Sigur Ros

These 11 snapshots of swirling serenity and calamitous joy show that the Icelandic alchemists have yet to lose their inspiration. The transitory period between chiming melodies and epic sagas is where the band truly excels; that they are able to make such grand gestures out of such calm is their greatest strength.

Takk . . . is the most accessible album yet from Sigur Ros -- if a band featuring a falsetto
vocalist moaning Icelandic and/or nonsense syllables over a slow symphonic-rock
background could ever be considered accessible. Lighter and more piano-driven than the
Reykjavok quartet's previous three albums, Takk . . . suggests a far more abstract Coldplay
stripped of their stadium bombast. The majestic guitar climaxes that marked Sigu... More >