() - Sigur Ros (2002)

This is about as abstract as a rock album can be. If you were hoping to learn Icelandic by singing along, I have bad news: Jonsi sings here in “Vonlenska”, his system (?) of sounds and syllables that have no meaning other than fitting into the music.

The parens of the title roughly describe the action. The first half is shimmering and keyboard-laden, then a more somber second half follows.

Aside from a slight case of Radiohead-envy, this is a great album all the way through. It keeps you enthralled even when it seems undemanding.