Product Description

This fifth full-length album from the Icelandic post-rock heroes, whose title translates as 'With A Buzz In Our Ears WePlay Endlessly', is the follow-up to their double EP set 'Hvarf'/'Heim' from 2007. Working for the first time with an outside producer - the famed Flood (U2, Depeche Mode, Smashing Pumpkins) - they have made the most joyous, exuberant, widescreen record of their career, as well as performing a songin English for the first time. Includes the free, download-only single 'Gobbledigook'.

Track Listing

1. Gobbledigook
2. Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
3. Góðan daginn
4. Við spilum endalaust
5. Festival
6. Með suð í eyrum
7. Ára bátur
8. Illgresi
9. Fljótavík
10. Straumnes
11. All alright

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #161 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-23
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk review
Sigur Rós--the sound of snow-capped peaks. Or winged things flocking over vast plains. Or salmon making that final courageous, muscular leap upstream, homeward bound. Ever since the BBC so aptly enlisted the help of their "Hoppipolla" single to theme their groundbreaking natural history series Planet Earth, the ever-ethereal Icelandic band have become somewhat typecast, finding themselves conducting the awe across the backdrops of nearly every other programme in that broad genre. And with that came the danger that all which followed would automatically become an instant cliche. And though their last album Takk saw a slowing of their evolution in favour of solidifying the established sound in accessible earfuls, the reassuringly unpronounceable Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (which translates as "with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly") sees enough of a stylistic twist to keep things moving, without undercutting this new approachability. Where previously they sounded untouched by human hands, all alien post-rock abstractions, they now sound much more organic, sometimes literally like men playing instruments in a room. Albeit pensively, and extraordinarily. It is a perky record, attentive and exquisite, familiar but not derivative. The rhythmically adventurous "Gobbledigook" reminds of Brooklyn experimentalists Battles, unplugged, the xylophone heavy "Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur" is this album’s "Hoppipolla" and "Ara Batur" is trembling, lonely and eventually triumphant. "Festival", the album’s centrepiece, melds the old and new Sigur Rós dramatically over nine majestic minutes and must number amongst the best moments of their career. --James Berry

Customer Reviews

Predictably good?
This, the fourth album proper from the band, starts well with two songs that sound fresh, lively and a little different before normal service is resumed with mixed results. I wish they'd continued with the sunnier upbeat vibe of those opening tracks and made this their summer album (I already see 'Agaetis' as their wet behind the ears Spring album and '( )' their chilly winter disc). When compared to the previous three albums you'd have to conclude that this is the weakest but it is still an enjoyable listen.

The next album will be the real test for the band as more of the same might not be enough to keep everyone interested.

uplifting affirming spooky wonderful fusion
I'm new to sigur ros - stumbled on to them via mtv 'inside me a lunatic sings' ('inni mer...', the 2nd track) it's on youtube.

very creative watchable band, please give a try if you like killers, muse, mgmt, beatles, arcade fire - this group has elements of all and we are going to enjoy this amazing talent for years to come hopefully. other tracks are on my first hearing are just as compelling. Better than bjork!

Lacking
I love Sigur Ros, and this is a fine album but I cannot help but feeling disappointed. It is indeed another step towards more mainstream audiences, with noise levels toned down and awkward silences ridden of - but this isn't the problem, it's only natural that this would have happened. The problem is that the pain is gone, and without it their music is just some interesting arrangements and atmospheric tunes.

Takk was more commercial that the masterpiece that is Ágaetis Byrjun, but the levels of emotion remained high. Even the last release before this album, the single Hljomalind, which was their first proper pop song structurally, retained some grittiness.

This album, however, loses that almost completely. The first track, Gobbledigook, is unique and raises expectations for what's next, but it is then followed by Inni Mer and Vith Spilum, two tracks that are simply - I know, blasphemy, but - awful! They are like Hoppipolla without the soul, which leave them sounding a bit like Scandinavian Eurovision entries. Things improve from the 6th track onwards, but they never peak.

It is still a good album of course, but a massive disappointed. I've tried to give it time to grow on me, but as time goes back it just sounds more average.