Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.06.2003, Qupperneq 19

- the reykjavik grapevine -18 may 15 - may 29, 2003 - the reykjavik grapevine - 19may 15 - may 29, 2003
LISTINGS GOLLUM´S SINGER
Emiliana Torrini is sneaking
up on you. Did you know
that?
It is sheer coincidence that
an Icelander sang on the
soundtrack to “The Two
Towers” when that nation
came closest to saturated
viewing of The Lord Of The
Rings celluloid sequel. The
Icelander in question is
Emiliana Torrini who sang
‘Gollum’s Song’ which plays
during the closing credits.
Not that Icelanders are unfavour-
able to Miss Torrini, by no means.
Her musical apprenticeship in her
homeland may have seen her punt-
ing unchallenging cover versions for
easy listening radio but she went on
to perform on some of the most
popular tracks from both the Gus
Gus and Slowblow (lo-fi in-secret in
Iceland) back catalogues and to col-
laborate with the likes of street-cred-
ible UK dance label Fat Cat.
She was uncharacteristically cool
during the Gus Gus dalliance, opting
not to sign up to 4AD, the band’s
original label - a boat many aspir-
ing singers would be too scared to
miss. It was, we see now, not her
boat.
However, her vocal performance
could not account for the mass box
office turn-out. If that were the case,
Torrini would be top of the Pops in
her homeland Britney style, which
she isn’t.
Indeed, she isn’t a chart buster
anywhere and is perfectly happy to
admit it. On the big film debut Torrini
commented humbly: “They con-
tacted many singers concerning this
song. There was a lot of uncertainty
whether I would be given the op-
portunity since I am completely un-
known. This happened very quickly. I
had barely finished learning the song
when I had to go into the studio”.
But it was not just the exposure that
excited the singer. “I’m really a big
fan of the books,” she added. “I’ve
read them four times”.
The gossip circuit in the past has
suggested that there’s some friction
between Miss Torrini and her fellow
Icelandic chanteuse, Bjork. This is
understandable when one considers
that there is a similarity in the flow
of their voices, being sometimes
very powerful and at other times
little-girl-lost. But really, apart from
the inevitable similarities in accent,
the musical and live performance
comparisons end there.
One could not, however, help but
feel that her famous predecessor
was raining on her parade some-
what when she announced that The
Lord Of The Rings buck was passed
to Torrini after she had knocked it
back on account of her mother-to-be
status. Second in line, remember, is
a different thing from second best.
Still, if that thought passed through
her mind she could easily write it off
as paranoia, having said of herself:
“I’m a drama queen. I’m always im-
agining things.”
Torrini was raised in Iceland by her
Icelandic mother and Italian father
and on a balanced aural diet clas-
sical, Italian pop and Icelandic folk
songs. Her solo album ‘Love In The
Time Of Science’ was well received
and she has supported both Moby
and Sting, but she is not going to
take us by storm. No indeed, Torrini
is sneaking up on us. Hers is the
voice that plays over the enigmatic
car add. She’s been a fave with the
women’s mags, most obviously be-
cause of the emotion invested in her
performances.
Right enough, it would be improper
for Torrini to make a Britney-esque
impact on music as she looks likely,
in the long run, to have a far more
prolific and earnest career.
Listen out, say we, because you are
going to notice her when you least
expect. She’s no longer in the audio-
wallpaper business.
The gossip circuit in the past has suggested that there’s
some friction between Miss Torrini and her fellow
Icelandic chanteuse, Björk
BOTNLEÐJA FROM BLUR TO EUROVISION
Iceland used to be known, if at all, as a
land of elves and glaciers. After Björk,
however, it has also become known
as a place of out-there music. Locals
might be surprised at this, as all we
seem to hear is the usual Top 40 stuff.
But somewhere underneath, consider-
able creativity bubbles, although it usu-
ally takes representatives of the British
music press to notice this.
Sometimes this manages to explode
onto the surface. Every spring a battle
of the bands contest is held between
unknown bands, and the winners often
go on to become pillars of the under-
ground music scene. One of these
bands is Botnleðja, who won in 1995.
Botnleðja are a trio of musicians from
Hafnarfjörður, who have gone on to
make 5 albums, and even attracted
the attention of Blur, whom they toured
with under the name Silt. They started
out by playing grungy garage rock,
and have remained rather true to their
roots with a few exceptions.
This year they participated in
Iceland’s preliminary Eurovision
Song Contest, held to deter-
mine who would represent
Iceland in Riga. Sadly, they
only wound up second but their
contribution to the preliminary
contest with lyrics altered
into English ended up on their
latest album, Iceland National
Park as the Human Clicktrack.
Hopefully, in the future, all Eu-
rovision songs will sound like
this. Botnleðja might seem
to fit in nicely among the cur-
rent wave of guitar driven rock
bands, most of whom have
“The” in the title, but they’ve actually
been around for a good while longer.
This is their first album to be recorded
solely in English. They have, however,
dropped their English moniker, Silt, and
prefer to just be called Botnleðja wher-
ever they may find themselves.
Their new album shouldn’t disappoint
their old fans, and might even make
them some new ones.
M U S I C
The Icelandic Phallo-
logical Museum.
all year exhibition
For those who harbour elephantine
fantasines of another kind, the phal-
lological museum is well worth a visit.
They do in fact have an elphant speci-
men in the foreign section, but mostly
they concentrate on local variants of
all shapes and sizes to accomodate
all tastes (we hope). In fact, it houses
over 150 penises of all known Icelandic
mammals except, sadly, Homo Sapiens.
This, however, awaits remedy as a gift
token has been recived by the museum
by an honorary member promising his
honorary member upon his demise.
The country eagerly awaits this newest
addition, as the items in question are
usually only displayed privately, unless
the owner is severly inebritated, and
hence the exhibit might in somewhat
less than pristine condition. The exhibit
ranges from the impressive blue whale,
to the somewhat less impressive ham-
ster, and a special section even deals
with rarely seen creatures such as elves
and trolls, which is quite a coup as these
species are usually unwilling to part with
the parts on display. You can also see
other theme related memorabilia. You
can also, in fact, get married there, and
the first wedding was conducted there
on the first of April 2003. Whether this
improved the confidence of the groom
or gave the wife cause to doubt her de-
cision goes unreported. The curator is
usually up for a chat, and his dayjob con-
sists of teaching in a secondary school.
Rumour has it he uses a dried whale´s
penis to point at the blackboard, but
whether this is an urban legend or not
is unsubstanciated by this publication.
In any case, it is his feeling that phal-
lology has been neglected except as
a borderline field in other disciplines.
This reporter can corroborate that not
a single University teaches the subject
as a major, or else his career might
concievably have taken a different turn.
In any case, the museum is an important
contribution in the direction of bringing
the study out into the open.
Open Tuesday-Friday, 14.00-17.00.
Entrance is 400kr.
Skemmtihúsið The-
atre, the Saga of
Guðríður,
from 13th of June
Skemmtihúsið Theatre, the Saga of
Guðríður, from 13th of June
Skemmtihúsið Theatre performes
in English the Saga of Guðríður. A
woman´s tremendously courageous
voyage to Vinland (America) during the
Viking era.
Information and tickets available at the
Tourist Information Centre, Aðalstæti
2, 101 Reykjavík.
Performances in English:
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at
20:30 and Fridays at 18:00
Performances in German:
Sundays and Tuesdays at 18:00
Yes, the picture is supposed to look like that.
sculptures and films.
Coffee shop 11, Mixed events
Grand Rokk, OBLIVOUS.
Sólon, Photo exhibition
Gerðuberg, Cultural Center, Photographs of the
bridges of Highway 1, which encircles the whole
island.
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum, Some of the works
of painter Jóhannes Kjarval.
Prikið, Surprise event.
Norræna húsið, Nordic House, The Big Nordic
Elephant Show. Children dressed up as elephants
especially welcome.
Reykjavik Museum of Photography, The Five
Elements. Photographs and etchings from french-
vietnamese artist Claire Xuan.
Skemmtihúsið Theatre, -20:30- The Saga of
Gudridur. A play about a Viking woman in America
performed in English.
Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum, The works of
Iceland´s first modern sculptor, whose works are
partly based on Icelandic folklore.
Ásmundarsafn, Sculpture museum, The works
of popular sculptor Ásmundar Sveinsson, who
believed sculpture should be part of the urban
environment.
Friday, June 20
Reðursafnið, Phallological Museum, A fine
penis and penis related selection from various
mammals. First human specimen still awaited.
Hafnarborg Art Gallery, Anniversary exhibition
from the museum collection.
Gaukur á Stöng, Buff. Live trio.
Hverfisbar, DJ Atli skemmtanalögga
Glaumbar, DJ Steini
Prikið, DJ´s Hannes and Dóri.
Café 22, DJ’s Rally-cross, Diabolicals and Bjössi
Austurvöllur out door exhibition, Earth from
Above. Aerial Photographs by Yann Arthus-
Bertrand.
National and University Library, Exhibition of
Lárus Sigurbjörnsson, the founder of the city´s
documentation.
Grand Rokk, FRÆBBBLARNIR. Icelands premier
punkband of the last 25 years.
Café Victor, Gunni DJ.
Gerðuberg, Cultural Center, Images of Iceland
- milestones in cartography
Nýlistasafnið, The Living Art Museum, Matthew
Barney´s Cremaster project. Photographic works,
sculptures and films.
Sólon, Photo exhibition
Gerðuberg, Cultural Center, Photographs of the
bridges of Highway 1, which encircles the whole
island.
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum, Some of the works
of painter Jóhannes Kjarval.
Norræna húsið, Nordic House, The Big Nordic
Elephant Show. Children dressed up as elephants
especially welcome.
Reykjavik Museum of Photography, The Five
Elements. Photographs and etchings from french-
vietnamese artist Claire Xuan.
Coffee shop 11, The resident DJ provides the
rock
Skemmtihúsið Theatre, -18:00- The Saga of
Gudridur. A play about a Viking woman in America
performed in English.
Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum, The works of
Iceland´s first modern sculptor, whose works are
partly based on Icelandic folklore.
Ásmundarsafn, Sculpture museum, The works
of popular sculptor Ásmundar Sveinsson, who
believed sculpture should be part of the urban
environment.
Saturday, June 21
Reðursafnið, Phallological Museum, A fine
penis and penis related selection from various
mammals. First human specimen still awaited.
Hafnarborg Art Gallery, Anniversary exhibition
from the museum collection.
Hverfisbar, DJ Atli skemmtanalögga
Leikhúskjallarinn, DJ Gullfoss og Geysir
Café Victor, DJ Heiðar Austmann
Glaumbar, DJ Þór Bæring
Café 22, DJ’s Rally-cross, Diabolicals and Bjössi
Coffee shop 11, Duke Box, guests provide the
music
Austurvöllur out door exhibition, Earth from
Above. Aerial Photographs by Yann Arthus-
Bertrand.
National and University Library, Exhibition of
Lárus Sigurbjörnsson, the founder of the city´s
documentation.
Prikið, Gísli Galdur.
Gerðuberg, Cultural Center, Images of Iceland
- milestones in cartography
Gaukur á Stöng, Jet Black Joe. Retrorock.
Kaffibarinn, KGB.
Nýlistasafnið, The Living Art Museum, Matthew
Barney´s Cremaster project. Photographic works,
sculptures and films.
Sólon, Photo exhibition
Gerðuberg, Cultural Center, Photographs of the
bridges of Highway 1, which encircles the whole
island.
Grand Rokk, SINGAPORE SLING. Live rock band.
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum, Some of the works
of painter Jóhannes Kjarval.
Norræna húsið, Nordic House, The Big Nordic
Elephant Show. Children dressed up as elephants
especially welcome.