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KIPPI KANÍNUS HAPPENS SECRETLY
A travelling California musician in Iceland to visit the home of Múm and Sigur Rós highly recommended this new release from 12 Tónar to the Grapevine. Some of the chords played on MIDI and other contraptions sound like the odd takes on…
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HÖLT HÓRALOVE ME LIKE YOU ELSKAR MIG
The snare drum on this album is amazing. Crisp and full, every beat is remarkable. Guitars are in tune, and in good time. The disk also has a 21:18 playing time. Beyond that, the lyrics are chanty “I wanna bum like the…
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ANTONY and the JOHNSONS:I AM A BIRD NOW
The first time you hear Antony’s voice, a gothic church-going blues instrument that sounds both pure and profoundly experienced, you think this is out of this world. In fact, you’re sure you’re hearing Al Green’s protégé, until you read the packaging or…
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CIGARS AND CHOCKOLADE
Grand Rokk’s upper floor was packed with people and spirits were high on last Thursday night for Apparat Organ Quartet’s first gig in a year. Promoting new songs among some old fan favourites, Apparat Organ Quartet consists of four organ players and…
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Hip-Hop revisited
Hip-hop hasn’t always been about bitches and bling, you know. It actually used to be a powerful and united movement of young African-Americans concerned with social justice and equity over gold chains and limousines. When a rapper friend of mine tells me…
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Bubbi MorthensKona (1985)
Comparable Contemporary: Bubbi Morthens Description: Mostly acoustic, with two light jazz numbers (Frósin gríma and Eina nótt í viðbótt). Dated Features: Unnecessary and formless keyboards. Rating: Would be his best album ever, if not for the keyboards. Costs four bjórlíki, worth three.
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Mezzoforte, Garden Party (1983)
Comparable Contemporary: Incomparable with anyone on the air today, to the relief of everyone. Description: A nightmarish journey through a neon-coloured, mullet-sporting, Reebok-wearing wasteland. Dated Features: The slap bass, electric drums, nauseating washes of keyboards, falsetto vocals . . . hell, it’s…
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Todmobile Betra en nokkuð annað (1989)
Comparable Contemporary: Skunk Anansie Description: Airy, light compositions with an Eastern feel. Dated Features: Fretless bass. Rating: Your teenage sister might laugh at it, but who cares? Costs four bjórlíki, worth four.
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MegasLoftmynd (1986)
Comparable Contemporary: Incomparable with anyone on the air today, to the envy of many wanna-bes. Description: Zig-zags thrillingly through jugband, boogie, and blues. Best played in a smoky bar occupied only by you, someone asleep at a table, and a surly bartender…
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Duran Duran, Duran Duran (1981)
Comparable Contemporary: Daft Punk Description: Driving, bare-bones, post-new wave pop songs good enough to let you not care how uncool it is to love this album. Dated Features: Flange galore. Rating: As dated as hair mousse but a hell of a lot…
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The new breed at keflavik
While the Beatles were poppin’ all over the world in the sixties, Keflavík was the home of rock in Iceland. But now these old bands, Hljómar (Chords), Flowers and most of their followers are long gone. Some are dead, some are making…
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Bob and Coral at Bar 11, Thursday 16 June, 10 pm.
A loud droning sound filled the second floor from the new stage at Bar 11. Gradually, it got fuller made richer with cymbal swirls and bass notes. This was Bob’s first number; applauded by the late-to-arrive crowd. Bob’s ability to electronically manipulate…
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Eighties Album Reviews
Ah, the 80s. Sideways ponytails, acid wash jeans, and the whole world perpetually on the brink of global thermonuclear war. It’s easy to understand why 80s nostalgia is so popular today. But was the music really as good as it seems today?…
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17 June ConcertsKK Band, Hjálmar, Írafár, Papar, Stuðmenn and Mínus at Arnarhóll, And Accordion Club of Reykjavík at City Hall.
When you’re desperate to have a nice holiday, and the sky is grey and rain is coming down in sheets, you can make yourself believe that Love Guru, a portly goofball hip hop persona from Selfoss is entertainment embodied. This year, though,…
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StuðmennMeð Allt Á Hreinu (1982)
Comparable Contemporary: Trabant Description: Like trying to swallow all the candies in grandma’s dish in one gulp. Its sole redeeming track is the Devoesque “Sigurjón digri.” Dated Features: The harmonica effect on “Haustið ’75,” among others. Rating: Fun to listen to only…
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RikshawAngels and Devils (1990)
Comparable Contemporary: Pink Floyd. That’s today’s Floyd, mind you. Description: Despite the cringingly bad lyrics (“I’m dreaming of making it big some day in the land of make believe”), actually not too bad for its time. Dated Features: The horn section. Rating:…
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Lokbrá
Lokbrá is a celebrated local garage-rock band. What makes something garage-rock? Typically with garage-rock you have lyrics that you don’t go around quoting, you have somewhat flat vocals, and you have lead guitar work that sounds interesting but that doesn’t quite fit,…
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Helgi ValurDemise of Faith
I’m looking at the album photos and listening to the CD, I can’t understand how Joe Cocker crawled into the body of what looks like an 18-year-old Icelandic boy. It’s not just that this young man has an outstanding range, it’s that…
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Hudson WayneThe Battle of the Bandidos
This band has been mislabelled the local alt country band; their roots, especially as demonstrated here, are more 80s English and Australian pop slowed down. Most of the nine tracks on this album involve dragging one chord through a slow four count,…
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Touch Sveitaball, May 28, Þinghús Bar and Grill, Hvammstangi
If you think Icelandic nightlife begins and ends in 101 Reykjavík, you’re missing a celebrated and notorious section of the local culture. As one local told us, “Sveitaball” (country balls) are one place where you can see the whole community getting together.…
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The White StripesGet Behind Me Satan
When White Blood Cells came out, everyone was wondering where Jack White got such a rootsy, genuine sound. With Get Behind Me Satan, Jack finally shows his hand. It turns out the garage rock guru is an absurdly knowledgeable music historian, as…
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Huun-Huur-Tu and Nina NastasiaMay 28, Smekkleysa
It’s not too common to attend a concert which has true crossover potential when it comes to age and social groups. Still, a recent sunny Saturday afternoon youngsters and hipsters, mothers and fathers gathered in the Bad Taste record shop to listen…
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ManhattanSelf-titled
Deep into the year 2005, we were surprised that we were asked to review this 2003 demo. What is more, we were surprised to hear the sounds of 1993 Alice in Chains coming through the speakers when we threw the disc on.…