Just came back from Seabear's concert at Pod Minogą. After seeing Olafur Arnalds a week or so ago, it is hard not to conclude that Iceland has inexhaustible talent for engaging, atmospheric music. The young septet gave a marvellous performance and was coerced into encored by thunderous applause. Their sound is rich and poised, thanks in large part to the presence of violon and keyboards, as well as frequent male-female chorus vocals, alternating between guitar noise and sleepy, dreamy tunes. After a slow start (and making a bad impression by being late), they picked up pace in the second half of the gig and there was not a single gap-filler to speak of, full dedication from all band members. In some tracks, they sounded disarmingly youthful, especially when the entire stage was involved in these echoing vocals, as if syren calls. In fact, out of six band members, two are women (violin, keyboards), with eye-pleasing, folky sort of looks and phenomenal, honest smiles. The lead singer emanates the kind of intense energy you tend to expect of commited artists, even though in the first part he seemed a little distant.
When I read Metro on a tram to work earlier today and it said Seabear is Sufjan Stevens meets Archade Fire I knew straight away I would have to see them live. A couple of songs really took me far away.
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