Múm - Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR; Nov. 4, 2009)

text: Josh Kincaid / photos: Josh Kincaid

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Who here has heard of Múm? Clearly many Portlanders, as evidenced by the packed Aladdin Theater Wednesday night. And for good reason.

Mum’s show at the Aladdin marked a rare live performance of their native Iceland (and Europe). Formed in 1997, Mum hasn’t stopped composing new and inspiring psychedelic, electronic, funky, unusual, special-effects tunes since. Simply put, they are a group of born musicians with innate capabilities to compose. They have fun experimenting with all possible sounds traditional instruments can possibly utter, as well as unconventional, often times, custom-made instruments. All mashed up and combined with amazingly angelic soft voices and a passion that can be felt when listening to them, and watching them, live on stage.

The audience was mesmerized. I had assumed it would be a seated show. A show during which people would comfortably sit and calmly listen. Instead, it seems like no one had the audacity to relax on their seats! No dancing, no mosh-pit, no drama. Just simple, respectful, standing reverence towards their truly hypnotizing music.

Their latest release, Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know, was released this past August via download through Gogoyoko. I encourage you to get the album and look at our photos here on melophobe while the album is playing in the background. You will not be disappointed.

DOWNLOAD: Múm - Hullaballabalu (MP3) or Follow us for more Múm MP3s (Twitter)

Múm review to your liking? You'll sweat:

3 comments thus far ...

  1. 1Colin Tue Nov 10, 2009 | 07:02 pm

    love the color in these pictures

  1. 2josh Tue Nov 10, 2009 | 07:13 pm

    agreed. these are perhaps the most exciting photos i’ve seen from a show at the aladdin.

  1. 3Alice Falzone Wed Nov 11, 2009 | 11:48 am

    A M A Z I N G photography here, josh! the passion is obvious. LOVE it!

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Ha, I blogged ‘Mambo Santa Claus’ today too. I thought I was the only one who knew that song. It’s a classic.

by Big Savings on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 12.48 pm from the entry: Various Artists - "A Hipsters' Holiday" - Buy it

and the egg nog at kris kringle’s house is out of this world…

by steve on Thu Dec 24, 2009 at 07.33 pm from the entry: The Music Tapes Caroling Tour - A Living Room in Boston (Boston, MA; Dec. 13, 2009)

this is wonderful. especially julian’s christmas sweater!

by josh on Thu Dec 24, 2009 at 02.52 pm from the entry: The Music Tapes Caroling Tour - A Living Room in Boston (Boston, MA; Dec. 13, 2009)

so I was slow and didnt get my votes in, but I would have voted for 7-10 and added Fanfarlo and The Knux. Also Dan Auerbach was rad in person, so I would probably have given him a few extra points for that, even though this was about albums. I dont really get the Mayer Hawthorne thing, its not like motown revival is a new thing (Jamie Lidell, Ryan Shaw and Raphael Saadiq)

by Nicole on Thu Dec 24, 2009 at 01.13 pm from the entry: Top 10 Best Albums of 2009!

remixes tend to bore me because I think most are extremely bland and/or unoriginal, but everything here felt fresh from my first listen to my last. let me know what you think about it.

by colin on Wed Dec 23, 2009 at 06.43 pm from the entry: Present # 8: The 'Sky High' Mixtape - Remixing Kanye West

nice call. this sounds fantastic. i’ve been listening to a fair bit of kanye recently, and it will be great to get a different feel from his songs.

by josh on Wed Dec 23, 2009 at 06.14 pm from the entry: Present # 8: The 'Sky High' Mixtape - Remixing Kanye West

colin, you are too good to us!

by josh on Wed Dec 23, 2009 at 05.58 pm from the entry: The Final Present (#9): Another Radiohead soundboard - Live at Lollapalooza 08

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