Tag Archive: Hjaltalín


MUSIC I HOLLERED ABOUT IN 2013

whisperinandhollerinIn 2013 I wrote 170 reviews for the webzine Whisperin’ & Hollerin’, an average of just over 14 a month.

In terms of the total releases overall this is a drop in the ocean but for what it’s worth these were my favourite ten albums together with some honourable mentions.

There are links to my reviews of you want to know why.

TIP OF THE ICEBERG – THE BEST OF 2013

1. MUTUAL BENEFIT – Love’s Crushing Diamond

2.ÓLöF ARNALDS – Sudden Elevation

3. ANNABELLE CHVOSTEK – Rise

4. ORLA WREN – Book Of The Folded Forest

5. OLIVER COATES – Towards A Blessed Island

6. SAM AMIDON – Bright Sunny South

7. ALASDAIR ROBERTS & FRIENDS – A Working Wonder Stone

8. ADAM STAFFORD – Imaginary Walls Collapse

9. VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Outer Church

10. SAMARIS – Samaris

BUBBLING UNDER – 10 HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

HJALTALÍN – MAKING MADNESS WORK

The band – Högni Egilsson is the bearded blonde.

It’s not exactly clear what exactly happened during the four-year period after Hjaltalín‘s last album, Terminal,in 2009.

What is clear is that their new record new record – Enter 4 – is the sound of a band reborn.

Reading between the lines it seems that the Icelandic band’s frontman Högni Egilsson almost went crazy, literally. There is talk of time spent in and out of mental institutions.

As any student of rock knows, madness can act as a creative spur to greatness as well as being a destroyer of talent.

Thankfully, it seems that this experience Egilsson has inspired him to cut the bullshit and write songs of soul bearing honesty.

As my my review in Whisperin’ & Hollerin’ says, the album is not without its flaws but it is a huge leap forward for the band.

Watch the video for Crack In The Stone to get a taster: