Coming from Iceland is a new musical that is garnering some much deserved attention. Revolution in the Elbow of Ragnar Agnarsson Furniture Painter has piqued the interest of Tony winners Cady Huffman (The Producers) and lighting director Jeff Croiter (Peter and the Starcatcher), along with actors Kate Shindle, Patrick Boll and Brad Nacht. A captivating story that involves political struggle and a surreal love twist, the musical's main appeal is, if you can believe it, beyond the cast.
The music, which was written over the past few years, contains elements of modern rock that are concurrent with a more alternative taste. As former SPIN head honcho Jem Aswad writes in the Village Voice, "The music...has a rare maturity and depth."
And, no, that's not to be understated.
With a cosmic soundscape that sounds like the progeny of Ziggy Stardust, Interpol and Muse, the soundtrack is a serious contender for the champion title of my own Best OST of '14.
Of course, ívar Páll Jónsson--along with help from communal indie folkie Liam McCormick of The Family Crest, Hjalti Þorkelsson Múgsefjun and Sigríður Thorlacius of Hjaltalín--is practically an unknown here in the States. But if his heavy, sophisticated tracks are any indication of the musical, itself, it'll be a performance well worth the ticket.
Songs like "Our Revolution" or "All We Need is Confidence" get under the already dense space, as if narrating a dark, twisted fantasy straight out of Sigur Rós' Hopelandia.
Tragedy seems to hang on the fringe of the vocals, which are held above the ground by ambient-ish string arrangements. But they soon turn triumphant (think a heavy metal Zombies) on a song like "Midas Reborn."
Check out that soundtrack and be sure to keep an eye on August 13, as something tells me it's going to make quite the noise when it opens.
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