With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly is the fifth studio album of the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. It shows the band in their most poppy aspect, and contains some classics that come back in every live performance. The striking cover picture is from Ryan McGinley, called Highway. For me it shows the music in a single picture: cheerfully acting foolishly.
There is one track that I would like to focus on a bit: Ára bátur (row boat) features the London Sinfonietta and the London Oratory School Schola (isn’t that double?). Bands that are just a bit over their prime like to make use of orchestras. I suppose it is the moment they have some money to spend, and the look to the classics for inspiration. Usually this leads to disaster. I have never seen a real good result, because the just don’t know how to deal with an orchestra. However, here I find a balance between the band and the orchestra. It is clear the song has been made for this purpose, and not one of them is out of place. I was listening to it and realising this must have been the first time I heard a successful orchestration of (post) rock music.