Sigur Ros - Takk

[Scott Warner]

Thoughts?

I like this much better than their previous album. That last one was a chore to get into. This one is much happier, childlike - even compared to their second record. It's difficult to imagine most average fans of this band not having big bright smiles listening to sections of this record.

"Gong", "Saeglopur", "Glosoli" and "Hoppipolla" are the stand outs so far. "Gong" basically is a Dummies Guide to Sigur Ros, presented in bite-sized form at a little over five minutes.

[Eikman]

it's still 5 weeks till the official release date and it was leaked only 3 days ago :p

i wasn't too impressed, but it's always the same with Sigur Rós albums. i can only listen to them when i'm sad.

[GforGroove]

"gong" is so beautiful.

I was a bit to fed up of Sigur Ros and listening t this album is kind of refreshing. Have to listen more to Takk, though

[dubman]

glosol is the second time this year i've been rendered immobile and speechless due to how incredible a tune is.
this album is great all the way through. and it's the most broad... it's got the 2-4 minute ambient-ish diversions (sort of like in von) and some of their lesser known stuff, and it's got the bombast to match and surpass ( ). i dont know if it's up to AB standard, but i'm happier that they didnt retread that anyway.
and even though i really didnt mind it at the time, if they ever seriously go back to that "hopelandic" stuff again i might get a little more annoyed by it. an actual language is better because it has more sounds than "yoo" "yooun" and "xylo"

anyway, great album.

[brokenhanger]

At the very least, it's far more interesting than the snorefest that was "( )" - christ, they almost made "The Pop Song" boring on it, which is quite a feat.

Of course, it's nowhere near the stunner that "Agaetis Byrjun" was, but I think it's pretty solid. There are parts that are so Sigur Ros it's almost cliched - much like parts of "Medulla" were exactly what the detractors complained that all Bjork sounded like - lots of wailing and soaring guitars and not much going on. I haven't hooked up song titles to the songs completely yet, but 'Gong' and the one before it are quite good, as is the second track.

My expectations were admittedly pretty low, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Take care,
James

[DeJackyl]

Scared - Thought ( ) was one of the most important albums of the past few years. Remembers lying trapped in Amsterdam Schipol airport for a week with no money but a walkman to listen to it over and over and keeping sane because of it. Thus, reels in horror at the prospect of this 'child like' new direction. But was very impressed with 'Gong' live during the same trip at Glasto.

Anticipates...

[the mongoose]

Saeglopur is fantastic!!!!!!!!!
Hoppipolla is great and very uplifting.
Milano makes me want to slow dance then break something....hmmm.
Andvari is such an emotional track, heart strings pulled.
Heysatan is a nice vocal heavy track....can't understand a word but I agree with everything he said.:)

Oh man. What a good album. Chill bumps several times.:cool:

[holden]

Well, i've only listened to this two times through, so my opinions might change with repeated plays, but the first response is: pleasant but typical Sigur Ros.

Listening to Agaetus Byrjun, i got the feeling that something very special and epic was happening to the state of modern music.

For (), it was immediate emotional response to the beautiful and multilayered tunes.

Takk sounds, so far, like a (mostly) happier version of what they've done before. Given i've also heared the Split Sides performance and Hlemmer, so i've perhaps taken some of their experiments with voice and toyboxes for granted. But the songs here all involve the same pieces...twinkling reverb-laden pianos, lush falsettos, weird shrieks and guitar noises, and the eventual "big build": crashing drums, the bow-shredded guitar, the choral effects. It's all really nice...it's just what Sigur Ros always do.

"Milano" and "Gong" are standouts ...probably because i'd heard them live and this is just as effective as having them playing loud in a concert hall. And for those who are worrying about the happier/childlike sound...it's not that sunny, particularly the last few tracks. It's just not as consistently depressing as ().

[grady]

Anyone going to see them on the up coming tour in the states? This album swayed me into buying a ticket, as I was previously on the fence about going.

[DeJackyl]

Okay a little more than a week with it and Sorglega is sticking out as one of their best efforts, and the album is morphing into something, while predictible is well none the less (especially at a music period lacking such melancholly).

[purlieu]

I'm not sure if I'll get this. I'm one of the very few people who doesn't really like Agaetis Byrjun, but found the other two interesting, often beautiful and atmospheric, but still a bit dull. So I'm not thinking this is for me. I'll give it a listen at some point if I can be arsed.