Gobbledigook

I like Sigur Ros' first album alright.

Then came their second album and I kinda got bored with it.

Saw 'em live after that record and was, at points, in awe, and, at other points, seeing zzz's.

Takk... was released and I got back into the band for a minute.

Was really excited to see them at Coachella in '06 for the sunset. I seriously wasn't impressed.

And, now, it looks like we have a new Ros record on the way, called Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Thank goodness for copy and paste, right?! Somehow it translates to With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly. Whatever, guys!

At any rate, the first song is available for download at their website, and that has the childish title of "Gobbledigook". Finally, a Sigur Ros song title that I can actually pronounce! And you know what? I actually like the song a lot! The band claims that this record will be Sigur Ros at their happiest. "Gobbledigook" definitely reinforces that statement. There's a bunch of "lalalalalala"s going on in the intro that are reminiscent of the last Flaming Lips record, and that leads into a propulsive, kinda muted drum beat with nicely melodic vocals. I'm really digging it.

Actually, it gets a little better. The "Hopelandic" stuff is taking a backseat and more Icelandic is prevalent on this new record. But the killer is the last song on the LP. It's called "All alright" and it's apparently sung in English. This could get a little crazy.

There's such a beautiful sense of mystery with the band's music, partly because of these so-called lyrics that no one can understand, except "the band" (and who knows if the lyrics have meaning or are simply sounds to gorgeously accompany the music). Now that the band has been around for close to eight years, we all know what to expect when listening to a Sigur Ros album. You're gonna get swept away in the lush soundscapes and the words/vocals will mean whatever you want them to mean. There's no trying to read between the lines with this band; each person's listening experience will be different. That's what makes Sigur Ros so profound - messages transcend meanings.

So how will this English track be received? Will the magic of the band disappear as they now have an appeal to a whole other audience? Granted, everyone has emotions and their music should have an impact on everyone simply because the sounds they create are so emotive. But now that ONE song is sung in English, does that change the dynamic of the band or their fanbase? Will the band face any kind of backlash because of this decision? It's definitely an interesting move for the group and we'll see how it pans out.

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust is released to the masses on June 24 (US). Enjoy your Hopelandic/Icelandic Sigur Ros while you still can!