Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.07.2016, Blaðsíða 34

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——— 2015 ———
By HREFNA BJÖRG GYLFADÓTTIR
Photo by TOLLI KAMBAN / KRISTJÁN FREYR EINARSSON
‘The Truth the Love the Life’’ came
out in late 2015, after three years
of recording in various places in
Iceland. It was very much a collec-
tive effort, as lead singer Markús
Bjarnason explains. “Without in-
fluences and additions from my
friends in the band Georg Kári
Hilmarsson, Ási Sigþórsson and
Marteinn Sindri Jónsson,” he
says, “as well as the guests adding
their magic, this album would be
lacking in so many ways.”
Markús says that songs and
sounds from the past inspired
the album, and that mixing many
genres with his own sound was
challenging. “In the end though,”
he says, “it made for a melting
pot of pop melodies, folk songs
and rock ’n’ roll.”

“Mónóey’’
This is one of two Icelandic-lan-
guage songs on the record, and it
reminds me of a Belle & Sebastian
song. The song was recorded in
my friend’s barn—we were jam-
ming to it for a whole night until
we got it right.

“Decent Times’’
The song’s chorus was first to
come. I was living in my first
apartment, feeling secure and
optimistic and looking forward
to the future. Then came the eco-
nomic crisis, and many stories
of people painfully losing their
money or houses. The verses are
about remembering the fact that
people can be happy and have de-
cent times with or without mon-
ey, if they feel secure.

“The Truth the Love
the Life ‘’
Kristján Freyr Einarsson and I
wrote the title song. It’s about
being a young adult and figuring
out that you know almost nothing
about life, yourself, and that you
have to make many mistakes in
order to become a decent human
being. Also about the power of
friends working together.

“Get a Party Going’’
A friend who was living in the
country for a long time having no
luck finding a girlfriend inspired
this song. As soon as he got his
own apartment and could host af-
terparties, he found a girlfriend...
he is now married with kids.

“13th Floor’’
Kristján Freyr Einarsson wrote
most of the song and I added
some lyrics. It’s sad, rough and
naive, in a beautiful way. The cho-
rus is the one of the best choruses
in any song I have ever heard.
I can say that because I did not
write it.

“É bisst assökunar’’
This one is a story told from
many perspectives—it’s funny,
but mostly sad. It’s only partly
drawn from my own experiences,
thankfully, but I have met people
who can connect to it. Most of us
struggle with bills and rent each
month, don’t we?

“Now I Know’’
This is one of the best songs I
have written, made so much bet-
ter with the band’s work. It’s
about finally knowing what to do,
who to be and not being stuck in
fear, wanting to change but con-
stantly postponing it.

“Blessed”
This was an attempt to write a
Tom Waits-inspired song. It’s a
chant featuring the Vox Populi
choir about the fate of being born
a musician or artist, and keeping
on creating even though it can
sometimes be a burden.

“Picture a Painting”
We recorded the voices and
strings from a live session. This
recording was good enough to
be included in the album with-
out anything additional. I love
albums with stripped-down ver-
sions between big arrangements.

“Slow Boat”
I love slow travelling and having
to wait in airports, or being stuck
somewhere because of weather.
It creates a special time in which
you experience the now. I’d seen
a documentary about soldiers
coming home from war, who’d
been sent home on slow boats to
give them time to work out their
experiences. I wondered how a
slow boat could help people after
a traumatic experience.
The Diversion Sessions have sev-
eral concerts coming up, including
performances at Akureyri’s Græni
Hatturinn, Havarí in Berufjörður
July 14th, Ljósanótt in Keflavík, and
a solo tour of Germany and Poland
in September.
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Music 34The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 9 — 2016
Markús & The
Diversion Sessions -
‘The Truth the
Love the Life’