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“I always had the voice and now I am a singer,” sings
Teitur with a lucid, wiry theatricality as his
album ‘The Singer’ awakens like an intriguing
fairytale dawn. And his voice does have the kind of
qualities that you feel need to be grown into; he has
a pleasing purr that evokes recollections of Rufus Wainwright,
Jonathan Donahue of Mercury Rev and a more grounded
Jonsi from Sigur Ros, perhaps with the expressive normalcy
of Damien Rice or Stuart Murdoch to tie it all together.
But with more of a sense of humour than many of those
comparisons might suggest. He uses it like a snake uses
its tongue to explore its surroundings and slithers
through a varied and warm record that veers from the
Shout Out Louds-esque indie of ‘Catherine The Waitress’,
to retro big-band jazz lament ‘LetterFrom Alex’, Jeff
Buckley-ish ‘We Still Drink The Same Water’, strumming
60s folk of ‘My Only Companion’ and more in between.
The Faroe Islands dwelling songwriter weaves an idiosyncratic
tapestry, understated but ambitious that draws on so
much but is unlike anything we’ve heard in a long time.
We sent the man some questions to find out where his
head’s at...
Where are you now? What can you see?
I'm in my kitchen in my house on the Faroe Islands.
It's just a normal kitchen. With a fridge, tea and kettle.
A gold laminated cat that I bought in Chinatown in New
York is waving to me from the windowsill. I've put batteries
in it and it insists on waving. Next to him is a small
statue of Gandhi and a Mozart snowball from Vienna.
It's a souvenir collection that I have just started
on. I think it may be a short addiction.
What was the last thing you ate?
I ate tiny lobsters that were fished just a few miles
away from here while I watching the Arsenal and Manchester
United game.
What was the next album you intend to buy?
I want to buy all the Nine Inch Nails records because
I am going to see them this summer. I lost my iPod two
years ago with all my Nine Inch Nails recordings.
What was the last movie you saw?
It was an unusual one. I saw this wonderfully crazy
independent film that my friends Bright Blue Gorilla
in Los Angeles did. They showed it in a small cinema
in Copenhagen. We were only 24 people in the room and
it was hilarious. It was all done by amateur actors
and everyone on the set worked for free. It was set
in a café, a video rental show and a karate school.
I've never seen anything like it. I think that it is
amazing that they pulled it through and completed it.
What are you most looking forward to?
Tomorrow morning I am going to the studio to record
some new songs. And this weekend I am going to England
to start rehearsals for the tour. I am looking forward
to that a lot.
What time did you get out of bed this morning?
8 o'clock.
What was the last thing you liked that you saw on
TV?
Arsenal vs. Manchester United tonight, although the
result was not for my liking. I don't have a TV on the
Faroe Islands, so I go to my father's house to watch
the game.
Who did you last speak to on the phone, and about
what?
My manager called me and told me to go to my computer
and answers questions for interviews. They had been
trying to reach me all day.
What is the best thing that happened to you yesterday?
I played a Steinway Grand Piano for hours.
What are your plans for tonight?
I am going to connect my music workstation and play
loud music on it.
www.teitur.com
www.myspace.com/teitur
Photos & Report ~ James Berry for Crud Magazine
2009© |
