Showing posts with label iceland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iceland. Show all posts
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
Saturday, October 03, 2015
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Pelican - Uppteknir (1974)
An Icelandic gem. They play psychedelic progressive rock basically; but you can find some acidly and even pop (pop rock) elements.Ómar Óskarsson has a great role in music compositions and Björgvin Gíslason's guitar style is unique. Highly recommended. By Tiliar
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Sunday, April 15, 2007
Trúbrot
Trúbrot were born when members of Hljómar (Owens, Júlíusson and Þórðarson) and Flowers (Sighvatsson and Hákonarson) decided to form a 'supergroup' in 1969. Their first album appeared in the same year - a collection of late-sixties pop songs (featuring male and female vocals) with orchestral arrangements on some tracks and a kind of Bacharach-like aura, due to the frequent use of jazz chords. They did Icelandic versions of José Feliciano's "Rain", Lennon-McCartney's "I'll Be Back" and Holland-Dozier-Holland's "My World Is Empty Without You". More ambitious is their pop version of an extract from Richard Wagner's opera, "Tannhäuser" and their own tongue-in-cheek pop opera, "Afgangar" (9:00). The album was recorded at the Trident Studios in London. It was strongly influenced by British pop music. Perhaps those tracks with a hint of hippie folk and vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, flute and percussion are the most memorable ones. It is not a bad album within its field."Undir Áhrifum" (1970) was recorded in Denmark by a revamped version of the band. All of the material was written by the group this time around, but mostly featuring English lyrics. Among the 8 tracks were some fantastic imitations of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ("In The Country" and "Everything's Alright"). Slightly more progressive tendencies are detectable on the great closing track, "Stjörnuryk" (7:28).
"...Lifun" (1971) was their pop opera comprised of interconnected tracks, influenced by The Move, Led Zeppelin and Keith Emerson (and also the Beatles and CSN&Y). The album came in a hexagonal cover and was their most accomplished work, recorded with Gerry Boys in London.
"Mandala" (1972) was a simpler offering and a return to basic, well-crafted pop style. Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980) in more than 20 European Countries, by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-12-2
Thanks to Alex Giltin
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Trúbrot - S/T(1969)
Trúbrot - Undir Áhrifum (1970) & ....Lifun (1971)
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Hinn Islenzki Thursaflokkur
Extremely rare progressive rock from Island. 2 albumsTheir name on their first eponymous album was Hinn Islenzki Thursaflokkur (translation: The Icelandic Flock of Trolls / Hinn = The). This album was released 1978. When they released their second album Thursabit they had shortened their name to Thursaflokkurin (translation: The Flock of Trolls), and that is what everyone call them (even in the notes of the first album). Their third album was live and was probably released in 1980. It is said that they had made a fourth album 1994. This band hails from Iceland, and to get a hint at their sound you might think of a Scandinavian Gryphon mixed with a large dose of Gentle Giant. Thursabit was their second album, released in 1979. Hinn Islenski Thursaflokkur are by no means anything close to a Gentle Giant clone - they just do their own thing which happens to incorporate a lot of the kinds of things that make Gentle Giant such a good, original band; odd meters and constant time changes, lots of dynamics, quirky rhythmic and melodic motifs, excellent musicianship, a healthy variety in their sound, even within the same song, and well performed, if sometimes odd, vocals. The music is also reminiscent of bands such as Hatfield and the North and National Health. They have folk roots, but except for maybe two songs, this influence is heard more in the vocals than in the music. There is some excellent prog here, very energetic, that serves as a setting for old Icelandic verse. The extensive liner notes come with the lyrics in Icelandic as well as explanation and background on the poetry in English. Very interesting reading. The instrumentation is guitar, a variety of keyboards, bass, drums, and sometimes bassoon, all played with plenty of enthusiam and intensity. In my opinion, this is as good as anything Gentle Giant has done, and it is one of the best CDs I've gotten this year (along with Locanda della Fate, the double CD of Magma Live, Banco's Io Sono Nato Libero and Darwin!, Ozric Tentacle's Live Underslunky; pretty good company!). If you don't mind the idea of Icelandic vocals (I find them quite interesting), consider giving this a listen. And if you do try it, just ignore the first track. It's rather "poppy" in a 70's kind of way, but its only 3 minutes long and sounds nothing like the rest of the album. Great stuff. -- Rob Walker
Hinn Islenzki Thursaflokkur - Hinn Islenzki Thursaflokkir(1978)
Hinn Islenzki Thursaflokkur - Thursabit(1979)
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Odmenn - Odmenn (1970)
Odmenn's only album. Super fine trio from the early seventies. Odmenn played cool rock that recall Cream a bit, but is very and very original.Reissue on CD of the self titled DOUBLE LP by Icelandic band from the 70's, recorded in Copenhagen, which ranks along with Junipher Green's 'Friendship' or Burning Red Ivanho's 'M144' . Music is cross between CREAM & BEATLES circa 1968. Freak Emporium
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