A new Sigur Ros music video has just been released for “inní mér syngur vitleysingur”. An "OFFICIAL one at that. It's on their MySpace page right now.
I hate to admit it but I don't care for the video at all. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE the song. It's one of my favorites on an album that has several songs that will go down on my all-time favorite list.
But the video is one of those jobs where the studio version of the song is drafted on to performance footage. This technique which, as far as I know, began with Bruce Springsteen's clip for "Born in the USA", is obviously an attempt to bypass any and every performance detail in order to take advantage of what's been accomplished in the studio.
Sometimes the synchronization works fine...you can't tell Georgi and Orri's playing isn't exactly the same as what you're hearing. But the effect is ruined by the obvious inability of the editors to get a good lock on Jonsi's lip movements and then it becomes apparent that this is no performance video. Which is really too bad. I can attest that these guys play “inní mér syngur vitleysingur” in concert almost as good as the record. So why not just the performance? It bopggles the mind. I mean, there at the end (the build-up section) they either don't show Jonsi or his facial features are obscured by a bright green stage light that shines just behind his head.
The best thing about it (other than just seeing the guys on a stage) is how you can almost catch a glimpse of Kjartan'd waxed mustache. He wears it well!
This new video notwithstanding, I would really like it if Sigur Ros record company could pull together a few performances and package it with all their other incredible videos (one of the things that disappointed me about the “inní mér syngur vitleysingur” clip was how the band was FINALLY in the video, and yet that was ruined by the audio-sync technique). Their "Reverb" show would be included, as well as the more recent show they did at the MOMA. I think I've seen at least one full concert chopped and uploaded onto YouTube, that would be good to have on DVD. I've pretty much watched all the performances on the "Heima" special features disc so many times that I'm ready for something different (although I must say that they bear the test or repeated listening, I only wish there were more of the "traditional rock show" stuff. I like what they're doing with acoustic instruments throughout that disc, but I want more concert settings).
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