Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.12.2004, Page 34

reviews
INDIGÓ
TOO LATE TO SHINE
People seem not quite to have
grasped it yet, as was to be seen
from the poor attendance at the
Tenderfoot gig at the Smekkleysa
record shop last Friday (November
19th). Those who did turn up
enjoyed a startling set of mellow
acoustic songs, a mixture of the early
Radiohead mingled with country, a
blast of melodies that unfolds in your
ears before it sinks down into your
heart. Thanks to the double bass,
maybe, which adds a certain weight
to this experience. A very beautiful,
very tender approach to bring music
back to those who are tired of
pushing it to the end of its tether.
Mind you, the Bad Taste dominated
surroundings made some of the
atmosphere, with all sorts of
memorabilia from the “Lobster or
Fame” exhibition in the corner of
your eye. A manikin in a rabbit´s suit
to the right and a pile of shrill 80´s-
style clothes scattered on the floor in
the front of “the stage” can’t help but
clamor for attention.
The setting of the gig was
no coincidence, of course, as
Tenderfoot have recently signed
a deal with Smekkleysa. After
having accumulated and developed
a number of songs during their
two years of touring, the band have
finally decided to record their first
full-length album. As a live band
first and foremost, Kalli, Konni,
Grímsi and Helgi have recorded
most of the songs on “Without
Gravity” (which will be released in
December) live in the studio. “The
communication that takes place
between the band members at a
concert creates a cetrain element
in our music. This would be much
harder to capture when recorded step
by step individually”, they explain.
Thus, little or no changes at all
were added to some of the songs.
Others they felt they had to take a
bit further, adding more complicated
arrangements by working on top of
this special live-recording essence of
theirs.
So is this Tenderfoot’s magic potion?
A bit of alternative-country, the
old-fashioned way, an enchanting
voice, a double bass and a mandolin
here and there. What more can you
ask from music than being taken in
by its beauty?
by Julika Huether
THE SIMPLE BEAUTY
OF TENDERFOOT
However captivating, intriguing and special the Reykjavík music scene might be, there is also
a dark side to it. With all these fantastic bands just outside your doorstep, people seem to be spoiled
by outstanding, challenging music. New adventures in hifi are praised perpetually while more
conventional approaches are easily overlooked. But has anybody ever considered that the simple beauty of
music can be even more challenging than any lets-push-this-button-and turn-this-amp-up-so-we-get-
some-strange-sounds-attitude?
Remember Pornopop? No? Well, don’t
worry because most people had totally
forgotten about the band...if they even
knew about it in the first place.
It’s been 7 years since it’s first album,
‘Blue’, saw the light of day and despite
some great reviews, the public failed
to take notice as often is the case with
experimental artists. After being largely
anonymous since, Pornopop finally
returns with an album that surpasses it’s
own adventurous debut. Sure, it’s title
may sound a bit pretentious but at the
same time gives the listener a quite clear view of what he’s about to hear over
the next 40 minutes or so.
Pornopop is led by 2 brothers, Pétur Jóhann Einarsson and Ágúst
Arnar Einarsson, along with producer Arnar Helgi Aðalsteinsson, who must
take huge credit for his tasteful arrangements. The electronics blend perfectly
with the acoustic instruments, creating an ambience that’s hauntingly
beautiful at the best of times – and there are plenty of those here. The album
also has no obvious lows although it does drift a bit off after reaching it’s
climax during tracks 5 and 6, titled ‘Sleep’ and ‘It Doesn’t Mean a Thing’
respectively. The song that then follows, ‘Little Kafka’, could possibly be seen
as the album’s weekest moment, mainly because of the vocal-effect, which
adds little to it. Elsewhere, Pornopop stick to using Pétur Jóhann’s soft,
natural voice to much better effect and he is also accompanied by a female
vocalist on yet another of the album’s high-points, titled ‘Centre’.
As stated earlier, this album is superior to it’s predecessor even
though Pornopop’s wall of sound isn’t quite as thick as it used to be. Here,
the band chooses to focus on matters more delicate and end up with an
album that could either be described as gracefully quiet or quietly graceful...
you decide. After hiding in the shadows for so long, Pornopop have sneaked
in through the back-door to deliver one of the most memorable Icelandic
albums of 2004. by Árni Viðar
PORNOPOP
AND THE SLOW SONGS ABOUT
DEAD CALM IN YOUR HANDS
You hear it sometimes: “If you squint, your friend kind of looks like Tom
Cruise.” And you try it, and yes, indeed your large-nosed geeky friend can
look like Tom Cruise and you shudder to think that the homely girl he’s
dating squints this way during sex.
It doesn’t take that much, but with Indigó, if you don’t pay attention, it
sounds like Ryan Adams. And not crappy live or rock Ryan Adams, but the
guy who did emotional well-produced and well-played love songs.
Put this cd on during a party, and any friend with any feminine qualities (in
Iceland, this is more likely to be a man than a woman, and more likely to be a
foreigner than anyone else), will ask the name of the singer. It’s mood music.
Music to light candles to.
I can recommend the cd as Iceland’s contribution to the light alt. country
movement. Moreover, I can highly recommend an Indigó live show.
However, there is a draw back: don’t listen too closely. While the melodies
sound spot on, and the violin and slow chords blend perfectly, the words
being sung are not good. Because they are sung so well, and with so much
sighing, they draw attention to themselves and, unfortunately, they just don’t
have the depth to survive any examination.
The tendency in the songwriting on the album is to repeat key I’m-having-
a-deep-moment questions: “Is it too late to shine what’s on your mind?” or
“Is there something you have to say this way?” with “way” being drawn out as
though it is truly a dagger in the heart.
If you are patient, you will shrug your shoulders and enjoy the protracted
chords. Native English speakers might laugh and imagine singing similar
lines with such passion in French. But probably most listeners who own
the album and enjoyed a first distracted listening will take the cd out of the
player, lose it, and pretend they never heard the words.
by Bart Cameron
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