Customer Reviews

Takk...

5 star:		(125)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Words will never suffice to adequately describe the music of Sigur Ros. Coming from Iceland, in a little more than five years, they've made the universe their stage, with a sound that doesn't repeat anywhere else in nature and touching some of the deepest fibers you could ever imagine to be found inside of you.

With a balance of instruments and ethereal voices that doesn't know barriers or limitations imposed by musical genres, their fourth album, "Takk...", exceeds all expectations by their previous fans, leaving their previous production, "( )", in the dust. It will take you in a trance you will not want to leave and it will force those riding with you in the car to tag along with you, something that they are not likely to regret.

If you think I am exaggerating, take a pick: there's almost no part of this album that you can go wrong with. Whether you want to call their sound post-rock or any other name you care to give it, it doesn't matter. The truth is, if you could see their music... you would see heaven.

I came to know them while being in Australia when meeting my Icelandic girlfriend at the time... she gave me as a present Agaetis Byrjun. When I played it, it was the most beautiful and soothing sound I had ever heard. The brilliantness of Staralfur made me feel a chill through my bones and Vidrar put tears in my eyes the very first time I heard it. I couldn't believe how it was possible that people produced such beautiful sounds. Their music made me dream, made me feel. Music is not music if you can't feel it and Sigur Rós's sound makes you drift away to a different world. A world different from us, a wolrd only possible when listening to these beautiful sounds.

Then ( ) came into the light. It was completely different from Agaetis. More sober, more obscure bust just as beautiful. Untitled #1 is haunting and despite everyone saying that it is kind of depressing, I find it highly cheerful and happy. Another song that when the moment is right brings tears into my eyes.

But Takk... Takk... is heaven. Takk's sound is the most cheerful album the band has ever made. The striking intro to Glósóli and how the song delivers its climax is brilliant. Takk is beautiful, Takk is celestial voices. Takk's beauty cannot be described with words. Hoppippolla follows with a piano arrangement that goes deep into the mind to explore and to illuminate even the most darkest of caves. For myself, I can't help but shed some tears everytime I hear this album.. it doesn't matter which song because every single one is absolutely brilliant and beautiful in its own way. Takk is a celebration for life, a celebration for all the beautiful things that are present in this world. Even people who are not Sigur Rós fans will find this album highly listenable and enjoyable.

Takk will be hard to top... everytime I listen to it, I cannot satisfy myself with any other type of music. It's just that beautiful. The best disc so far, and for me, one of the greatest of all time by one of the most incredible groups ever to be present on this earth. Who would say that this foursome who play the guitar with violin bows, the bass with drum sticks and uses xylophones and bells would produce the most beautiful sounds of the earth?

It's not a joke to say that "Takk . . ." is Sigur Ros's most accessible album, but anyone who heard its cryptic predecessor, "()," knows that the Icelandic quartet has a long way to paddle to reach the mainstream.

Specialists in abstract soundscapes that sometimes coalesce into melody, singer Jonsi Birgisson and his cohorts don't construct verse-chorus-verse rockers or loop-and-thump ravers. But the band, working with co-producer Ken Thomas, has brought new focus and presence to its wispy music on "Takk . . . " (which means "Thanks"). While such fantasias as the 10-minute "Milano" resemble a mash-up of Eno, Sibelius and Radiohead, the pretty (and relatively compact) "Hoppipolla" has moments that suggest a Nordic interpretation of circa 1966 Beach Boys.


The group has playfully labeled "Takk . . . " its rock 'n' roll album, and the drums and guitars are more emphatic than before; "Glosoli" even builds to a climax that crashes and burns like My Bloody Valentine. Devotees of Sigur Ros's breakthrough release, 1999's "Agaetis Byrjun," may find this one too extroverted. Yet there are many familiar timbres, starting with Birgisson's falsetto and including twinkling keyboards and slithering bowed instruments (guitar and violin). What has changed is the sense of dynamics, which doesn't alter the band's fundamental design. It's just that many of this disc's loveliest passages are set off by roars rather than whispers.


Hell, even if you tried, a serious, involved listen to Takk... will blow that can right open. It's that well-constructed, thoughtful, emotionally provocative and cathartic.
Takk is one of the very few ways major labels get it right. Music like this deserves a wide audience, for its sheer audacity, skill, and penetrating beauty.

This is simply the best of Sigur Ros.

I'd listened to Agaetis Byrjun countless times when I finally picked up Takk... Too often the initial burst of creativity that a band brings to their first maor release fizzles; not so with Sigur Ros. Takk... continues opening new auditory scapes to the listener with even more depth, complexity, and raw emotion.

I find that people either really like Sigur Ros, or they don't. I find that it touches deep places within; if you enjoy those places being touched, this is your music.

That said it's not necessarily easy to listen to; not some set of catchy hooks; the tracks and album tell a sonic story that builds and progresses. Picking up in the middle doesn't make a lot of sense and at times can be a bit jarring =)

In short I can't say enough about this album or the artists. It's a truly original sound (at least to me), and living in the north (Maine) I appreciate how it describes the natural world.

I've been extremely engrossed by "Ágætis Byrjun" and "( )" before. Ágætis Byrjun was one of the stepping stones for my entire discovery of post-rock. It was probably the most unique music I've ever heard at that point. ( ) had a great concept, was a great follow-up and a re-defined sound for the band but 2 or 3 songs on the second half were dragged on a little too long for me. But this... is a whole new level of Sigur Ros' unimaginable talent of creating out-of-this-world, or galaxy, even... sound. They have ironed out the very few flaws from before and have truly achieved nirvana here.

The first song, "Takk..." is a simple, two-minute angelic, ambient intro.

Next is "Glosoli," a rather relaxing track for the majority of the duration, with light, alien-like vocals, floating bells, and a strange faint marching kind of sound for rhythm, painting a nostalgic, child-like image (maybe the video is giving me that image, but...). About two-thirds into the song, the intense buildup is foreshadowed and all of a sudden that powerful, heavier rock sound is released, creating that familiar yet refreshing transcendent sound that no other musicians can produce.

Next is "Hoppipolla," starting out with a simple piano melody, soon adding string instruments for a very welcoming, uniting feeling. I have no idea what he is saying but that has no bearing that this is some of the most joyful music I've ever heard, and delivers such a warm feeling despite the origin is the frigid lands of Iceland. This song is shorter and has a bit more structure than most Sigur Ros songs. "Meo Blodnasir" feels like it is the ending to the previous song; it has the exact same sounds, not sure why it is split up.

"Se Lest" begins with some distorted electronic bleeps which slowly morphs into a delicate, nostalgic, icy melody of bells, quickly introducing that familiar, alien-like light vocal style and starts overlapping itself. Some brass instruments suddenly emerge for a little twist after a period of extreme ambience. It's a very quirky addition to an otherwise very laid-back song. However that will start paving the way for the splash of genius that is the next song...

"Saeglopur" is probably my favorite song on the album and it seems like most agree. It begins with a delicate, somewhat cold piano melody quickly adding vocals, bells and very idiosyncratic, playful little percussion. This continues on for a minute or so, gets you used to the sound which is reminiscent of the long track before, then the piano melody suddenly backflips into something more menacing and darker, and ascends into a heavy wall of arcane sound with the wailing vocals and general melody staying the same if you listen closely. The vocals here are truly phenomenal as they soar just as far from our galaxy as the rest of the music. Just when you think the song will come crashing back down, it retains that phantasmal feeling for most of the song. After a while, the wall of arcane sound is overcome and the music gradually calms down into a limbo between the heavy side and soft side, and slowly fades out. Absolutely brilliant.

"Milano" takes its time to emerge, introducing the next joyful melody the band has concocted. It kind of reminds me of Viðrar vel til Loftárása, a melody that basically continues on for 10 minutes, but it's so good it doesn't get old. It also keeps changing from upbeat to calm, with the perfect buildups of course, but I'd say the majority of the song is quite relaxing.

"Gong" is my second favorite song, a slightly different style than the rest. It begins with a simple string melody for about 10 seconds to point the listener in the wrong direction, and then starts to introduce the main theme. The majority of the song has a very upbeat and fractious rhythm, and more straightforward vocals expressing a darker feeling instead of such a joyful fuzzy feeling like most songs. There are so many different sounds intertwined and interweaved together here it is really a much needed change of pace and a puzzle for your ears to unravel. My only complaint is the song isn't long enough. It's so good I usually play it twice in a row.

"Andvari" ...this song is very soothing and hypnotic... so much that the entire song just went by and I didn't write a single word during it and it was over all of a sudden. "Svo Hljott" is another very calming song. The entire song is one big crescendo, like weather going from a dull, foggy, cold morning to a sunny and warm afternoon. "Heysátan" ends the album with a satisfied feeling... doesn't end with a bang, doesn't really fade out softly, but a happy medium.

If you're new to Sigur Ros... I think it's obvious that the band is very much an acquired taste. I remember finding the hype of Sigur Ros on Amazon.com and listening to Svefn-g-englar a few times and absolutely hating it. A few months later Ágætis Byrjun was in my hands. You've got to give them an honest chance and you'll be happy when you do.

I was sitting at home one night watching one of the various music video channels, and something beautiful happened. A song i'd never heard in my life came on, from a group i've never heard of, it was "Hoppipolla". At First I was drawn in by the music, and sitting there frozen staring at the screen was a video clip unlike anything i'd ever seen. The combination of the two was enough to almost envoke tears. Amazing. Now that I have the album when I listen to it, especially through headphones at night before going to sleep, I just float off to another world. If I was dying, i'd like to listen to this music while I was so that I would be rid of any fear, and be resting in complete and utter peace.

I am Icelandic. Yet I didn't used to like Sigur Rós back in the late nineties when I still lived in Iceland. I guess I was too used to "normal" music. Sigur Rós just didn't resonate with me for some reason. But gradually people of all ages in Iceland started to be captivated by their music (I accredit that to Icelandic radio stations actually playing their music, unlike in America). So my girlfriend and I bought their CDs here in the US and we gave them a try. It took a long time, but within the last year or two I realized that Sigur Rós in fact transcends music. Their sounds are devine, God-inspired, reflecting purity, and everything that Iceland is. No other music has ever succeeded in making me cry. With Sigur Rós it happens almost every time.

Those fellow countrymen of mine have truly created something exceptional. One cannot categorize it. As many have said, "Takk..." is certainly the most accessible of their albums yet, but it's still not commercial, it's still Sigur Rós. For beginners, it's the album to go for, Ágætis byrjun and ( ) should follow, in that order. Listening to Sigur Rós takes patience, but the harvest is ever so sweet and gratifying. One will not be disappointed but instead grateful to the muses for inspiring those four Icelanders. Their music, as exemplified by "Takk..." is at the same time vast, epic, romantic, sad, happy, beautiful, mindblowing, transcendant, yet strangely it cannot be described in words. Your lives will be forever changed.

Iceland's Sigur Ros return with "Takk..." and what a return it is. Epic, beautiful, anthemic...this album, like most of Sigur Ros' output, is all of those things, but "Takk..." adds two elements that have not always been present in their music (and something that was greatly missing on 2002's ( ), their last release); hope and immediacy. Ripping out of the gate with the heavenly 'Takk' and 'Glosoli', "Takk..." grabs your hand and takes you on a journey you need to go on.

This is easily Sigur Ros' most accessible record but the faithful will be pleased to hear that that accessibility has not been gained with the forfeit of any of the band's creativity or care for their craft. Elements still snake in and out of songs perfectly and everything seems to have been touched by a higher power. If there's one thing that "Takk..." does, it's make you feel. Lullabys and car-crashes, it's all here.

Simply put, "Takk..." is stunning. This is music.

For the most part, the music I enjoy are by artists who don't release much material these days - people like Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Queen, Yes, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, etc. However, there are very few artists performing on a regular basis today that I get excited about when I hear they are releasing a new album. Radiohead is one of those as is Wilco and Beck. But it is this album by Iceland's Sigur Ros that had me excited for well over a month (and would have been longer if I had known about it sooner!).

And I am happy to say that I am not disappointed by "Takk". I have to admit that I didn't like "( )" aka Untitled as much as "Agaetis Byrjun" but Untitled has grown on me. I think the reason for that is Untitled is more bleak and sadder compared to "Agaetis Byrjun". "Takk" is a more upbeat album for sure compared to Untitled and the song lengths seem to have gotten shorter. But you know after hearing the first 15 seconds of the album's instrumental title track, that this is a Sigur Ros album. After the opener, Sigur Ros goes for the throat immediately with the outstanding "Glosoli", one of their all-time best songs, IMO. After hearing this song, it is very apparent to me that My Bloody Valentine is a huge influence on Jonsi and the rest of the band. Track #3 is a very joyous song and reminds me of a shorter version of some of the tracks on "Agaetis Byrjun". The next 2 tracks were alright, but nothing outstanding. That all changed with track #6, "Saeglopur" - this one song by itself makes buying this album essential. It is like they took the best parts of "Agaetis Byrjun" and Untitled and mixed in some My Bloody Valentine and came up with this monster. Words cannot describe this song - it is a just phenomenal song.

Unfortunately, with such a mindblowing song in the middle of the album, it was inevitable the rest of the album would pale in comparison. Track #7 is okay but meanders a little too much and then we have "Gong" (Track #8) - one of the few songs on the album that the band had played live in concerts. It is one of the best songs on the album with some phenomenal drumming. The last 3 tracks are solid but nothing special.

The end result is that "Takk" is a very solid album that weakens just a little bit near the end. Not as great as "Agaetis Byrjun" but an album that is just as good or better than Untitled, IMO. Buy it simply for track #6 and prepare to have your jaw drop in amazement.

When you encounter a rock quartet from Iceland with a guitarist who plays more with a cello bow than a pick or fingers, unique would be the first word to come to mind. When I try to categorize Sigur Ros in relation to something else, the closest I can come to successfully comparing is "Radiohead on Acid." Even that still isn't a just comparison.

Takk... is an amazing album. The songs just unfold. The music builds and swells to breathtaking climaxes. The music is unbelievably dynamic. The vocals are downright angelic. The texture is thick and rich. The album is produced in a manner that creates an unbelievable experience for the listener. The sounds come together to create a sort of sonic nirvana that can be found in almost no other music. The string arrangements are uplifting to the soul. There is honestly nothing on this album that I would change. Everything fits together perfectly to provide the listener with everything that they want. The music is so interesting that unlike most outfits of popular music, the listener doesn't have to turn to the text of the lyrics in order to maintain interest. Which is important, because unless you know Icelandic, the lyrics have little to offer you. The sounds simply just wash over the listener. I honestly cannot do a just description of this album. You'll have to take my for it that this album will simply give you an experience of pure elation that you have never felt before.