It's pretty, but can I dance to it?
No.


Iceland, being an island, is obviously surrounded on all sides by water.
Now, more fun Iceland facts, From The Wiki...
- Iceland boasts some of the world's highest levels of economic and civil freedoms
- Iceland's capital, and largest city, is Reykjavik, which is Icelandic for 'The Capital of Iceland'
- A brief history of Icelandic music: The music of Iceland is related to Nordic music forms, and includes vibrant folk and pop traditions, including medieval music group Voces Thules, alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, singers Björk and Emiliana Torrini, and post-rock band Sigur Rós. The only folk band whose recordings are marketed abroad is Islandica.
The national anthem of Iceland is "Lofsöngur", written by Matthías Jochumsson, with music by Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson [1]. The song was written in 1874, when Iceland celebrated the one thousandth anniversary of settlement on the island. It was in the form of a hymn, first published under the title A Hymn in Commemoration of Iceland's Thousand Years.


Would I lie to you? Meet Johann Johannsson...
I could go on and on about Bjork, but since I'm picking her as the best solo artist in Iceland I probably shouldn't. To be honest, I don't much care for Bjork beyond her Post album, but Army of Me is a killer song, and if you're ever stuck in traffic and what to act like you're cooler than everybody in the cars around you, put on Hyperballad and crank it to eleven... Then just sit there with a bored look on your face while all the other drivers stare longingly, wishing they could be as Europeanly detached as you...
But watch out for dudes driving F150's sporting Trucknutz,
Band: The Sugar Cubes

You know what, bite me. I didn't phone this in. I looked high and low for other bands from Iceland, and the only other one worth a damn made their way into the Honorable Mention spot because I think they've still got something to prove. If anything, Bjork was the phone in, like I said, I don't really even like her all that much solo, but I DO actually dig The Sugarcubes...
If you enjoy Euro-Pop, and my extensive Icicle Works collection shows I do, than you can't get much more Euro that Birthday. One of many tunes that came to the attention of the greater world's radio audience thanks to British DJ John Peel.
In the states, Birthday hardly made a ripple, but the Cubes did manage a mod-rock chart topper in '91 with the aptly titled Hit. If you answered 'yes' to an enjoyment of Euro-Pop, and can equally answer 'yes' to an enjoyment of all things 1991, than you would keenly-extra-super-wow-enjoy Hit.
I had the pleasure of seeing The Sugarcubes live when they opened for U2 on the Zoo TV tour

Except Maybe...
Honorable Mention: Sigur Ros

All the more reason to celebrate those who do.
The music of Sigur Ros is kind of touch to classify... It's kind of like Radiohead, except it's OK that it makes no sense, because they're not speaking English... Or even Icelandic. Much of the music of Sigur Ros is performed in a non-existent language referred to as Vonlenska, in English, often referred to as Hopelandic.
Enjoy Sigur Ros live at MoMA in NYC
Finally, an extra special deserving mention for the only act to come out of Alaska and make any sort of a dent on modern American music,
Jewel Kilcher

Jewel was born in Peyson, Utah, the daughter of....
Ummm... Waitaminute...
Utah?
OK, screw YOU Alaska! That's SO not cool! I'm telling Putin...

No Mr. Bond, I expect you to DIE!
Next: The first state I didn't have to BS my way through... They like their Sun Devily, and their Senators old... Arizona here I come!
4 comments:
Sigur Ros FTW...those guys are awesome. Put 'em on with some Mogwai, and your brain explodes...
ALSO - I believe today is the 16th anniversary of the above-mentioned U2/Sugarcubes/Public Enemy show...
I believe you are correct about the concert anniversary... Man... 16 years... I don't even think Trucknutz were invented yet...
I believe if you put Sigur Ros on your Mogwai, you no longer have a properly balanced breakfast...
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