Though I didn’t go to Housing Works Bookstore Café where Ólöf Arnalds shared the bill with Björk, her show at Sycamore two nights prior was probably the perfect way to experience this quirky Icelandic songstress (Ólöf, not Björk). Sycamore is a small bar in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with a lovely backyard, a sensible layout, friendly people, and a tiny yet awesome performance space downstairs, which with its wide slabs of wooden benches looks like it was inspired by a sauna room, and which, as Ólöf demonstrated, is great for acoustic performances, even when unamplified; it’s now easily my new favorite venue (and we’re presenting a show there on the 26th, so mark your calendar and stay tuned). It’s part flower shop!

Download “Klara”

As soon as I entered this space, which can seat about 50, and saw Ólöf and her friend Davíð Þór Jónsson preparing for the show on the warmly lit stage, I knew it was going to be precious. I had seen them the night before at Union Hall, where the show had been ridiculously free-spirited. The two were still their quirky selves at Sycamore, but because of the preciousness of the space and the presence of many Icelandic friends, the mood was much more sober, and despite the continuation of forgotten lyrics and spontaneous conversations between the two, even the way they themselves approached their set was much more treasured. Worth mentioning is that Kristin Anna, who with Ólöf previously sang and played with in the Icelandic band Múm, was present.

Ólöf had played a song she’d written for Kristin at Union Hall, but this was going to be the first time Kristin herself was going to get to listen to it. Ólöf seemed genuinely frightened that she hadn’t had the chance to let her friend listen to it before playing it in front of people. With the hilarious chorus of “Don’t go in the crazy car”, it’s a tune that attempts to persuade Kristin, who has lived in New York since she left Múm, against leaving Iceland. There were tears and hugs afterward, but as the night got more festive, Kristin was invited on stage for a few songs, and Múm fans who weren’t there for it seriously ought to be jealous. For the encore, Kristin requested a song that was based on a “heartbreaking” Swedish poem, and when both Davíð and Kristin interjected with their own thoughts on how this presumably special piece should be treated, Ólöf said, “Davíð and Kristin, shut the fuck up. I’m telling the story here”. Kristin also shared the stage for a Johnny Cash song the two had sang, on the day Johnny Cash died, to 800 Japanese fans when they were sill in Múm. Video of the “don’t go in the crazy car” song is below.

Also present, and representing the creative community of that side of Brooklyn, was one of the twins from the National, not that I can tell which one it was.

Website: Olof Arnalds, Sycamore

Last night was my second time watching Múm since they formed a new line-up. At St. Paul the Apostle Church last year (pictures at the end of this post) I found the band’s Wordless performance to be lacking. They’d said they’d written up a special set list to complement the very special venue, but what appeared to be a toning-down of their whimsical percussive sound, especially the drumming, seemed like the wrong choice to me. I thought the opening trio Torngat (more on them later) outdid Múm in making a truly awesome use of the venue’s awesome presence. But last night at Brooklyn Masonic Temple, with no special setlist, I felt the same void in the new Múm. The performance was very good, and at times straight-up great, but with the new members, or I should say with the absence of Kria Brekken, Múm is a different band.

All photos and more after the jump

To be fair, I am not disappointed with the new Múm. I really enjoy their newest release Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy, but I regret that with Kria Brekken’s exit, the old is now definitely gone. And this only because every time I saw the old Múm live, the experience felt truly special. Last night after a set filled with songs from Go Go Smear, I was excited (as was everyone else) when they began playing “We Have a Map of The Piano” from Finally We Are No One. But as they got into the song, the overall performance of it was a bit of a mess (this was very symbolic – the old is now gone!, I say).

One of the problems, if you can call it that, is that the new girls, especially Sigurlaug Gísladóttir (aka Mr. Silla), have slick, refined voices. Kria Brekken, when she was still Kristin Anna Valtysdottir, had a strong personality with a distinct whispering, dreamy voice that always seemed to be indulged in pointless, endless, poetic musings. The new girls, on the other hand, are not musing, they are all-out singing. Besides, compared to the gentle personalities of the old girls, these two seem to be the opposite: last time with her boyish hair in platinum blonde and this time her body robed with a chic, drape-y dress, Mr. Silla is all confident and stylish; and as for cellist/singer Hildur Gudnadottir, she’s outrightly nutty. With her constant wide smiles, jokes, winks, and quick, quirky bows in a row, she gives the impression of being a total goof.

But needless to say, when the girls perform songs written for them, from Go Go Smear, especially strong ones like “They Made Frogs Smoke ‘Til They Exploded”, “Blessed Brambles”, “Marmalade Fires” and “Dancing Behind My Eyelids”, they take on a central role, and sound really good too. During these four songs, the performance regained some of the old specialness, albeit of a different color, but the only problem was that the entire set wasn’t as strong by Múm standards, much like the album Go Go Smear.

But it was a very good show, and the opening bands were a great surprise (more on them later). To me, drummer Samuli Kosminen is the most important thread that ties the new band to the old. Whether it’s playing the sides of his head or his orange towel padding the tight skin of his set, the earthy drum sound lives on. He shrugged modestly when at the end of the show band mates pointed to a fan holding a sign that read “Samuli is the Greatest”.

Pictures from last night’s show:

Pictures below were taken last fall at from St. Paul the Apostle church, where Múm performed as part of the Worldess Music Series.

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So far as it can inferred from the sound of “Dancing Behind My Eyelids”, which you can trade for your email address on the band’s website, and “They Made Frogs Smoke Til They Exploded”, which now has an animated video, the new Mum is sounding cheerful. This, considering the album they gave us last, Summer Make Good, was not quite a summer album (if one were to make a quick, misguided guess from the title). Instead, it stretched with mournful longings, drawing pictures of dark clouds, icy water and a harsh, winter landscape. And as if the album’s dreary weather wasn’t obvious, song titles such as “Small Deaths are the Saddest” and “Weeping Rock, Rock” served as reassurances. But for now, from the upcoming Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy that comes out on September 24, something far brighter.

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Mum is playing two Wordless Music Series dates in New York, on Nov 9 and 10th.

Though Kristin Anna Valtysdottir followed the footsteps of her twin sister Gyoano in parting with Mum, the two founding members, Gunnar and Orvar, have added new friends to turn into a seven-piece. They will release go go smear the poison ivy on September 24th, preceeded by the single they made frogs smoke ’til they exploded on August 27th. After playing a handful of festival dates in Europe, and other yet-to-be-announced shows, they will play New York’s Wordless Music Series on October 9 & 10.

New members are:

Olof Arnalds (violin / viola / guitar / vocals)
Eiríkur Orri (trumpet / pianette / moog / whistling)
Hildur Gudnadottir (cello / vocals)
mr.Silla (Vocals / various)
Samuli Kosminen (drums / percussion)

As previously posted, Beirut, Mum and others will be playing the next season of Wordless Music Series. Some dates have now been listed by Pitchfork:

09-14 Do Make Say Think, TBA
09-24 Beirut, Colleen, TBA
09-25 Beirut, Colleen, TBA
09-26 Beirut, Colleen, TBA
10-09 Mum, TBA
10-10 Mum, TBA

Previously:

• Beirut at Bowery May 8th – videos + review
• Beirut at Bowery – photos + review

(Pictured: Iceland’s Múm)

Yes, in other Wordless Music news, I am psyched for its second season that begins in September. Beirut will play three nights, though dates are yet to be confirmed- or if they have been, they haven’t been announced yet. The season will also feature Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead in addition to Múm, Do Make Say Think, Max Richter, Bing & Ruth, Valgeir Sigurdsson, Nico Muhly, etc.