Jonsi - We Bought a Zoo [Original Soundtrack] reviews

Reviews by letter : A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y 

Send "Jonsi " Ringtones to your Cell 


   Avclub
Jonsi - We Bought a Zoo [Original Soundtrack]  reviewThere’s a grandiose element to the music of Sigur Rós that seems appropriate for movie soundtracks. At least Cameron Crowe seems to think so, having used the band on the Vanilla Sky soundtrack and now enlisting singer Jónsi Birgisson to score his latest film, We Bought A Zoo. The soundtrack features four previously released songs (three by Jónsi, one by Sigur Rós) as well as two new Jónsi songs and over a half-hour of new instrumentals. The new songs take their cues from the compact symphonies of Jónsi’s solo effort Go rather than the majestic sprawl of his band, with the same tinkling pianos layered with sunny chimes, Nico Muhly’s swirling strings, and ghostly vocal echoes. The result is a whirling, vibrant collection of songs and instrumental snippets that flow together well, the new music holding up beside the old.

Of the two new songs, “Ævin Endar” is the gentler, hushed effort while “Gathering Stories” is a typically soaring, condensed Jónsi epic. The downside of the We Bought A Zoo soundtrack is that the wide scope so often present in Jónsi’s music is limited because much of the new music is fragmented, serving a cinematic purpose but falling short of full-fledged musical works. Still, with Sigur Rós’ hiatus over and the success of Go, this collection stands as a fine next step in Jónsi’s evolving career. ...full text

   Ew
After using several Sigur Rós songs in 2001's Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe hired the Icelandic band's elfin frontman, Jónsi, to score his latest. The resulting soundtrack for We Bought a Zoo — thick with multitracked vocals, plaintive piano, and swooning orchestral arrangements by classical-music hotshot Nico Muhly — feels more or less indistinguishable from a Sigur Rós album, though Jónsi does flash a refreshingly frisky side on ''Gathering ­Stories,'' which he co-wrote with Crowe...full text

   Slantmagazine
If there's a hard-to-shop-for Sigur Rós fan in your life, say a little blessing to the spirit of corporate synergy for making 2011 the year your holiday shopping took care of itself. Between the just-released Inni concert set (which is available in five editions, the most of elaborate of which contains a Blu-ray disc, two CDs, a vinyl EP, and some tchotchkes) and Jónsi's oddly fussed-over soundtrack for Cameron Crowe's We Bought a Zoo, there's no shortage of appealing but totally inessential stocking stuffers on the market—perfect for fans of avant-garde Icelandic pop who might be feeling a bit light in the wallet after going all in on one of those absurd Biophilia boxes. While Jónsi has a way to go before he'll match Björk's knack for repackaging scams that are as artful as they are gratuitous, he's probably set himself up for a nice bonus this winter solstice.

I'll leave it to the experts at our film section to tell you what's going on with Crowe's film, which strikes me as a fairly odd use of its stars' and director's talents. Whatever role the trio of Jónsi, Nico Muhly, and Crowe envisage for these songs in the context of their film, the soundtrack for We Bought a Zoo, taken on its own, serves two purposes, and it fulfills both of them efficiently. As a hold-me-over for fans awaiting the next batch of songs from Jónsi or Sigur Rós, We Bought a Zoo offers a respectable batch of new compositions, which are only mildly disappointing in that they sound quite a lot like the songs from Jónsi's Go. Eclectic instrumentation, whimsical vocals, moments of ambient repose: Jónsi delivers it all, but without branching out of the flamboyant new-age shaman role he crafted for his solo debut. The only track on the album that presents a significant variation on Go's sound is "Gathering Stories," a track co-written by Crowe. It's neither a revelation nor a disaster, and its ornate swirl of tones are ultimately apiece with the older songs, including "Go Do" and "Boy Lilikoi," which are two of the most charmingly inventive pop songs to be released in the last few years.

The soundtrack also includes Sigur Rós's "Hoppopilla," a terrific Takk... selection that's probably the single best introduction to the band in terms of accessibly packaged bombast. The band's orchestral rock has been used to terrific effect in film before, most notably in key sequences of Crowe's own Vanilla Sky and Danny Boyle's 127 Hours, and a similarly inspired showcase in We Bought a Zoo might just hook newcomers who are intrigued by what they hear....full text

Send "Jonsi " Ringtones to your Cell 

Jonsi lyrics Music videoclips

Album reviews

 review
Jonsi - Go (2010) review
 review
Jonsi - We Bought a Zoo [Original Soundtrack] (2012) review

Most searched Jonsi lyrics

1)  Go Do  
2)  Animal Arithmetic  
3)  Gathering Stories  
4)  Sinking Friendships  
5)  Tornado  
6)  Boy Lilikoi  
7)  Grow Till Tall  
8)  Stars In Still Water  
9)  Saint Naive  
10)  Around Us  

All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. All lyrics provided for educational purposes only
Copyright © www.sweetslyrics.com Please read our Privacy policy - 0.0199s