Of Monsters and Men - wolves without teeth, 2015

"Wolves without Teeth" is the fourth track from Of Monsters and Men's Beneath the Skin, and I think it's one of my favorites. The music is engaging, the lyrics are interesting, and the give-and-take duet between Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar "Raggi" þórhallsson tells a beautiful story. The song is almost narrative in form and tells an intense but ultimately hopeful tale of fear and love."

Of Monsters And Men - we sink, 2015

"The music video is dedicated to the current refugee crisis, as millions of people are fleeing their homes in search of a safe place to live. The Icelandic folk band reached out to members of the Red Cross in Iceland, who connected them with refugees in their home country to be featured in the video."

Of Monsters And Men - i of the storm, 2015

"I of the Storm" is a single recorded by the Icelandic indie folk/indie pop rock band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from their second studio album, Beneath the Skin (2015). It was written by Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson (of Of Monsters and Men). The single artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."

Of Monsters And Men - empire, 2015

"From the album: Beneath the Skin (released June 8, 2015) "Empire" is the second single from the Icelandic band’s sophomore album. It’s a sweeping, atmospheric anthem with their signature folk-pop sound layered with booming drums, gang vocals, and Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson’s intertwined voices."

Of Monsters And Men - hunger, 2015

"Beneath the Skin takes an anthemic approach to Of Monsters and Men’s familiar output of modern folk rock. However, the album fizzles out before it has any room to take hold. For a land known for doom-impending volcanoes, harsh winters, and rotten fish, Iceland sure has a lot to say. I can always tell when an Icelandic artist hits the airwaves. No, it’s not the accent — which, I still can’t quite grasp. It’s not even Icelandic pop’s knack for weirdness, like Bjork’s army of bell wielding children."

Of Monsters And Men - human, 2015

"Human" marked a slightly darker, more electronic-leaning evolution from the folk-pop sound of their debut My Head Is an Animal (2011)."

Of Monsters And Men - crystals, 2015

"Crystals" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. It is the lead single for their second studio album, Beneath the Skin. The single and album artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."

Of Monsters And Men - your bones, 2011

“Beautiful,” “majestic,” and “inspiring” are terms that can easily characterize the country of Iceland. It can also accurately describe the music that emanates from it. Need evidence? Then look no further than Sigur Rós and Björk – Iceland’s leading pioneers of the native music scene for more than a decade. But lately, another Icelandic band has gone from making ripples to waves across the Atlantic. Meet Of Monsters and Men, a six-piece indie-folk outfit from the capital city of Reykjavík that formed only two years ago, and already has achieved worldwide recognition, thanks in part to their song “Little Talks” receiving radio air play. Though their debut full-length, My Head is an Animal, was released last year only in Iceland, this week will mark its worldwide release via Universal Records."

Of Monsters And Men - dirty paws, 2012

"Dirty Paws" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men for their debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal. It is the opening track and the title of the album comes from a line in the song, and was released as its second single in April 2012 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe. The lyrics describe a war among animals, launched by the bees against the birds, but won by an alliance of animals against them."

Of Monsters And Men - mountain sound, 2012

"Mountain Sound" is a single by Icelandic indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from the international version of their debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal. It was written by Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson; and produced by Jacquire King."

Of Monsters And Men - sloom, 2011

"It’s about a six-hour flight from the East Coast of the United States to Reykjavík, Iceland, the hometown of up and coming sextet Of Monsters and Men. And the band’s debut album is like that moment during such a transatlantic flight where travelers realize that the journey is just a little bit too long, but ultimately worthwhile."

Of Monsters And Men - yellow light, 2012

"Set closer “Yellow Light” pits Þórhallsson as a will-o’-the-wisp leading Hilmarsdóttir off her path and into danger, urging her to “Just follow my yellow light / And ignore all those big warning signs.”

Of Monsters And Men - lakehouse, 2012

"A close contender for the album’s emotional climax shows up here, in the second-to-last slot where such things are usually appropriate. If “Your Bones” was Raggi’s big, weepy anthem, then this is Nanna’s. It’s got a warm hint of nostalgia to it, but also a slightly haunted feeling, her clear, youthful voice hinting at a loss of innocence as she begs, “Can you chase this fire away?” Beyond that and her reminiscence about a special house she used to visit in her younger days, this one’s abstract enough that I’m not quite sure what it’s about. Whatever the subject matter, it would certainly make a fine concert closer for the band, as it doesn’t take long for everyone to come crashing in at the same time, with brazen electric guitar chords, loud and proud accordion, and rolling snare drums, turning the song into an up-tempo march that work together with another spirited round of “la la la”s to make the song feel like it could be played at the world’s happiest funeral. Admittedly, if you’re not a big fan of groups filling space with stuff like “la la la”, then you might find some of these bigger, more climactic songs near the end of the album to be a bit repetitive. But I’ll give them a pass for that since even without everyone singing in unison at the end, the musicians are playing their hearts out and the whole thing is rattle-the-rafters exhilirating."

Of Monsters And Men - from finner, 2011

"how toxic things can draw us in, stealing our attention, and ultimately wasting our time."

Of Monsters And Men - love love love, 2011

"The ENTIRE album constantly alludes to metaphors revolving around divorce, or a similar fallout, and the perspectives of the many individuals impacted by the subsequent tearing apart of a family which that usually brings. If we factor that theming into Love, Love, Love, it'd imply the lyrics are something about someone who believes that they can't bring themselves to carry a proper connection with their children after betraying their responsibilities as a parent - despite one child still having unbridled hope and faith that they can reconnect."

Of Monsters And Men - six weeks, 2011

"There’s nothing scary about this Icelandic band, but they do wield some monstrous hooks. I may have belatedly stumbled upon the best new band of 2012."

Of Monsters And Men - slow and steady, 2011

"Of Monsters and Men formed through the collaboration of singers Nana Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson in 2010. Within a year of its inception, Of Monsters and Men had both secured a slot in and won Iceland’s national battle of the bands, Músiktilraunir. Around this time Seattle radio station KEXP caught wind of the group and released a video of the group performing the song “Little Talks” acoustically. Of Monsters and Men had a foothold in the U.S."

Of Monsters And Men - little talks, 2011

"Little Talks" is the debut single by Icelandic indie rock band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the lead single from their debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal (2011). It was also released on the band's EP Into the Woods."

Of Monsters And Men - king and lionheart, 2011

"King and Lionheart" is a song recorded by Icelandic alternative folk band Of Monsters and Men, written by co-lead vocalist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and produced by the band with Aron Arnarsson and Jacquire King for the band's debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal."