All Time Top 1100 Albums (Aerosmith - Big Ones) P265

BlueHammer85 said:
25/1100

View attachment 29268


Ágætis byrjun (Icelandic:A good beginning) is the second studio album by Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, released on 12 June 1999. The album was recorded between the summer of 1998 and the spring of 1999 with producer Ken Thomas. Ágætis byrjun represented a substantial departure from the band's previous album Von, with that album's extended ambient soundscapes replaced by Jónsi Birgisson's cello-bowed guitarwork and orchestration, using a double string octet amongst other chamber elements.

Ágætis byrjun became Sigur Rós's breakthrough album, both commercially and critically. It received a 2000 release in the United Kingdom and a 2001 release in the United States. According to their label Smekkleysa, the album sold 10,000 copies on its first year of release in Iceland, earning the band platinum status. It won numerous awards, and has appeared on multiple critics' lists of the best albums of the 2000s.

Ágætis byrjun is the band's first album to feature keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson, and their last to feature drummer Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson, who left the band several months after the album was released. Gunnarsson was replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason in the same year.


1. Intro
2. Svefn-g-englar
3. Staralfur
4. Flugufrelsarinn
5. Ny batteri
6. Hjartao hamast (bamm bamm bamm)
7. Viorar vel loftarasa
8. Olsen Olsen
9. Agaetis byrjun
10. Avalon


Here we go! Review No.25 - We've gone from heavy thrash metal to now atmospheric rock ambience! @nickmcfc1 the closest but he didn't check the other list, the Rolling Stone top 100 where Sigur Ros feature - Indeed Iceland the easy clue picture, but even easier was I mentioned the Album title 'A Good Beginning' which translates to Ágætis byrjun!
Was aware of Sigur Ros from BBC Planet Earth where their song was used - loved that track 'Hoppipolla' but I never ventured further - so it was good to give them a go.
Hard to describe how emotive this was - as someone now middle aged listening to random Albums each week it's easy to forget how Music can transcend inside of you and stop you in your tracks at times.
'Svefn-g-englar' 'Olsen Olsen' and 'Staralfur' the highlights with its strings and haunting acoustic guitar, all are cinematic with expansive and experimental sound and somehow mix classical, instrumental, Pop and ambient all into one - it plays with your mood - not to come across as to hippified but a lot of these tracks can leave you feeling enlightened, happy, sad or just calm.
I don't want to go too far in praise here, as it lacks a bit of bite and direction and lyrically it's all sung in Icelandic - so they could be singing about anything! but I really did enjoy a lot here, many tracks slowly build up (which can be tedious) to a lovely big crescendo at the end. Very different but It worked for me.

This placed number 29 out of the Top 100 00's


7/10



Click to expand...

Argh. Embarrassingly especially given this is in Icelandic, I didn’t know Sigur Ros were Icelandic. Only heard them in bits. Another new one!
 
BlueHammer85 said:
25/1100

View attachment 29268


Ágætis byrjun (Icelandic:A good beginning) is the second studio album by Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, released on 12 June 1999. The album was recorded between the summer of 1998 and the spring of 1999 with producer Ken Thomas. Ágætis byrjun represented a substantial departure from the band's previous album Von, with that album's extended ambient soundscapes replaced by Jónsi Birgisson's cello-bowed guitarwork and orchestration, using a double string octet amongst other chamber elements.

Ágætis byrjun became Sigur Rós's breakthrough album, both commercially and critically. It received a 2000 release in the United Kingdom and a 2001 release in the United States. According to their label Smekkleysa, the album sold 10,000 copies on its first year of release in Iceland, earning the band platinum status. It won numerous awards, and has appeared on multiple critics' lists of the best albums of the 2000s.

Ágætis byrjun is the band's first album to feature keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson, and their last to feature drummer Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson, who left the band several months after the album was released. Gunnarsson was replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason in the same year.


1. Intro
2. Svefn-g-englar
3. Staralfur
4. Flugufrelsarinn
5. Ny batteri
6. Hjartao hamast (bamm bamm bamm)
7. Viorar vel loftarasa
8. Olsen Olsen
9. Agaetis byrjun
10. Avalon


Here we go! Review No.25 - We go from heavy thrash metal to now atmospheric rock ambience! @nickmcfc1 the closest but he didn't check the other list, the Rolling Stone top 100 where Sigur Ros feature - Indeed Iceland the easy clue picture, but even easier was I mentioned the Album title 'A Good Beginning' which translates to Ágætis byrjun!
Was aware of Sigur Ros from BBC Planet Earth where their song was used - loved that track 'Hoppipolla' but I never ventured further - so it was good to give them a go.
Hard to describe how emotive this was - as someone now middle aged listening to random Albums each week it's easy to forget how Music can transcend inside of you and stop you in your tracks at times.
'Svefn-g-englar' 'Olsen Olsen' and 'Staralfur' the highlights with its strings and haunting acoustic guitar, all are cinematic with expansive and experimental sound and somehow mix classical, instrumental, Pop and ambient all into one - it plays with your mood - not to come across as to hippified but a lot of these tracks can leave you feeling enlightened, happy, sad or just calm.
I don't want to go too far in praise here, as it lacks a bit of bite and direction and requires a lot of patience, also lyrically it's all sung in Icelandic - so they could be singing about anything! but I really did enjoy a lot here, many tracks slowly build up (which can be tedious) to a lovely big crescendo at the end. Very different but It worked for me.

This placed number 29 out of the Top 100 Rolling Stone's 00's Albums


7/10



Click to expand...

Never heard of them - looking forward to it..........
 
I've tried listening to Sigur Rós before and didn't find anything interesting. This album seems to meander like a small stream but sadly doesn't actually do much else, no waterfalls or anything exciting. Maybe a few eddies along the way that make you look and say, "Oh that bit was nice". Mainly sounds like they're tuning their instruments, or just putting them away.

4 / 10 - and that's generous because it's Friday.
 
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