Heima Sweet Heima

I just get the feeling that Sigur Ros is a band you either love or you just hate.

What's more, I have a feeling that I'd be more inclined to be a party member of the latter, had I not stumbled across Heima last night on the Sundance Channel. Rarely ever do I find myself flipping the channels for something to watch; normally I switch it off and head to bed or a book or the record player. But, while paging through the guide I recalled them being a band of note, and not one I'd ever paid much heed, "So what the hell," ... says I.

My first impression is that, alone, their music sounds a bit like Thom Yorke fronting the Arcade Fire; which, I'm sure to most indie rockers such as myself would find appealing. But I've never been a huge Thom Yorke, or Radiohead for that matter, fan. So it was mildly irritating at first impression.

However, there was something very eerie and beautiful about their music soundtracked behind the gorgeous shots of the Icelandic landscape.

What's more, once you get into the dialogue from the live music scenes, the film makes the Icelanders even more so a charming and fascinating people. The scene shot in the building that looks a bit like an American Legion hall is particularly quaint and sweet; it gives the impression of a family reunion, all the family members of different generations sitting together quietly over tea and cake to take in a nice afternoon recital.

In any event, if you're ever bored, and it's on the television, I highly recommend. I recommend even more to just buy it if you're a fan of Sigur Ros, or of great musical documentary film making, or, really, Iceland in general.