Sigur Ros - ( )

I cannot sing the praises of this release enough, but I will make an earnest attempt.

There's something so ethereally beautiful about this album that I feel I'm doing it a disservice to do the "let's break down this work of art with words on the internet" thing, but I want to connect with some folks out there who have also been touched by it.

It masterfully oscillates between forlorn and optimistic, while not being overbearing in either direction (see: Elliot Smith or Animal Collective).

It's employs all the modern production techniques of the time it was released, yet is timeless sounding due to its use of live instrumentation and nonsense lyrics. It could have come out this year, or could be a digital remaster of some psychadelic rock band from the 70s.

The lyrics themselves, devoid of any literal meaning, don't allow a difference in worldview between the artist & listener to get in the way of the emotion being expressed with the voice as an instrument. The unpronounceable title of the album & lack of track titles couldn't be more fitting for the musical content within.

Beautiful album and absolute fantastic artwork. For some reason I lost touch with Sigur Ros after this album. I listened to "Takk" several times, but it didn´t touch me the same way. I´ve totally missed their last three(?) albums, but I guess it will be worth checking them out.

Yeah, to be honest none of their other works really connected with me like this one did. I always liked select tracks on the albums but not the whole.

Track 8 is wonderful. It's the first and last time Jonsi had balls.

this is also my favorite album of theirs tracks 4 and 8 are simply brilliant, and everything else follows closely behind. some of them give me goosebumps!

although, i think i might actually like takk better, i'm not sure and don't want to commit to that.

jonsi makes me have a smile face. i've enjoyed most of the things he's been involved with. 'angels of the universe' are very sweet sounding

looooooooove this record. sometimes the gibberish lyrics get to me but the concept is amazing and musically it is their best record for me. I will play brackets tomorrow now as I am overdue for another sigur ros obsessive period.

Great album.

I can't hardly ever listen to it though, since it always depresses the shit out of me.

I'd say ( ) is definitely in my top 3 albums of all time - the last track slays me every time. That and the following (taken from the Heima DVD) are two of the most emotionally charged songs I've ever heard -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9IZYJlE8f0

  On 10/5/2011 at 9:38 PM, MortstoX said:

Beautiful album and absolute fantastic artwork. For some reason I lost touch with Sigur Ros after this album. I listened to "Takk" several times, but it didn´t touch me the same way. I´ve totally missed their last three(?) albums, but I guess it will be worth checking them out.

Completely agree, ( ) is fucking brilliant, but didn't like Takk much and I haven't really heard much of there newer stuff.