Gig review: Of Monsters and Men; Glasgow Oran Mor

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of their countrypeople Björk and Sigur Ros, Of Monsters and Men are further evidence of Iceland punching dramatically above its weight on the international pop scene.

While this group is probably more commercially orientated than the above two artists, that seems to work very much to their advantage. A huge success in their home country, their debut album My Head is an Animal has sold nearly a fifth of a million copies in the United States, reaching No 6 in the national chart.

This modest-sized booking demonstrated they have a bit of catching-up to do in the UK, but a capacity crowd and a very warm reception suggested a firm foothold has been dug.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Led by singer Nanna Hilmarsdóttir, a woman who resembles Tori Amos more than Björk both in her crystalline delivery and her distinctive fedora-and-waistcoat dress style, and guitarist Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson, a stocky man with a soft voice and a beard which has been relegated to his cheeks and chin only, their sound was akin to the folk style ramped up to epic levels of Arcade Fire or Fleet Foxes.

While it might be said their songs are all rather one-note, they have a skilful way with a big, audience-baiting flourish, from the repeated to the point of ecstasy title of Love Love Love serving as a coda to the song, or debut single Little Talk’s beautifully blasted out trumpet line, or Six Weeks’ thrilling drum gallop.

None of it is as truly maverick as we’ve come to expect from Icelandic bands, but it all added up to an emotive introduction to a group who are doubtless poised to get bigger.

Rating: ***

Related topics: