Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.12.2004, Side 32

albums
DECEMBER
THE ALBUM
Klas Molde
MUGISON
MUGIMAMA IS THIS MONKEYMUSIC ?
Maturing Without Coming to Your Senses
Mugison is one of Iceland’s most celebrated live musicians at the moment,
and rightfully so. His live gigs at the Iceland Airwaves festival as well as the
recent release party for his new full-length album have been energetic and
quite simply a lot of good fun.
2001’s Lonely Mountain earned comparisons to everything from múm
through classical singer/songwriters to country-music, The Beatles and
things just plain weird. Mugimama is this monkey music? is no less diverse;
on it we’ve got everything from filmic atmospheres to catchy refrains,
manic groaning and groovy guitars. How he fits things together without
losing focus is nothing short of a miracle. However, without in any way
coming to his senses, Mugison’s matured. Mugimama is richer sounding,
better looking and even more fun, which is what it’s essentially about.
But then again, Mugison’s music isn’t just schizophrenic rock attacks and
getting intellectual about T&A. On highlights such as the duet “2 birds” or
the magnificent “Salt”, he presents a more melancholic, poetic dimension
to his creativity. “Salt” starts off with a reading of a simple but suggestive
poem about a girl being drowned by her mother, recited over shy sounding
guitar playing and brass. After a while, eastern flavoured strings take over;
Mugison at his best and most beautifully absurd.
Mugison’s second full-length effort has got more of an acoustic feel to it
than earlier works. And indeed, anyone who’s witnessed an unplugged
Mugison gig will know that the songs stand well on their own, without
electronic backup. That’s not to say that Mugimama is more simplistic
than earlier accomplishments. Instead, she’s more organic and intimate,
with more flesh on her than anything else that’s so far come out of the
Mugiwomb.
1. It’s unfair. I spent 16 years buying
over-priced CDs and searching
through bad neighborhoods, and
worse, yuppie neighborhoods, for
records. Now a 12-year old can get a
similar collection by plugging a cord
into a computer.
2. 8-hour albums. Through
convention, albums are about 45
minutes. You listen to them. You
engage with them. You listen to
them again. Now, with the god-
forsaken iPod and 40 gigabytes, you
own so many tracks, (I won’t even
mention the fact that you now buy
songs one by one), that you lose
respect for the album. It is now
common practice for people to pop
the iPod into the docking station,
and just listen to music nonstop
all the way through work. What
happens when you listen to music
all day, without affording it any
concentration and or respect? You
get EASY LISTENING! Yes, the
iPod will bring us untold minions
of Kenny Gs and Michael Boltons.
(Okay, I really mean Britney Spears
and Keane.)
3. What the crap do you have in your
ear? Why does every iPod owner
keep the lame-ass earbuds? Digital
music can be high quality. Earbuds,
however, can’t deliver quality. People
just wear them to show they bought
the brand name.
4. What about music stores? Okay
so CDs are expensive, and music
stores are often full of pompous
jackasses. But music stores allow for
a little social interaction and access
to criticism.
5. Most importantly, iPods allow
people who seem only moderately
lame and clone-like to demonstrate
that they are extremely lame and
clone-like. This is the real trauma.
I grab a friend’s iPod and scroll
through it. 40 gigabytes. Enough
to store 667 hours of music. But
because people collect music through
similar sources, or because they are
soulless mutants, most iPods have
similar play lists. Test my theory. Go
ahead. Classical music: Shostakovich
(probably performed by the
Kronos Quartet) and the German
composers. Jazz: Miles Davis. Then
the obligatory 80s rock, two tracks by
Nick Cave, four by Eminem. Then
all the new “indie” bands, custom
made for the medium because they
blend into each other and their
names fit nicely on the display
screen. (All the “the” bands.)
The iPod is here to stay. I just hope
consumers are only going through
growing pains. Great music is still
coming out and is more available
than ever before. And good bands
are getting attention, just not
enough. I am comforted only by
the lessons offered from the DVD.
At the advent of that piece of
technology, damned near everyone
I knew was sitting in front of their
TVs watching Jurassic Park. And
still the cinema survived.
Next issue: Five Reasons Why I
Hate Electricity
by Bart Cameron
Five Main Reasons Why
I Hate iPods
Zonet: Ólafur Haukur Símonarson: Allt í góðu. Compilation album
of songs by renowned playwright, featuring KK among others and the
irrepressible Heiða.
Búdrýgindi: Juxtapós
Skífan: Kristján Jóhannsson: Portami Via. Veteran opera singers’ first
album in six years. Kristján sings in Italian and English. Proceeds of album
sales will not go to charity.
Quarashi: Guerilla Disco. First album in three years from State breakers.
Hæsta hendin: Hæsta hendin. Erpur from Rottweiler takes on the
competition.
12 Tónar: Eivör Pálsdóttir: Eivör. A more toned down follow up to last
year’s masterpiece Krákan.
Mugison: Mugimama is this monkey music. The boy from Ísafjörður
moves to Reykjavík and lives up to the hype.
Independent:
Antlew Maximum: Pioneer rappers latest.
Indigo: Too late to Shine. One of the shining lights of the acoustic scene’s
third album.
Tenderfoot: Without Gravity. More acoustic music.
Various Artists: Jólaplata. Indie musicians´ Christmas themed benefit
album for destitute mothers.
Various Artists: Free Palestine. The cream of Iceland’s up and comers
release benefit album for a refugee camp.
Pornopop: and the slow songs about the dead calm in your arms.
Surprisingly strong follow up from misnamed group.
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