Customer Reviews

We Built a Fire

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I so wanted to love this album. I saw them play a small tent a couple of years ago and immediately bought their first album from them, 'The Ghost that carried us' and fell in love with it. This the Icelandic groups second offering does build on the same themes but instead of going for the breathless almost gossamer feel of their first album this one just seems to mix up the genres and not engage on the emotional level that I know they are capable of.

That said I do like track 2 'Fire dies down' and I adore the fact that it was recorded in a basement and they are all really nice people too. He has that breathy way of singing that can really work but it might be that the more up tempo feel of this work does not easily lend itself to that treatment. 'Cold Summer' is a real grower too and they have some luscious strings and the kind of quality musical craftsman ship that seems to almost ooze effortlessly from Icelandic bands, such as Benni Hem Hem and the ubiquitous 'Sigur Ros' and fair play to Seabear they do sing in English making them that more accessible.

Having said the above I will still fall over myself to buy the next offering and cannot cast any criticisms on their live shows - they have a good sense of humour and I feel can be relied on to deliver in the future which is more than can be said of Iceland's financial institutions.

i found this cd on the stoop outside of my house. it is really awesome. this album invokes the playful merriment of children playing outside or liesurely passing time with close friends. the vocals are cathartic and dreamy. the instruments are varied and appropriate. the genre is pretty much Low-Fi but also reminds me of some folk. if you have heard of iron and wine this band is similar but cleaner.