Pitchfork

Following a brief but well-earned winter hibernation, Sigur Rós have brushed the crumbs from the corners of their eyes, thrown their bows into their guitar cases, and lined up a summer tour. The jaunt finds the band hitting many a festival, first in North America and then around Europe. But there are quite a few theater dates tucked away in there as well, just in case you'd like to see Sigur Rós making their gigantic noises in slightly tinier spaces.

Speaking of which, the band had indeed been tucked away in downtown Reykjavík, working up their latest LP with producer Flood. Recently, however, they took a trip to London's Abbey Road studios to cut a track "with a boys choir and 67-piece orchestra." Nice! According to the Sigur Rós website, the new album is nearly done and may arrive as soon as this summer, and it will also feature lyrics that are "more understandable to the public than on previous albums." Talk about a departure!

Finally, Riceboy Sleeps-- the art project of Sigur Rós vocalist Jón "Jónsi" Birgisson and Alex Somers of Parachutes-- will exhibit their work in Brussels, Belgium April 30 as part of the BadTaste4ever festival. Bad taste? Don't sell yourselves short, fellas.

Sigur Rós:

06-05 Guadalajara, Mexico - Teatro Degollado
06-07 Tepoztlán, Mexico - Festival La Colmena
06-08 Tijuana, Mexico - Multiculti
06-14 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Festival
06-20 Tuttingen, Germany - Southside Festival
06-22 Bremen, Germany - Hurricane Festival
07-05 Werchter, Germany - Rock Werchter
07-06 Arras, France - Main Square Festival
07-08 Vienna, Austria - Arena Vienna
07-11 Florence, Italy - Guardino di Boboli
07-12 Rome, Italy - Cavea Auditorium
07-13 Milan, Italy - Arena Civica
07-19 Suffolk, England - Latitude Festival
08-07 Oslo, Norway - Oya Festival
08-08 Gothenburg, Sweden - Way Out West Festival
08-19 Prague, Czech Republic - Arena HC Sparta Praha
08-20 Warsaw, Poland - Palladium
08-27 Moscow, Russia - B1
08-29 Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic Festival
08-31 Inveraray, Scotland - Hydro Connect Festival