Of Monsters and Men | media-criticism

Of Monsters and Men: My Head Is An Animal

by Mary Clare Durel, '19

Major: Film and Video Studies

My Head Is an Animal, the debut album of Icelandic indie pop and folk band Of Monsters and Men, introduces this unique group and the fantastic, touching, somehow universal songs we can expect from these artists from the world's northern reaches. Rallying behind Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdottír, its lead singer and songwriter, the five-membered band achieved fame with the single “Little Talks” (2012c), the sixth song on Animal's track, which was played repeatedly and to great enjoyment on such mainstream music stations as DC's local 94.7 Fresh FM. But the album, produced for North American audiences by Universal Music Group in order to fulfill the demand for this music from distant Iceland, proves that Of Monsters And Men has more than a little to talk about––or sing about, as it were. From the album's overall tone, sound, and themes to the specifics of lyrics and arrangement, Animal is at the end of the hunt for excellent, original music.

Perhaps it is accumulated inspiration from other artists combined with talented youthful creativity; maybe it is the charm that comes from far-off, little-known, isolated, rather mysterious places like Iceland. In all likelihood, Of Monsters and Men's work is a combination of these factors and then some. The vocals of Hilmarsdottír and her opposite lead singer, Ragnar Þórhallsson, carry the flavor of their Icelandic accents in crisp English––Hilmarsdottír's being often breathy and broken yet sweet and clear, Þórhallsson's sounding melodic and honestly childlike, for want of a more technical description. Danceable rhythms, catchy tunes, and almost ever-present guitars create a folksy, homemade feeling that––combined with ambiguous stories of animals, friendships, and journeys––create a sense of fairy tales being told around a fire. Themes of nature, camaraderie, endurance, overcoming, and friendship are wrapped up in fantastic, poetic lyrics, which make such deft work of English that many lyrics by native speakers pale in comparison. The sound is moving, and these unusual lyrics can potentially be applied to many a listener's personal life––without clear meaning yet meaningful as they seem.

Of course, as Nicola Dibben (2009) suggests, the Icelandic music scene's relationship with folk and nature aspects is not peculiar to Of Monsters and Men: “The continuity with rural traditions and 'folk' musics lend themselves to perceptions of Icelandic popular music as authentic, and deterministic explanations in which the music is 'shaped' by nature act as a marker of perceived musical authenticity” (p. 146). Songs like “Dirty Paws” (2012a), which opens Animals with a swinging tune and strange story about a war among forest animals, certainly does create this impression; it could almost be a song by or for children. In fact, almost every song in the album deals with animals, the elements, mountains, the ocean––as well as simple but strong emotions such as friendship, loneliness, and wanderlust. In short, the songwriters in the band have looked to nature and feelings as basic building blocks to create songs that can touch a forgotten nerve.

As with most albums, Animals has its high points. While some of these may be only favorites of your author, “Little Talks” certainly fits a broader category of popularity. As reviewed by Ryan Reed (2012), this song clearly has the makings of a hit beyond the indie scene:

“I don't like walking around this old and empty house,” Nanna Bryndíis Hilmasdottir [sic] sings in a soulful, ecstatic croon. “So hold my hand/I'll walk with you my dear.” It's a simple lyrical message, but the group's innocent, hook-filled ruckus speaks volumes. Underneath the vocals, Of Monsters and Men conjures epic sea-shanty joy, with brass blasts and gang hand claps punctuating acoustic strums and clattering drums. (p. 33)

Although this song is wedged into the middle of Animals––song six out of twelve––its story-like structure, ambiguity, and poetry exemplify the band's repertoire . . . save perhaps in its focus on relationships over nature. But considering that wolves, bees, birds, sea creatures, and many other animals seem to roam through the album, “Little Talks”' respite from the fauna theme is nothing but a bit of a twist.

Some other songs that stand out along with “Dirty Paws” and “Little Talks” are “King and Lionheart” and “Slow and Steady.” “King and Lionheart” suggests a bond and fondness––despite odds and fears––between the singer and the person whom she addresses: “And as the world comes to an end / I'll be here to hold your hand / 'Cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart” (2012b). Despite the song's sad, almost fatalistic tone, its steady rhythm drives it along at a steady pace, lending an optimism to its featured apocalypse. “Slow and Steady,” however, is one of the few songs on Animals that eschews a quick pace for something like a ballad style. This piece, as with most of its companions, is a first-person yet highly ambiguous expression of emotions and relationships; the singer requests, “My dear old friend, take me for a spin / Two wolves in the dark running in the wind” (2012d), yet the song focuses on the speaker's tendency or need to move past others. Again, much can be read into the song, which makes it easily applicable to many a listener and to his or her life.

Overall, the album is refreshingly personal; it seems to have been written from the band members' particular points of view, yet it also welcomes others to enjoy these songs and make them their own. The themes, tones, tunes, and rhythms––along with the unique voices, accents, and musical phrasing of the singers––come together into a half heartwarming, half hypnotic debut album. Rooted in story, emotion, and nature, Animals potentially has universal appeal––if folks listen carefully and don't mind letting their feet tap.

References

Dibben, N. (2009). Nature and nation: National identity and environmentalism in Icelandic popular music video and music documentary. Ethnomusicology Forum, 18:1, 131-151. doi:10.1080/17411910902816542

Hilmarsdottír, N.B. and Þórhallsson, R. (2012a). Dirty Paws. On My Head Is an Animal [CD]. North America: Universal Music Group.

Hilmarsdottír, N.B. and Þórhallsson, R. (2012b). King and Lionheart. On My Head Is an Animal [CD]. North America: Universal Music Group.

Hilmarsdottír, N.B. and Þórhallsson, R. (2012c). Little Talks. On My Head Is an Animal [CD]. North America: Universal Music Group.

Hilmarsdottír, N.B. and Þórhallsson, R. (2012d). Slow and Steady. On My Head Is an Animal [CD]. North America: Universal Music Group.

Hilmarsdottír, N.B. and Þórhallsson, R. (2012e). Yellow Light. On My Head Is an Animal [CD]. North America: Universal Music Group.

Reed, R. (2012). Little Talks. Billboard, 124(15), 33.