubious proposition of attempting to understand both Björk and Matthew Barney, wonder artist behind the Cremaster Cycle. What we can report is that Matthew Barney and Björk work well together on the tracks they wrote…
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Foo Fighters
Are you still reading? Yeah, I said Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. The names alone evoke scores of mind-numbing, just witty enough to be that much more boring, videos and singles. Corporate rock everyone. Alright. Both bands are respected…
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One Man, Many Bands:
Wednesday, June 29 Brúðarbandið, Pavilion Iceland’s Brúðarbandið (Band of Brides) was the second band on the Pavilion Stage, which opened for shows on Sunday, June 26. The Brides hit the stage with “Rúrí rúrí” which is a popular sing-along amongst guitar-playing moms.…
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RASS
When punk goes right, explaining it is a hell of a thing. Rass (ass) made up of a group of thirty-something local rockers, have produced the best punk album I’ve heard since… well, since you were allowed to call things punk. (Bad…
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Hölt Hóra
RE-Viewed. For any complaints you may have about a band named Limping Whore (Hölt Hóra), at least they’re cheap. Their shows, which are often gutty, sweaty and loud, are always free. In an earlier review, I also misquoted the lyrics—correcting that quote…
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KimonoArctic Death Ship
Reykjavík has been waiting for this sophomore release from Canadian-Icelandic rockers and producers Kímono. An early release from the record, “Aftermath,” was promising, with a blend of The Cars and German Progressive rock. The rest of the album is not as compelling,…
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Schpilkas So Long Sonja
A modest effort from an extremely popular local Klezmer band, So Long Sonja is a good keepsake, but not a good album. The problem is that the songs rarely leave their tight constraints… and the energy of the live shows isn’t captured…
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Brylli Næstumþví Maðurinn
When a CD with a supple-buttocked naked man leaping in front of a mountain appears on your desk, no explanations, just a price, you don’t exactly put it in your stereo with high expectations. With no expectations at all, Brylli’s disk was…
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Tómas R. EinarssonLet Jazz be Bestoved on the Huts
Tómas R. Einarsson’s new CD draws its inspiration from W.H. Auden’s poetry, and draws its name from “Journey to Iceland.” Einarsson has effectively captured the euphoric abundance of Auden’s curious Iceland book, Letters from Iceland; however, as with Auden’s Letters, if you…
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Come, Thou Divine Mistake!:
Despite its name, Verslunarmannahelgin, Merchants’ weekend, is not really like Christmas. It dates back to around 1900 as a benevolent gesture of merchants to their employees, who got one extra day off at the end of summer, to share festivities. To begin…
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Assorted ArtistsAcoustic Iceland
A fantastically badly-designed and badly-marketed CD, this 20-song anthology actually does contain 20 essential tracks. And the packaging, when you get around the sheer commercial foppery of it, contains relevant information. With this disk, you can hear decent songs from KK, Ragnheiður…
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Grapevine in your pocket
The last weekend in July, Icelanders traditionally hold the largest, most brash, most country party of the year, Verslunarmannahelgi. For the last decade, the highlight of this holiday has been the music festival at the Westman Islands, called Þjóðhátíð Í Eyjum—a festival…
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DURAN DURAN
While two young women standing in front of me scream in each other’s ear as opening band The Leaves, who present themselves as a very serious Coldplay, meander through their set, I crane my neck around to see if there’s anyone “in…
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ANTONY
One of the radio hosts expressed his gratitude to the musician Antony for visiting this obscure island on his way to stardom. After the concert this week I have to agree with him; it’s nice to get a fresh breeze like Antony…
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Bubbi gets help from Wonder Barði
BUBBI: PARADÍS AND ÁST. INSIDE ICELAND, BUBBI MORTHENS IS THE MOST CELEBRATED AND FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER AND SINGER MAKING ALBUMS TODAY. HE IS ALSO THE BIGGEST TARGET, SUFFERING CONSTANT ATTACKS ON HIS CREDIBILITY, HIS SENSE OF STYLE AND HIS PERSONAL LIFE. A…
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DAVÍÐ SMÁRI: YOU DO SOMETHING TO ME
What do you do when you come in second on Icelandic Idol: you cover every great pop singer’s most cherished song. Davíð Smári takes the Edge off of U2’s One, annhialates Lou Reed’s Perfect Day and dares to challenge Van Morrison with…
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NÚMER NÚLL
A pleasant new demo making the rounds, Númer Núll blend country with classic hard rock. The production value here is excellent, and the guitar work of frontman Gestur blends T Rex style riffs with wholesome southern rock chords well. In the second…