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
Translations
Agent Fresco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wary dew
Summer loss
Coughs
Carry through
Opaque talk
Bridle release
The droning fatigue
Corroding in sleep
Barely with brushstrokes
We followed
Barely our palms combed the sky
Barely we all held off morrow
Carry through
Bold holes daunt
Beneath
Death is young
And aggrieves
All speeches into
A world that we knew
Carry through
As sapphire salt runs in streams
Translations are all in me
"Through polaroid roads, we are leaving"
The lyrics of "Translations" by Agent Fresco convey a sense of uncertainty and loss. The opening lines "Pulsating through, wary dew, summer loss, coughs" paint a picture of a person who is tired and worn out, struggling through difficult times. The repetition of "carry through" in the chorus serves as a reminder to keep pushing forward despite the obstacles.
The song also touches on the theme of communication, with lines like "Opaque talk, repeats, bridle release" suggesting frustration with misunderstandings or miscommunications. The repetition of "barely" in the second verse suggests a sense of detachment or distance from the world around them.
The final lines of the song, "As sapphire salt runs in streams, translations are all in me, 'Through polaroid roads, we are leaving'" leave the meaning open to interpretation, but could suggest a desire to escape from the difficulties of the present moment.
Overall, "Translations" is a song that captures a sense of struggle and uncertainty, but ultimately encourages the listener to keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Pulsating through
Moving with a strong, steady rhythm
Wary dew
Small drops of water on the ground that suggest caution and hesitation
Summer loss
The passing of time during a season of warmth and growth
Coughs
Audible interruptions in one's breath, indicating discomfort or illness
Carry through
Continuing on despite difficulties or obstacles
Opaque talk
Conversations that are difficult to understand or interpret
Repeats
Occurrences that happen again and again, possibly without change or growth
Bridle release
Letting go of restraint and allowing freedom to take over
The droning fatigue
A sense of tiredness that is monotonous and unchanging
Corroding in sleep
Slowly decaying or losing strength while resting
Barely with brushstrokes
Making small, delicate movements with a paintbrush
We followed
Moving in the same direction as someone else
Barely our palms combed the sky
Reaching for something higher or beyond our grasp, but not quite touching it
Barely we all held off morrow
Hesitating to face the future or what it may hold
Bold holes daunt
Large empty spaces that inspire fear or unease
Beneath
Underneath or hidden by something else
Death is young
The concept of death being new and unexplored
And aggrieves
Causes pain and distress
All speeches into
The words that express our thoughts and emotions
A world that we knew
A familiar and comfortable existence that is changing or disappearing
As sapphire salt runs in streams
A beautiful, valuable substance that flows freely and naturally
Translations are all in me
Interpretations of the world and our experiences that are personal and unique to us
"Through polaroid roads, we are leaving"
Moving away from our current situation, possibly towards something new and unknown
Contributed by Asher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ryan Aréstegui
Oh my god, some amazing music from Iceland that isn't overly melancholic! SICK!
Ka El
Just when you think have the hang of the beat they throw in a 'haha, screw you amateurs' line or two... Love these guys!
TheBokmaaa
Sometimes I laugh at myself because I trie to nod to the beat, but get fooled by that very same beat. Damn you, intricate drummer!
Frederik L
you were fucking awesome at Roskilde '11!!!!!
Asurelig Dey
Песня о том как лысый хочет верить
Eog
geðveiki!
Hjalli Smalls
algerlega awesome lag !!