This week is a rather quiet week in Christian because of the winding down
from last week's GMA events. But, a new release from FFH is the big thing
this week, so we have a short look at it. However, those who have visited
the website recently know that the real feature of this edition of
cMusicMail is the review of the epic sound of Sigur Ros. If you are looking
for something different, this is it.

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( ) - SIGUR ROS (2002)
by Melissa Miles

"Why do you listen to this stuff" My sister asked me one day as we were
driving to the movies. A band called Sigur Ros was the "stuff" in question.

"Stuff?" I asked.

"Yeah, this is so depressing. You close your eyes and you see women wearing
long black robes and too much eye makeup swaying like they are ill. It's
extremely depressing."

"It's not depressing. You aren't supposed to close your eyes. You look at
what is in front of you. The music makes the average everyday things become
beautiful. So beautiful it's painful. But that isn't disgusting."

"Beauty isn't meant to be painful," she replied. After that, we bickered for
a while about whether or not beauty could be painful.

Later, as I sat down to write a review of ( ), I realized that our little
argument outlined the composition of Sigur Ros. This band from Iceland
doesn't bother too much with words (indeed, with "( )" the liner notes are
transparent sheets of paper with something akin to tree branches printed on
them), but they speak volumes with breathtaking musical forms. Spine
tingling pianos dance with bass lines, rising and falling, lifting you up to
the heavens and taking you back down to earth. Your feelings are turned into
putty, your attitude is molded by a person who will never know you, and it
all comes from a few notes that are flowing out of your speakers. It's
poetry in audio form, and it's painful.

Some have compared it to funeral music, and to be fair there are moments of
rather morbid tones, but as a whole the music is more hopeful and joyous
than melancholy. Still, it is not for the faint of heart; those who still
think that Elvis is alive or those who hold no warm place in their hearts
for rather moody things. ( ) is for the mellow, the odd, and the devoted
listeners.

So can beauty be painful? Can music grip your soul? If you think so, check
out Sigur Ros. You couldn't possibly be sorry.

Read more about Sigur Ros at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/sigurros


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, APRIL 15 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

FREE TO FLY - FFH
Since this is the only thing out this week, it may as well be the PICK OF
THE WEEK. But, then again, although FFH is not the best group out there,
some people really find Jeromy Deibler's lyrics especially good and will
also find the music a bit more edgy than in the past. So, here's hoping the
latest from the FFH crew brings them to new heights.


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail, and we'll be back next week with
even more great content. If you have any comments or questions, please reply
to this e-mail or send them to webmaster@.... We'd love to hear
from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
AOL IM - dMusicWeb