Sigur Rós gained a large following after the release of two critically acclaimed albums. Their last record,
( ), was released in 2002 and since then, Sigur Rós have become the most famous band from Iceland since Bjork.
Sigur Rós
Jonsi Birgission - Vocals, Guitars
Kjarri Sveinsson - Keyboards
Orri Poll Dorason - Drums
Gorggi Holm - Bass
With
Agaetis Byrjun, Sigur Ros created a unique and beautiful album and an anthem for alternative music with "Svfen G Englar". After the album was released, it was uncertain as to where Sigur Rós would go with their music. In 2002, they released
( ), which had no song titles ad no lyrics. Though
( ) amazed most fans, it was obvious that they couldn't make an album like it again. Fans started to worry about where Sigur Rós would go next. Their studio reports showed that they were quite lazy in the studio, only recording when they felt like it. Sigur Rós took three years to release
Takk and that amount of time has certainly paid off for the band.
Where
( ) was beautiful, it was also depressing and often void of any hope.
Takk changes this. A lot has happened with the band members since 2002. Most of them are now married or in committed relationships, which has led them to become happier people. Often when bands evolve, they forget who they are, but with
Takk, Sigur Rós have taken ideas from
Von, Agaetis Byrjun and
( ), while stepping foward with their music. The strings that dominated
Agaetis Byrjun make a welcome return. The simplicity and crushing dynamics that made
( ) so beautiful is also back. The ambience of
Von is also used effectively on
Takk. Late in the album, the track "Andvari" ends with two and a half minutes of strings oscillating between two notes, one of the most beautiful moments on the album. Everything they have created om
Takk is a step up for the band.
Throughout the entire album, Sigur Rós create a sound which is unmatched. There are strings and horns on nearly every track and Jonsi's vocals are as good as they have ever been. Possibly the only issue with
Takk is that the huge scale orchestra that makes an appearance on every track does get tiresome and make the listener wish for some of the simple instrumentation of a song like "Untitled 4".
Takk is probably the most versatile Sigur Ros album yet, with beautiful songs like "Glosoli" and less happy songs (but much more hope filled than the second half of
( ) and most of
Von) such as "Saeglopur".
Takk is probably the most complex Sigur Rós album and certainly the most experimental since
Von. On top of this,
Takk is also the easiest to listen to. There are many variations of moods, but nothing heartbreaking. The songs are memorable and enjoyable. Is it their best album? Who knows. This, along with
Agaetis Byrjun and
( ) all have their own charm and are all different records with similar levels of quality and consistancy. Lets hope that Sigur Rós continue this trend for the future and until then, we have what is arguably their best album to listen to.
Pros
Breathtakingly beautiful
A strong evolution for the band
Good instrumentation
Cons
The large scale strings and horns can be tiresome
Recommended Tracks
Glosoli
Saeglopur
Andvari
FINAL RATING: 4.5/5
Note: The entire album is available to be listened to on the band's myspace
As I'd say basically exactly the same thing as you, I'm not going to. Good review, and it's a definite contender for their best work. ( ) can just be too difficult sometimes to sit through, although it's a great album.
