Jónsi @ Terminal 5

Jónsi’s performance Saturday night at Terminal 5 left no emotion unfurled.  I’m not sure if there an a word in the English language that can adequately describe the degree of emotional stimulation his music brings when fused into the visceral stage production assembled for this tour.

Jónsi decided to embark on a solo record while the other members of Sigur Rós are having children and imagined it to be a quiet acoustic record.  The sound of his first solo record go quickly grew into a much larger production.  He wanted to reflect this sound with an equally massive stage production. Jónsi enlisted Phil Eddolls and 59 Productions, a company that usually produces operas, bringing a unique stage show of film, art installation, and theater performance as a backdrop for the show.   The concept is inspired by a book featuring photos of a burned out taxidermist shop.

The show began with simplicity.  Jonsi and his acoustic guitar playing the subdued unreleased track “Stars In Still Water” in front a tan curtain covering the back of the stage.   Having seen a few online videos I waited for it to drop and give way to the elaborate set design behind it.  However, this was not the case.  Halfway through the second song, “Hengilás,” the unassuming tarp transformed into a gigantic, tea-stained piece of paper adorned with sketches of brooding animals.  Now realizing it was actually a screen, the digital image that covered the entire back of the stage began to burn away with a stunning digital fire as the strings picked up and the song came to an end.   What was left behind was a darkened forest of burnt trees in various states of decay, with two separate smaller screens in front of the stage illuminating images of a glass jar filled with an ocean of butterflies for the next song, “Icicle Sleeves.” What followed was the first of many jaw-dropping moments and an almost indescribable series of stunning images.  Animals changing form, becoming wire frames, then shedding their color while chasing one another through a dead forest of night for the song “Kolniður.”

The calm tension of  the song “Tornado” led into the thunderous drums of “Sinking Friendships,” which stood as the musical shift of a consistently rising tempo for each song.  Each one sounded louder than the previous and never let up.  Ending with Jónsi in a feather headdress, violently shaking  his head and body, while belting out the final lyrics “They, in the end, will turn and fall, You’ll know…” from the closer “Grow Till Tall.”  It left  the crowd and mysefl disoriented and overwhelmed with his almost frightening ability evoke emotion.  Full set list and a few Youtube videos below, giving a peek into the experience.

Setlist:

Stars in Still Water
Hengilás
Icicle Sleeves
Kolniður
Tornado
Sinking Friendships
Saint Naive
New Song
Go Do
Boy Lilikoi
K12
New Song
Around Us

Encore
Animal Arithmetic
Grow Till Tall

Stream Jonsi’s Go In Its Entirety

Sigur Ros recently announced they would be going on hiatus to work on solo projects. Lead singer Jonsi offers his second side project (following last year’s Jonsi and Alex album) with the release of Go. His first solo offering resembles Sigur Ros, but Jonsi explores more positive themes and upbeat compositions on Go. The album was released on March 22. If you haven’t bought it yet, NPR is streaming the 40+ minute record in its entirety (here). Jonsi just wrapped up weeks of preparation for his tour, which will include two NYC stops. We’ll see you there!

Above The Influence: An Interview With Count From Inu

With the release of their Monster EP, Inu is a band to watch in 2010. The group consists of producer/drummer/vocalist Count, guitarist Tim Hingston, and cellist Zoe Keating. Fishpork got a chance to talk with Count about the band’s upcoming full album release, the lack of influences on the songwriting process, and some potential live shows for 2010.

How did you hook up with the other band members to form Inu?

When you guys write songs, what’s that process like?

I wrote a raving review of your Monster EP a few weeks ago. I called it “one of the best of the year so far.” What can we expect on this new album?

What kind of music are you guys listening to right now?

Did you have a favorite album of 2009?

What can we expect from your live shows?

What’s in store for the band in 2010?

http://www.myspace.com/inuband

Album Review: Tarot Sport

Fuck Button’s Tarot Sport is a mesmerizing exercise in electronic musical composition. The album displays an uncanny ability of the noisy electronic duo to do the impossible: transform indecipherable bleeps and glitches into highly accessible (even your Grandma might dig this shit), 10-minute instrumentals. Each track is repetitive but highly melodic and catchy. Andrew Hung and Benjamin Power build up each song  slowly and reward patience with hypnotizing crescendos that induce goosebumps on repeated listens. Imagine Sigur Ros and Aphex Twin collaborating on a album.

There are only seven tracks on Tarot Sport, but that doesn’t equate to a lack of material. Five of these songs approach or surpass the 10-minute mark effortlessly. Highlights include the epic “Olympians,” which features an addicting percussion loop that swells into inspirational synths. If the band removed the “Fuck” from their name, I’d vote for a radio-friendly version to be the theme song to the 2010 Winter Olympics. “Rough Steez” is a shorter track that takes several obnoxious noise samples and stitches them together into digestible form. The song represents why Hung and Power are  untouchable in the electronic music scene at the moment. Tarot Sport is one of the most epic and addicting albums to be released in the last few years. It’s an absolute masterpiece!

MP3: “Boy Lilikoi” by Jonsi

Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi Birgisson’s first track off of his forthcoming solo album is called “Boy Lilikoi.” The song features string arrangements by Nico Muhly. Instead of singing in Icelandic or made-up Sigur Ros gibberish, the lyrics are in English. If this song is any indication of how good the solo effort will be, Sigur Ros fans have much to look forward to. I just hope this doesn’t end up in 100 movie trailers like other Sigur Ros songs:

Download “Boy Lilikoi” by Jonsi here or stream it below (via Stereogum):

Fishpork’s 100 Favorite Tracks of the 2000s

This is an attempt at the impossible. Here are our 100 favorite songs of the past decade (featuring multiple tracks from Animal Collective, The Knife, Radiohead, and Elliott Smith). Our top two choices are more like 1a and 1b. Be patient, as the page needs to load the embedded songs.

1. Panda Bear – “Bros” (2007)

2. The Knife – “We Share Our Mother’s Health” (2006)

3. Animal Collective – “For Reverend Green” (2007)

4. Grizzly Bear – “While You Wait For The Others” (2009)

5. The Knife – “Heartbeats” (2003)

6. Grizzly Bear – “The Knife” (2005)

7. LCD Soundsystem – “Someone Great” (2007)

8. TV on the Radio – “Staring at the Sun” (2003)

9. Crystal Castles – “Crimewave” (2008)

10. Beirut – “Ciloqut” (2007)

11. Thom Yorke – “Harrowdown Hill

12. Animal Collective – “Derek” (2007)

13. Nine Inch Nails – “Me, I’m Not” (2007)

14. Beck – “Lonesome Tears” (2002)

15. At The Drive-in – “One Armed Scissor” (2004)

16. Animal Collective – “Grass” (2005)

17. Deerhunter – “Nothing Ever Happened” (2008)

18. Atlas Sound – “Recent Bedroom” (2008)

19. Panda Bear – “Comfy in Nautica” (2007)

20. System of a Down – “Chop Suey” (2001)

21. Animal Collective – “Peacebone” (2007)

22. Battles – “Atlas” (2007)

23. Error – “Jack the Ripper” (2004)

24. Enon – “Pleasure and the Privilege”

25. Elliott Smith – “Son of Sam” (2000)

26. Animal Collective – “Did You See the Words” (2005)

27. The Knife – “Marble House” (2006)

28. LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends” (2007)

29. Thom Yorke – “Analyse” (2006)

30. The Flaming Lips – “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell” (2002)

31. Girl Talk – “Smash Your Head” (2006)
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32. A Perfect Circle – “Judith” (2000)

33. Radiohead – “Idioteque” (2000)

34. Tapes N’ Tapes – “Manitoba” (2006)

35. TV On The Radio – “I Was A Lover” (2006)

36. Radiohead – “Reckoner” (2007)

37. Fever Ray – “Coconut” (2009)

38. Animal Collective – “My Girls” (2009)

39. Built to Spill – “Things Fall Apart” (2009)

40. Wilco – “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart” (2002)

41. Modest Mouse – “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” (2000)

42. Animal Collective – “Leaf House” (2004)

43. Modeselektor – “Happy Birthday” (2007)

44. Arcade Fire – “Wake Up” (2004)

45. Autolux – “Blanket” (2004)

46. MGMT – “Time to Pretend” (2007)

47.  Built to Spill – “Conventional Wisdom” (2006)

48. Wilco – “Side With the Seeds” (2007)

49. Elliott Smith – “Happiness/The Gondola Man” (2000)

50. Avey Tare – “I’m Your Eagle Kisser” (2007)

51. Department of Eagles – “Waves of Rye” (2008)

52. Animal Collective – “Summertime Clothes” (2009)

53. Radiohead – “2+2 = 5″ (2003)

54. Dredg – “Sang Real” (2005)

55. While Lies – “Farewell to the Fairground” (2009)

56. Grizzly Bear – “Ready, Able” (2009)

57. Matisyahu – “King Without a Crown” (2005)

58. Modest Mouse – “Paper Thin Walls” (2000)

59. Dillinger Escape Plan – “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” (2002)

60. Elliott Smith – “Twilight” (2004)

61. Deerhunter – “Flourescent Grey” (2007)

62. Holy Fuck – “Lovely Allen” (2007)

63. LCD Soundsystem – “Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up” (2006)

64. The Notwist – “Boneless (Panda Bear Remix)” (2008)

65. Liars – “Nothing Is Ever Lost or Can Be Lost My Science Friend” (2004)

66. The Mars Volta – “Inertiatic E.S.P.” (2003)

67. The Notwist – “Solitaire” (2002)

68. Of Montreal – “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” (2007)

69. Queens of the Stone Age – “Tangled Up in Plaid” (2005)

70. Radiohead – “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” (2007)

71. Saul Williams – “Raised To Be Lowered” (2007)

72. Autolux – “Great Days for the Passenger Element” (2004)

73. Sigur Ros – “Untitled 8″ (2002)

74. Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs – “Maps” (2003)

75. Portishead – “Threads” (2008)

76. Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago” (2005)

77. Ugly Casanova – “Things I Don’t Remember” (2002)

78. Animal Collective – “Brothersport” (2009)

79. Radiohead – “Pyramid Song” (2001)

80. Nine Inch Nails – “Only” (2005)

81. El-P – “Flyentology” (2007)

82. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows” (2002)

83. Ghostface Killah – “Shakey Dog” (2006)

84. Modest Mouse – “Missed the Boat” (2007)

85. UNKLE – “Persons and Machinery” (2007)

86. Amon Tobin – “Verbal” (2002)

87. The White Stripes – “Denial Twist” (2005)
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88. Tomahawk – “Captain Midnight” (2003)

89. Modest Mouse – “Bukowski” (2004)

90. Sigur Ros – “Hoppipolia” (2005)

92. Fuck Buttons – “Sweet Love For Planet Earth” (2008)

93. Bon Iver – “Skinny Love” (2008)

94. Built to Spill – “In Your Mind” (2001)

95. The White Stripes – “Icky Thump” (2007)

96. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – “We Are Rockstars” (2008)

97. Dub Trio – “Not Alone” (2006)

98. Modest Mouse – “The World At Large”

99. The Walkmen – “In the New Year” (2008)

100. Nine Inch Nails – “The Great Destroyer (Modwheelmood Remix)” (2007)

The Fishpork 20: Favorite Albums of 2008

Remember this era in music. It’s a special one. We’re going to look back and talk about it like we talk about the 60s or 70s. I used to miss all the great bands that came out of the 90s, but my longing for the hay days of grunge and industrial has since dissipated. Go ahead and disagree, but this is a renaissance period for music. This year was no exception. In fact, it served as an endless discovery period of great bands and classic albums. However, our favorite album of 2008 was not a difficult choice at all. Here is our list of favorite albums of 2008:

1. Deerhunter – Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
2. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
3. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
4. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
5. Eric Avery – Help Wanted
6. Elf Power – In a Cave
7. Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy
8. Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
9. Tapes N’ Tapes – Walk It Off
10. Atlas Sound – Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
11. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
12. Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV
13. Portishead – Third
14. Sigur Ros – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
15. Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power – Dark Developments
16. Ladytron – Velocifero
17. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
18. First Wave Hello – God Bless, Devil You
19. Fuck Buttons – Street Horsssing
20. David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
    

Honorable Mentions:

• Dub Trio – Another Sound is Dying
• Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer
• Health – Disco

Most Disappointing Albums:

• Beck – Modern Guilt
• SexTapes – SexTapes
• UNKLE – End Title . . . Stories For Film

Most Overrated Albums:

• Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
• Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
• Cold Play – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends

Fishpork will post our favorite songs and live shows of the year next week. Check back soon!

July’s Fresh Pork Cuts!

Pete’s:

• Silver Jews- My Pillow is the Threshold
• The National – Mistaken For Strangers
• MGMT – Pieces of What
• The Helio Sequence – Lately
• Eric Avery – Philo Beddoe

Mark’s:

• Crystal Castles – Air Wars
• Sigur Ros – Gobbledigook
• Ladytron – Ghosts
• Fuck Buttons – Ribs Out
• Girl Talk – Set It Off

[audio:setitoff.mp3]

With a Buzz in Their Ears, Sigur Rós Plays Endlessly

Like many, I watched Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky back in 2001 and was mesmorized by a song that played at the end of the film. The song was called, “Njósnavélin,” translated as “Nothing Song,” and was an unreleased live version of the same track that would appear on the third studio album by an Icelandic band called Sigur Rós. That album didn’t have a name but instead was referred to by open and closed parenthesis “( ),” just one of many idiosyncrasies that define the pretentious nature and mystery that is Sigur Rós.

The band was formed on the day the lead singer’s (Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson) sister was born (1994) and takes her name, which means Victory Rose in English. Sigur Rós labels itself as a “slow-motion rock band.” Each song sounds like the soundtrack to a new emotion, layered with strings, horns, piano, electronics, feedback, natural sounds, and a lead singer who plays his guitar with a bow and sings in a made-up language. The resulting sound receives universal acclaim from fans and critics alike:

• “There is no more transportive band working in music” -Spin
• “Sigur Rós effortlessly make music that is massive, glacial, and sparse….. They are the first vital band of the 21st Century. ” – PitchforkMedia

Sigur Rós’ new album is called Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly) and was produced by Flood (Nine Inch Nails, U2, Depeche Mode). It’s the first time the band recruited the services of an outside producer. Stylistically, it’s a departure from their past work but is still easily recognizable as a Sigur Rós album. Several songs follow more of a traditional song structure, including the first track and one of the album’s highlights, Gobbledigook. As promised by the band, there are more guitars here and less strings.

Most of these songs still include the band’s signature build up to an intense climax. Festival, the album’s longest track at 9:24, is the best example. During the first five minutes of the song, all we hear is the falsetto of lead singer Jónsi over a subtle string arrangement. Next, a repetitive guitar riff kicks in, supplemented by simple percussion. The song slowly builds until a crescendo of strings, guitar, drums and cymbals leads a musical apex that lasts for the duration of the track’s final three minutes. The album is currently being streamed from their web site for free.

With some changes in style and the production of Flood, one might expect this release to be heavier and louder than previous albums in the catalog. That’s not the case. In fact, this is Sigur Rós’ quietest album (with the exception of maybe three tracks). Although the band’s last album, Takk, might be more complete, the highest moments Sigur Rós has reached musically are on this album. The second track, inní mér syngur vitleysingur, is the best song the band has written to this point and might be the best song of 2008 (so far). Sigur Rós is one of the cockiest bands around. They once claimed, “we are simply gonna change music forever, and the way people think about music. And don’t think we can’t do it, we will.” Fortunately for Sigur Rós, they’ve backed up their talk with one of the best albums of the year.

The video for the album’s first single can be seen here:

RECORD REVIEW
Artist: Sigur Rós
Album: Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Release Date: June 23, 2008
Record Label: EMI, XL Recordings