Reykjavík Grapevine - 23.07.2004, Blaðsíða 26

I CAN’T GET NO...
SATISFACTION...
The Band of the Brides wants more
The settlement of Geir
by Hrafn Þráinsson
by Anna Koskinen
Being a relatively new band at the tender age of six months,
Brúðarbandið deserves a proper introduction. Kata, Unnur, Gugga,
Sigga, Eygló, Melkorka and Sunna are the seven girls releasing
their debut album on the 22nd of July. Although they have just
started, they have named their album Meira! (or More! as the Eng-
lish speaker might say).
A quick review of the album Landnám
Iceland has a lot to offer in matters of music and the way
the industry works today, many musicians are trying to
keep up with new and fresh sounds. But some still stay
in touch with the good old vibe. Geir Harðarson, an Ice-
landic troubadour, carpenter and fisherman, has managed
to bring almost a little bit of everything into one album,
which is recorded in mono instead of stereo. Asked
why, he says it simply lasts better. His album is called
Landnám, which translates to English as Settlement.
He describes it as very national and fitting for the whole
year. It pays tribute to Icelandic folk music, blues and
rock songs with lyrics about being Icelandic and amusing
thoughts about his own life. The lyrics, his unique voice
and the instrumental accompaniment put together a
solid album with inspiration from Iceland to India. It is
recorded in a studio called Stúkuhúsið, an old venue for
teetotallers, and is located in Akranes, a town not so far
from Reykjavík. The old house gives the album a soulful,
fresh, but still classic sound.
The songs are written over a long period of
time which adds variety to the album. Geir has been
into music most of his life although Landnám is his first
album. A few months ago he hit the road around Iceland
with Hera, a well known Icelandic female vocalist and
musician. The album will be released in the beginning of
August but at least one of it´s songs, Aha, is now played
regularly on some of the radio stations. The release will
be followed with a publishing concert shortly after in a
yet unknown location but interested readers should keep
up to date with Grapevine´s concert listings.
In my own opinion the album is unique, amus-
ing and beautiful and fits for all kinds of weather, which
is important to me as a native Icelander. As described by
Geir himself, I think it belongs everywhere.
most importantly, to play music,
and to play it loud. Having landed a
record deal with the record company
12 tónar, one gets the feeling that
Brúðarbandið does definitely want
more.
Drinking, smoking and wedding
dresses
Brúðarbandið means the band of
the brides and, you guessed it, the
members play their gigs wearing
wedding dresses. On meeting the
band one does quite quickly discover
that each one of its members has
been around the block and knows
that there is quite a lot more to life
than wedded bliss - they sing of life
and experience, each having made it
well out of their teens. The irony of
the dresses is that these girls do not
believe in one perfect, white wedding
per lifetime, even announcing in
their manifesto (which can be found
on their website www.brudarbandid.
biz) that one of their goals is more
weddings for everyone. But to set
the record straight, for them the
wedding dress is first and foremost a
stage outfit, a stylistic choice, and is
definitely not the weirdest thing one
could come up with to play a gig in
(just think of David Bowie, the Red
Hot Chili Peppers (socks, anyone?)
or Kiss, to name a few). All and all,
judging by their drinking, smoking
and the topics of their talks, there
is not much that separates Brúðar-
bandið from your typical rock-‘n-roll
band (except perhaps the collection
of Madonna posters on the wall of
their rehearsal studio), but they are
familiar with the problem that all all-
girl bands have to face: the trouble of
not being taken seriously. But as it is
with most things in this world, the
only way of proving you are serious
about something is by actually show-
ing it in action, not just with words.
Something old, something new...
The point here being that a band
with the work morals equal to those
of Brúðarbandið can’t be just a joke:
the band has been up and running
for six months, during which time its
members have learned to play their
instruments (most of them com-
pletely from scratch), made songs,
played a few gigs and recorded an
album. But there is also another side
to this band, the fact that despite
having done all this, they at least
claim that they do not take them-
selves too seriously, manifesting that
what they want is groupies and free
drinks at the bar. By saying this, they
maintain that come what may, they
will always be able to laugh it off, be
it a bad record review or a gig gone
down less than well. Having fun, and
actually doing something, is better
than not doing anything at all. Big
plans aside, basically it’s just all about
wanting to play some good music
and not giving a damn whether the
world will listen or not.
As the band has had free hands
at creating the songs, each member’s
personality and musical preference
is reflected on the album, and as a
result Brúðarbandið’s music has the
joy of a band not being controlled by
a big record company. It’s obvious
that they play music that they like,
rather than sticking to one style at
its purest. Their attitude seems to
be “something old, something new,
something borrowed and something
blue,” the blue in this case being the
harmonica that wails at the back-
ground like some lovelorn seafarer.
The lyrics are straightforward in the
style of the Seattle grunge and riot
grrl bands, and the melodies range
from pretty to gritty, making them a
great live band.
To judge for yourselves, check out
the band’s album Meira!, which is
available in record stores now.
Yes, it’s a girl band in the sense
that all of its members are of the
female gender. But Brúðarbandið
is not Iceland’s answer to the Spice
Girls, or at least as such it would be
quite an ironic one. These girls (or
women) are not marketed or targeted
for a certain audience but are purely
a creation of their own, meant to
entertain and to be cherished but
NIGHTLIFEMUSICand�����
Iðnó theatre, July 31st, 16:00
INNIPÚKINN FESTIVAL
For those wise (or broke) enough not to attempt
to spend the 1st weekend of August (or the last of
July) drunk and wet in a tent somewhere in Iceland’s
wilderness, there is now a way out...or in.
While the other outdoor festivals offer a cocktail
of booze, bad weather and bad coverbands, “In-
nipúkinn” (roughly transl: couch potato?) is the
alternative choice. The music is made by bands such
as Skakkamanage, Súkkat, BenniHemmHemm, Tra-
bant, Mammút, Fræbbblarnir, Brúðarbandið, KGB,
Talnapúkinn, Singapoore sling, Drep, Skytturnar,
Rass and Ómar Ragnarsson! Entrance fee: 3000kr,
2200 if bought beforehand at 12 Tónar record shop
on Skólavörðustígur 15
NASA, August 1st, 23:00
Partyzone; DJ Sasha
Alexander Coe better known as DJ Sasha will hopefully
show up this time having unexpectedly cancelled his origi-
nal date in May. There are DJs who turn up, play records
and make people dance. And there are producers who make
the dancefloorigniting records those DJs will kill for. There
are very few people in dance music who do both and Sasha
is one of them. Entrance fee: 2500ISK
Sirkus, all Saturdays, 14:00
SIRKUS FLEA MARKET
In the garden behind Bar Sirkus is now an Amster-
dam style mini-version of a street flea market open
Saturdays only where whoever can sell their used
stuff, clothes, LP’s, CD’s or whatever, and of course
buy some themselves. The prizes are rather reason-
able and as a bonus, you can haggle all you like until
you either get shouted at or you get what you want
for as much or little as you want. A good deal anyway.
Jómfrúin ,July 24th,16:00
JAZZ QUINTET
This Saturday double bass player Þorgrímur will be
playing jazz with his band in the garden behind Res-
taurant Jómfrúin. Band members are Þorgrímur, Sax
players Ólafur and Jóel and drummer Erik Qvick.
Guest member is Irish guitarist Simon Jermyn.
De Palace, July 23rd, 21:00
ROCK & PUNK
A non stop live gig with four bands; Dark Harvest
sport the best musicians and explore the “hard to find
thin red line” between music and sports. Hölt Hóra
is new wave/punk band from Biskupstungur, famous
for covering Þeyr’s song Rudolf. Dead After School
are from England and when this is written that is all
Grapevine knows about them. Innvortis is the hap-
piest punk band there is while their lyrics are some
what not as happy, just pray to god they end their
performance with playing “The Ace of Spades”.
The visitor´s KEY to ICELAND
Its saga and scenery
Over 400 colour photographs
A complete ROAD AND REFERENCE
GUIDE
Including the highlands and all
mountain roads
Also Available in Germ
an
as: “Island Atlas”
Iceland is a country of
great and unusual
natural beauty. Every
turn in the road, every
change in the weather
presents a new and
fascinating aspect.
Detailed maps of the entire Icelandic road system
Street maps of towns and villages
Maps of numbered mountain tracks
Map of golf courses
Classified list of advertisers
Index of 3,000 place names
Information on accommodation, petrol stations, etc.
And much, much more
Available in bookstores and petrol stations around Iceland
For more info call Stöng Publishing House – Tel.: + 354 554 77 00
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