Jónsi Birgisson doesn’t do small. As the lead singer of Sigur Rós, he’s starred in several of this century’s most epic songs; with their penchant for instrumental swells, feedback, and weight-of-humanity wails, the Icelandic band has practically set a new, near unreachable height for melodramatic art rock. But after perfecting this style on 2005’s Takk, Jónsi and his mates have had some trouble finding a way out from beneath the burden of big. Their last album, 2008’s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, tried to temper the bombast but occasionally got bogged down in aimless balladry. Jónsi’s subsequent Riceboy Sleeps LP with Alex Somers offered largely voiceless ambiance, akin to Quentin Tarantino directing a silent chamber drama. But with his solo debut, Jónsi fights huge with huger.
Helping to realize the mini symphonies in the singer’s head are two key collaborators: pianist, composer, and arranger Nico Muhly– who has become the de facto solution for artists like Grizzly Bear and Antony and the Johnsons when in need of unique, showy flourishes– and Finnish percussionist Samuli Kosminen, who can be seen literally banging on old suitcases in an in-studio video on Jónsi’s website. The conspirators balance well; though Muhly’s manicured arrangements could have come off stiff in this context, their combination with Kosminen’s unbridled wallops brings the orchestration dizzily whirling forth. But what truly elevates Go is Jónsi’s voice, which still has the ability to stun a decade after Agætis Byrjun introduced most listeners to his alien bleats.
Along with Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke, Jónsi’s pipes have set the standard for modern eunuch-like crooning. And on Go, he makes up for the lack of vocals on Riceboy Sleeps by working overtime, backing himself up to create a Jónsi choir, offering skyrocketing counter-melodies, and even making the occasional bird sound. He beams ecstatically on “Go Do”, cracks hearts on the string-laden “Sinking Friendships”, and comes as close as he probably ever will to rapping on “Animal Arithmetic”. He may lack Buckley’s soulfulness or Yorke’s infinite melancholy, but Jónsi’s distinguishing trait is an innocence that helps make emotions sound fresh. This child-like view is more apparent on Go because it finds the singer mostly expressing himself in plain English rather than his usual combination of heavenly vowel sounds and Icelandic.
On the surface, the language breakthrough is irrelevant; whatever you thought he was singing about before is probably close to what he’s singing about in English here. For instance, the hook on “Go Do” goes, “We should always know that we can do anything.” Of course it’s corny, but Jónsi’s sincere intent makes the feel-good anthem feel good. Images of nature come up often, which makes sense considering his gale force lungs. Even when he comes close to “Legend of Zelda” territory, like when he sings of “a treasure chest full of labyrinths” on “Around Us”, his committment and wide-eyed naivety go a long way. In Jónsi’s universe, cynicism has yet to be invented.
Much of Go matches the uplift of Sigur Rós at their most dramatic. There’s more sonic density here than ever– Go’s cacophony of flutes, piano, horns, strings, and bird calls beg for a 5.1 mix. At the same time, the songwriting is pruned down. The usual crescendos spring up in condensed bursts, rather than being spread out over seven minutes. And Jónsi seems to be getting less murky and moody as he collects years. Still, Go isn’t pure escapist Peter Pan theater. “No one knows you ’til it’s over,” he yowls on “Sinking Friendships”, “you know no one true ’til it’s over.” For Jónsi, life and death are spoken in mythic, uncompromising terms. There’s not much room for the little things, which is partly why he’s able to strike hard around the world; whether singing in English or jibberish, the message is clear. Go means go.
— Ryan Dombal, April 5, 2010
1. Go do 4:40
2. Animal Arithmetic 3:23
3. Tornado 4:15
4. Boy Lilikoi 4:29
5. Sinking Friendships 4:42
6. Kolnidur 3:55
7. Around Us 5:18
8. Grow Till Tall 5:20
9. Hengilas 4:14