Curver
Curver – Sjö (Ullabjakk Records. 1997)
A Google search of the web doesn’t bring up a mention of this limited edition vinyl LP (77 copies pressed). Understandable I suppose, as it’s not the sort of album that was widely distributed and likely to turn up in your local shop. So, my little review is an effort to correct this oversight.
There’s a limit to what I can tell you as I don’t read Icelandic (so much for the liner notes), but I gather Curver is one Birgir Örn Thoroddsen on guitar, vocals and beatbox and that’s pretty much it (other sonic elements make an occasional appearance like the English-for-tourists tape used on Mánudagur). Overall the recording is effective in its simplicity and there is no need to complicate things.
It is taking the easy way out to make comparisons, but Sjö does share some similarities to early Big Black (the Lungs or Bulldozer EPs come to mind) and a Krautrock/Loop vibe is created on the first cut Udagur and the closer Miðvik. What can I say, the whole album has a mighty appealing drone rock vibe. It may not be a lost “must-have” classic, but it is a gem.
Also worthy of mention is the Curver/Stilluppsteypa single “Inside AM/Make Star Shine” [Fire Records 1994] which is a killer: chanted vocals, guitar riffing and shortwave sounds on the ‘A side and creaks and wailing reeds on the ‘B. The single is included as part of the Haf reissue on the Smekkleysa label (just follow the link).
Al Telstar
A Google search of the web doesn’t bring up a mention of this limited edition vinyl LP (77 copies pressed). Understandable I suppose, as it’s not the sort of album that was widely distributed and likely to turn up in your local shop. So, my little review is an effort to correct this oversight.
There’s a limit to what I can tell you as I don’t read Icelandic (so much for the liner notes), but I gather Curver is one Birgir Örn Thoroddsen on guitar, vocals and beatbox and that’s pretty much it (other sonic elements make an occasional appearance like the English-for-tourists tape used on Mánudagur). Overall the recording is effective in its simplicity and there is no need to complicate things.
It is taking the easy way out to make comparisons, but Sjö does share some similarities to early Big Black (the Lungs or Bulldozer EPs come to mind) and a Krautrock/Loop vibe is created on the first cut Udagur and the closer Miðvik. What can I say, the whole album has a mighty appealing drone rock vibe. It may not be a lost “must-have” classic, but it is a gem.
Also worthy of mention is the Curver/Stilluppsteypa single “Inside AM/Make Star Shine” [Fire Records 1994] which is a killer: chanted vocals, guitar riffing and shortwave sounds on the ‘A side and creaks and wailing reeds on the ‘B. The single is included as part of the Haf reissue on the Smekkleysa label (just follow the link).
Al Telstar
posted by mondobongos at 7:02 PM
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