This is emotion-soaked music projected with a stylistic confidence that earned this band the highest rating (KKKKK) from Kerrang! magazine. These four musicians are the real deal, impressive at any scale: electric or unplugged, on the stage or in the studio. And it is their studio work that is most in the news today.
In November 2010 Agent Fresco released their first full-length CD, an ambitious 17-track concept album entitled A Long Time Listening. Recognized as “an amazing album by the best rock band in the country today” (Morgunblaðið), it was immediately shortlisted for best album of the year by Icelandic music critics of both national newspapers, as well as for a Kraumur Award, and for the Nordic Music Prize, not to mention climbing to #1 on the charts of the gogoyoko music download site. And the respect of their fellow musicians is reflected in the number of front-ranking Icelandic performers who volunteered to sing back-up chorus on the title track of the album.
Plans are now underway for an upcoming tour of Europe to capitalize on the publicity the album has generated, and to strengthen the recognition they acquired from previous concert & festival appearances in England, France (ClassEu’Rock 08’), Netherlands (Eurosonic 10’) Denmark & Czechoslovakia.
Recognition was not slow in coming to this group of music students when they formed Agent Fresco back in 2008 to compete in the annual Musíktilraunir (Battle of the Bands) competition, which they swept convincingly, winning not only the grand prize, but also individual prizes for best guitarist, best drummer and best bassist. Since then they have received a Kraumur Award for their 2008 EP Lightbulb Universe, and were declared Best New Band (Bjartasta Von) at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2009.
The strength of their performances at the Iceland Airwaves music festival has brought them to the attention of international media such as KEXP radio (Seattle) and Kerrang! magazine (London), who have posted online interviews and performances of Agent Fresco on their websites. More impressive still, they have attracted the attention of filmmakers Bowen Staines and Gunnar B. Guðbjörnsson, who included considerable footage of the band in their Iceland Airwaves documentary Where´s the Snow?! which premiered at the Reykjavík International Film Festival in 2010. The band received additional international publicity as the focus of two episodes in Bowen Staines´ Don´t Panic TV web series.
Critical attention is still sharply focused on this band in 2011 with their nomination for a prestigious DV Culture Award and three nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards: Performer of the Year (Agent Fresco), Vocalist of the Year (Arnór Dan Arnarson) and Rock Album of the Year (A Long Time Listening).
But what the critics now proclaim audiences have known ever since they heard Eyes of a Cloud Catcher on the radio 3 years ago. Before it was even released, the band played this song at their first Iceland Airwaves in 2008, staring out in disbelief at a sea of swaying hands as the entire audience sang the chorus back to them, a cappella. That tribute of affection, now a ritual at every performance, caused a blogger at Airwaves 2010 to write:
"Seriously, this band is so impressive and the way the entire room sings along to their stunning Eyes Of A Cloud Catcher is a moment that'll live long in the memory of all here." (Kerrang blog, Airwaves 2010)
Agent Fresco are:
Arnór Dan Arnarson: vocals
Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson: drums / percussion
Vignir Rafn Hilmarsson: bass / upright bass
Þórarinn Guðnason: guitar / piano / programming
Official Website: www.agentfresco.is
Paused
Agent Fresco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had to fall with weight of water
I am the chords of jealous winds
We call for lovers
For who knows
How long until…
Sleep draped my heart
And gathered golden salts of sorrow
I know them all
One wore doubt and screamed out horror
And it knows
How long until…
The echo an ode to the pause
I am
How long until the sun…
Oh the echo an ode
The echo an ode
To all that is paused
How long until soul spew
This minuet
When all is young and clouds are heavy
Rusty yells and past regrets
A memory
Oh a memory
Severs me
And it knows
How long until…
The song Paused by Agent Fresco is full of vivid poetic images that evoke intense emotions. The lyrics express the feelings of the singer who has seen enough and now weighs heavy with the water. The opening lines suggest that the singer has had enough of something, perhaps a traumatic experience, which has left them feeling burdened and weighed down. The line "I am the chords of jealous winds" implies that the singer is deeply affected by the world around them, particularly its passions and turbulence. They want to call out for lovers to help relieve this overwhelming uncertainty.
The second verse talks about how sleep has draped the singer's heart and gathered golden salts of sorrow. Here, we see the singer in a more vulnerable state, feeling compelled to confront their darkest emotions. One line that particularly stands out is "One wore doubt and screamed out horror," which suggests that there is an inner battle between fear and courage. The repetition of "how long until" throughout the lyrics implies that the singer is eagerly waiting for something to happen, which could possibly put an end to their uncertainty.
The chorus is particularly poetic, where the singer is the echo of an ode to the pause. This line implies that the singer has reached a point where they are neither moving forward nor backward - they are in a state of stasis. They are waiting in this pause between what was and what will be. The last line "how long until soul spew" could depict the singer's desire to release their innermost feelings and let go of their inner conflict.
Overall, Paused by Agent Fresco is a song that celebrates the beauty of vulnerability and honesty. With its raw lyrics and intense imagery, it leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen enough
I have witnessed everything there is to see
Had to fall with weight of water
I have experienced immense hardships and struggles
I am the chords of jealous winds
I am the embodiment of envy and competition
We call for lovers
We desire romantic companionship
For who knows
How long until…
We are uncertain about the future and what it holds
Sleep draped my heart
And gathered golden salts of sorrow
I am overcome with sadness and despair, causing me to dream and reminisce
I know them all
One wore doubt and screamed out horror
I am familiar with all types of negative emotions, including doubt and terror
And it knows
How long until…
These emotions are aware of the fact that the future is unpredictable
The echo an ode to the pause
I am
I am represented by the echoes of silence and moments of calmness
How long until the sun…
We are unsure about when the bright and positive times will come
Oh the echo an ode
The echo an ode
To all that is paused
The echoes of silence are dedicated to moments of rest and contemplation
How long until soul spew
We do not know how long until our emotions will overflow and spill out
This minuet
When all is young and clouds are heavy
This moment in time is fleeting and nostalgic
Rusty yells and past regrets
A memory
The memories of old mistakes and regrets still haunt and echo in the present
Oh a memory
Severs me
The memory causes me great pain and sadness
And it knows
How long until…
This memory is also aware of the unpredictability of the future
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hyungjoon Kim
I paused. Paused everything else from my life to appreciate this amazing music. Simple beautiful.
Ian Gürgelstrüdeln
This is easily one of the best vocalists I've ever heard! Kudos Arnalds! And of course fantastic playing by the rest of the band. I need this album.
Muddurinn
This song is a pure work of art! These guys are without a doubt among the most talented musicians in Iceland ever :)
ツ
i remember the first live version of "paused" at the end of the song was so diferent but i love both!
Snow
How long until the sun… Oh the echo an ode The echo an ode To all that is paused How long until soul spew
Indigo DSM
not their only number which deserves a kinda goldmedal
Mendezz
amazazing
davides cristofaros
So fucking good
Vasile DT Marin
"Lightbulb Universe" is the debut album.
arleri.design
Lightbulb Universe is the EP