From Orcas Island to Iceland, I listened to lots of great music last week. My post about Car Seat Headrest reminded me to listen to Naked Giants, which led to another Doe Bay band, Animal Eyes. Then my husband discovered Nytt Land, which led to Skálmöld and Samaris. More about each of these below the fold.

Naked Giants

When I wrote about Car Seat Headrest last week, I realized I made it sound like Naked Giants doesn’t exist anymore. It’s true that the entire band is now part of Car Seat Headrest, but they still play separately as themselves. In fact, they open for Car Seat Headrest on tour, and they have a new album out. It’s good, and it doesn’t sound like Will Toledo, or like what you’d expect from the album cover.

Animal Eyes

I saw Animal Eyes at the same Doe Bay Fest where I saw Naked Giants (I think). Unlike Naked Giants, I’m not quite sure if they are still active. There are no upcoming shows listed on their website, which doesn’t seem to have been updated since their last album came out in 2016. I hope they are busy recording, because it would be a shame if this Northwest band went kaput.

Nytt Land

I never get as much work done on the days my husband works from home, too. Mostly it’s not his fault. I’m just not used to having other people in the house when I’m working. But sometimes it’s because he comes running into my office and drags me to the living room so I can hear a band on the good speakers. Like this one, which he announced as “Siberian throat singing folk metal based on Icelandic sagas.” Well, I’m not sure if that’s exactly right. But a quick bit of internet digging does reveal homemade, traditional instruments including the kantele of Kalevala. And the album Fimbulvinter does use the Poetic Edda – I think directly, rather than as inspiration.

Skálmöld

When Skálmöld first came out, I was super into them. I saw them at Airwaves in 2012. I interviewed their bass player about the lyrics for Börn Loka and reviewed that album for a music website. I saw them again at Eistnaflug in 2016. So I’m not sure how I missed their 2016 exploration of the nine realms, Vögguvisur Yggdrasils. Until now, when Nytt Land sent me down a rabbit hole of music with authentic medieval Nordic roots.

Samaris

I don’t actually remember when I first started listening to Samaris, but they showed up on this blog twice (here and here). I was totally bummed when time and money conspired against my seeing them play the grand opening of the new Nordic Museum last Saturday. That didn’t stop me from listening to them this week, though.