Jónsi – go
Replacing the almost celestial sound of his band Sigur Rós with a warm almost whimsical menagerie of sounds, singer Jon Thor Birgisson, better known as Jónsi, lets loose with an album packed with dare I say it, fun. It’s as if all your favorite childhood stuffed toys picked up musical instruments, formed a backing band for Teddy and let loose.
If music can transport you to another place, then these sounds take you to a land where the sun stipples the green ground with warming rays of light while you are eating your second bowl of frosted flakes. This is music as an emotional salve or maybe it’s just a hit of sugar to someone hyperglycemic.
Sounding as comfortable in English as his native tongue, Jónsi lets his voice go to places that would have never fit into the concept of his other band. This is also one of those albums that benefits from the lack of a lyric sheet because figuring out what he’s actually saying is not the best way to spend your time while listening to this work.
With the future of Sigur Rós in question, it’s reassuring to know that one of Iceland’s most interesting exports will live on in at least one form or another. Rob Hudson www.jonsi.com
Click here for information on Jónsi Splendour in the Grass sideshows as well as information on other sideshows.
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