Album Preview: New Solo Album from Jónsi (Sigur Ros)

When Sigur Rós frontman Jón Thor Birgisson embarked on putting together “Go,” his first solo album, he envisioned a record that would provide a home for some of the songs he’d written over the years that were never quite right for the band. Jónsi originally imagined it would be a quiet, acoustic album but the final collection of songs is anything but. It’s a surprisingly celebratory record. Jónsi’s trademark vocals still drive the compositions, creating a familiar cinematic feel, but new themes bubble up throughout the music as he boldly jumps into unfamiliar territory (for starters, most of the album is in English).

Hear the entire album streaming online at KCRW.com until Sunday, April 11. Jónsi will perform live on Morning Becomes Eclectic on Monday, April 19, 2010.