Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 64
 An ad for this album in the New Yorker July 16, 2008
Charles Wells (Sedona)
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
An ad for the album in the New Yorker, with nudes running across a country road on the cover, caught my eye. I found myself trying to translate the
words on the cover, and I couldn't even figure out the language. Even the script was unusual. It would be weeks before release date but I got to hear this incredibly powerful, yet simple and awesome music, for the first time on the internet, and it was love at first hearing. New to the computer, it was
also the first album purchase via the net. The music was like nothing
I've heard in my seventy seven years. I can't get over that I am hooked on what I thought would be essentially music for young people. This music is for all ages. Songs five, six, and seven are staggeringly beautiful and give me
horripilations and exaltation ever time I hear it. I have not yet listened to other works of Sigur Ros's. But this album contains music that reaches agelessness; stark, brilliant, spellbinding.
For some reason, the DVD would not play on my music system in the one room, but did on another system in the kitchen, and played on my Mac Pro,
where I downloaded it, and will transfer it to the160MG iPod, as soon as I learn how.
 Making Music and/or Money June 24, 2008
Gyoergy MAROSI (Hungary)
5 out of 14 found this review helpful
Quite acceptable: after making exciting music the time came to make ordenary money... No problem with that but... A new - slightly over the - average pop group appeared. Good luck, guys!
 Food for the Soul June 24, 2008
L. Smith (West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
First, the background: I accidentally discovered Sigur Ros last summer. After viewing Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky" I could not get the final song in the film out of my head--the piece was such a drastic revolution from all other music I've heard, and after some searching I learned the piece was a live recording of "Njosnavelin." "Agaetis byrjun," "( )", and "Takk" immediately become the soundtrack to my life, and have very much remained so over the past year. Very rarely have I ever been so immensely satisfied with music as I have been by Sigur Ros.
I discovered "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust" two weeks before its release date by happenstance when the album was streaming on the band's website, and have listened to little else since (except for a few spins of Coldplay's latest, which is very disappointing). After the first listen, my initial thought was, "What the hell have you done to them, Flood? They've gone radio!" After another 8-9 thorough listenings, though, I assure you they have not. Ironically, "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust" has become the most listenable Sigur Ros album yet, and I only determined that after 4-5 spins.
From online readings, their fan base has appeared very concerned they would become a "one-sound" band. Fortunately, that is no longer an issue, as the ethereal quality that has defined them has been meticulously maintained in this acoustic, bare sound of the lads sitting down in a room and maintaining what seems a spontaneous sound during recording. The first two tracks on the album contain more joy than perhaps anything they have yet recorded--and I believe that is the message they want to convey to everyone. My only complaint here is the fourth track, "Vi spilum endalaust." You can have that song be covered by Coldplay or Keane, and in essence the track would be the same--just a pop ditty. But I can't get upset with Sigur Ros for experimenting with that approach--honestly, I consider 40% of their music from prior albums un-listenable and monotonous as it is. However, what makes that 40% appreciable is their sincere approach to be reaching for a sound and universal feeling for which other bands won't even dare search. To have Sigur Ros' subconscious create the angelic, special atmosphere which they so successfully discover on their own half of the time, I'll gladly let them share the mundane when necessary if that means they'll give us a glimpse into heaven the other 60% of the time.
However, they quickly make up for that by not letting down again. "Godan daginn" could easily fit in as a ballad on any of their prior albums, and "Festival" encapsulates the entire mood of joy and mystery which this album stands for. Pesonally, I can do without the closer, "All Alright." I certainly didn't fall in love with Sigur Ros because of their English skills.
So in essence, don't judge the album by its first listen or all the annoying talk of kitsch and pop. In the same way U2's `The Joshua Tree' and `Achtung' are drastically different while still maintaining the essential U2 mood, this album is by all measures Sigur Ros we appreciate and need as the standard by which we can easily judge all other music. The album cover really presents what "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust" album is about--stripping down to (literally) the bare essentials, and as a result feeling the joy and freedom we otherwise would have entirely lost.
Amazing!!! June 26, 2008
Brad E. Hennigan
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I normally do not take the time to write reviews on amazon but this cd blew my mind. It's absolutely flawless from beginning to end, and as a previous poster implied, I might just listen to this album before going to bed every night for the rest of my life. I've been listening to Sigur Ros for about 10 years, but this album is a huge step forward in my opinion. Every song is cloaked in the ambience that drew people to this band in the first place.
Buy this album now!!
It's Good to be Heima June 27, 2008
Christopher Portman (Houston, TX)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
In the Heima video (spelled Heim by iTunes but not by Sigur Ros--for whatever reason?) Sigur Ros spoke of a pervasive yearning and desire to return home--'home' being spoken of in a far deeper sense than simply returning to Iceland. Sure, they were coming off a busy touring schedule and obviously missed the beautifully bleak, dreamscape countryside, along with its lovely people--all which played vital roles in shaping the band's musical identity. I certainly have no difficulty in understanding this sentiment. The music and video footage alone were enough to inspire me to begin planning an eventual trip to that oft forgotten land of mystery and romance. Sigur Ros are obviously quite tied to this place they know so well & who can blame them? Imagine what might have come of their music had they originated from elsewhere? Likely nothing. Therefore, I venture to say that Iceland itself is far more of an influence on their musical identity than anything happening in the chart-obsessed world of pop music. And thank God for that! On the present album, 'Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust,' I hear a refreshing reassessment and even a kind of reestablishment of the band's intrinsic identity with their cultural and musical heritage--something they began to express on the 'Hvarf-Heim' project. I would say the present album is the culmination of that return 'home.' The result is, quite naturally, a sound that's somewhat alien to what we're used to, but it's a sound that remains clearly rooted in the artistic identity of Sigur Ros. The primary changes, I would argue, are merely found in the album's sonic texture--most likely the result of the band having fresh production perspective. Certainly, no 'selling out' occurred. If anything, we're seeing the diametric opposite. But still, some will likely complain about the warmer, more acoustic-focused--dare I say?--'rootsier' sound. However, we must remember that people will nearly always complain when faced with change. Even when that change can so often be a very good thing. Change is a sign of life and of health. Stagnation is a sign of death and dying. When dealing with art that is authentic, pure inner-expression, at some point change becomes a 'necessary evil.' It is an inherent law of art's nature when there is spiritual evolution occurring within the artist. And I don't use the term evil in any traditional sense but more as a description of how the audience can sometimes feel when they're expecting one thing and suddenly experience another. Revulsion can be a natural, if unnecessary, reaction. But give it time. Because these are often the very works that turn out to be the purest and most bountiful step along the creative path. Personally, I think the change of sound is far less than overwhelming. In fact I welcome it with open arms and a fistful of stars. Five honestly doesn't seem quite enough.
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