Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.04.2008, Side 19

Article | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 04 2008 | 19
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The top of the youthful crop was crowned this March 15 at the final
round of Iceland’s 27th annual Battle of the Bands, Músíktilraunir, in
the Hafnarhús Reykjavík Art Museum.
49 bands competed in semi-finals the preceding week with 10
finalists advancing. Each band had the chance to perform two origi-
nal songs and made it through to the next stage by either winning
the audience’s vote or the judge’s vote in each round.
Intended for rocksters between the ages of 13 – 25, the Músík-
tilraunir battle has been known to launch some big names onto the
local scene. Kolrassa Krókríðandi, Maus, Mínus, the XXX Rottweiler
dogs, and Jakobínarína all took home the gold at one point in time,
and the Battle gets name-dropped in reference to the bands as often
as vice versa.
Last year’s winners, Shogun, had the honour of opening the
night’s contest and playing the anointed role models. They had a
tight-knit sound, with a three-tiered guitar and bass medley running
alongside variant hardcore screams, but they lacked charisma and
charm.
The night’s closing and winning act, Agent Fresco, had a simi-
lar character problem. The band was comprised of extremely well-
versed instrumentalists, with the bassist, drummer and guitarist all
receiving the official accolades for their respective instruments at
the end of the night, yet their effort was more an exhibition of their
instrumental know-how than of ambitious musical cogitation. Their
rapid and meticulously layered instrumentals were enticing enough,
but when paired with unfocused, frenetic vocal shouts, screams
and fast-paced talking, unravelled into something completely inac-
cessible and far too schizophrenic to yield any lasting effect.
The final results of the night reflected a distinct and calculat-
ed diplomatic quality. In second place was the R&B/rap duo Óskar
Axel & Karen Páls, who were juvenile but entertainingly so, accom-
panied by a hooking beat and backup break dancers. In third place
was the screamo band Endless Dark, who did their emo-rock thing
well and weren’t lacking in cohesion, purported intensity or faux-
hawk thrashing.
The night’s highlight however, turned out to be the sincere and
ambitious efforts of the youngsters of Hinir, Happy Funeral and Blæ-
ti, whose sets were perhaps less innovative, but much more com-
pelling than the rest. Blæti, the classical counterpart to the night’s
winners, were a well-schooled band of 18-year-olds who masterfully
mingled a clarinet, drums, keyboard, and bass into ruminations that
were charming for being original in an earnest rather than showy
way.
Text by Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir
Músíktilraunir 2008
Photos by GAS