Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know

Múm | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 22, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Euphono
• ASIN: B002LBGB7C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,503 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #96 in Music > Dance & DJ > IDM

Editorial Reviews

2009 album from the Icelandic music maestros. The album is a much more laid back affair than M£m's most recent outings, more relaxed and quietly sad, often recalling sand running through fingers or ripples on a lake. Sometimes the music sounds naively utopic, but always manages to stay effortless and pure. As usual, the songs are brimming with unusual sounds, this time much of the songs revolve around a lightly prepared piano, hammered dulcimer, a string quartet, marimbas, guitars, ukuleles and in the background of a few of the songs one can hear ™rvar's parent's parakeet singing with the piano.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Songs that more people should be Singing Along to..., December 22, 2009

By 

Mr. C. M. MCCLELLAND (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know (Audio CD)

I want to start off by saying that if this were the band's first album, or it were the album that introduced me to the band, I would have fallen in love with it quite quickly, if not straight away.

Their first three albums were three of the most beautiful albums I have EVER heard; "Summer Make Good" definitely being their best (in my opinion) and actually one of my favourite albums of all time ; even though it was very slow moving, it was intense, powerful and just such an epic album. They had a dark beauty to their music that I adored; very few artists have made me feel emotions so strong as these guys have...

Before the recording of their 2007 release, "Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy", Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir (who provided the vocals, and clearly a lot of the atmosphere and character, for the music) left the band. As far as I know, she wasn't happy with the direction that the band were moving into. This departure clearly changed Múm as a band. "Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy" was catchier, upbeat, and was a very nice surprise. I loved this album, but hoped that their next album would be closer to the sound of "Summer Make Good" or "Finally We Are No One".

"Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know" was released in August 2009. This album is pretty, emotional and beautifully put together (which I'm sure anything Múm releases will be), but I can tell that they are becoming more, well, normal. The focus seems to be more on the vocals than on anything else and the songs have a more traditional, "pop song" structure. That magical, fairytale-like sound seems to have almost disappeared altogether; although there are some moments here and there where it does shine through. Like I said before, the songs are very beautiful and they have a nice, calming feel to them that does bring a smile to my face when I hear them. I do love this album. Songs like "If I Were A Fish", "Húllabbalabbalúú" and "Ladies of the New Century" have a bittersweet sound that I really do enjoy. This album reminds me of a warm, sunny day spent outside (like the cover artwork suggests). Maybe I'm being a bit silly wishing for their old sound back. Obviously they are very experimental and I think it's good that they want to do something different to what they've done before, and the best way to develop is to do something different. I get the feeling that they must have a lot more fun playing these songs live as well.

Overall, this is a very good release and it stands very well on it's own. I'm still a huge fan of theirs and I will buy anything and everything that they release, but I do feel in my heart that Múm are capable of making something more powerful than this, and I'm sure that they will...

Note; fans of Múm's earlier music, or those who miss Kristín's voice; you might be pleased to know that she has actually released a small amount of solo material. In 2010, she released "Uterus Water [Vinyl]", which you can download here on Amazon or on iTunes. Unfortunately, there are only three tracks but I guess it's better than nothing... In 2007, she and her then husband, Avey Tare, released "Pullhair Rubeye", it's rather strange, but an interesting listen...

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars múm's only poor album to date, January 31, 2010

By 

Null - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know (Audio CD)

I find múm to be really one of the best bands that's been out there this last decade. Unfortunately every great band puts out the eventual album that just falls flat and on this their 6th album, they finally did just that. As noted by the previous reviewer Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir leaving the band probably had a lot to do with it, but she left prior to Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy, which while having an evolved sound was still is an epic album.

Unfortunately, with Sing Along, the sound didn't evolve, in fact it completely de-evolved. Unlike all their previous work which featured off-beat timing driven primarily by electronic percussion, Sing Along has very conventional timing driven by acoustic guitar. While some decent orchestral and electronic harmonies are layered on, the effect of switching to traditional timing is like knocking out the bottom card in the pyramid and Sing Along's works sound like mediocre folk songs with some harmonies just heaped on. Similarly the lyrics are far more direct that many previous albums; múm has always been a master of less is more, and while songs like Poison Ivy's "Blessed Brambles", or Finally We are No One's "We Have a Map of a Plane" are simply delightful in their minimal but beautiful lyrics, the lyrics on Sing Along (for example "If I Were a Fish") sound like those any hack folk singer could come up with when they first pick up their guitar.

Overall, múm is an amazing band and their other albums are must-haves. Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know, is the one glaring exception.

5.0 out of 5 stars Do yourself a favor... Listen to it!, December 10, 2011

By 

Danielle "daniellec81" (Walla Walla, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know (Audio CD)

Amazing bands do amazing work. This is one work that is amazing to me... do yourself a favor and be your own judge. I listened to this album a couple of times when I first got it. I thought a couple tracks were decent but pretty much disregarded the rest of the album and did not listen to it for several months.

A few days ago the track illuminated played on my Windows Phone radomly. I thought to myself... "why don't I know about this track". After listening to illuminated about 10 times on repeat I decied to play the entire album from start to finish. The 1st and last track are decent but the heart of the album is POWERFUL!!! Simple and playful lyrics with (in my opinion) deep spiritual significance. Remember the album is called Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know... so the lyrics are 'sing-along-able' and most likely created for that specific purpose.

With lyrics aside, the music production is amazing. The album touches so many different 'genre' sounds. You can hear layers of folk, country, electornic, disco, classical, bluegrass, etc. The entire album has a theatrical / film sound to it. I feel it adds to the power of delivery of the music and lyrics.

The album does grow on you like your old favorite spot on the couch... or that trusty sweater you always look to for warmth on cold nights. Get it and dive in!!