Will Jónsi fans be happy to part with their hard-earned cash for a new half-hour EP? Absolutely. But the same fans may be put off by the fact that We Bought a Zoo also contains a little bit of Riceboy Sleeps, a lot of Go Do, and “Hoppipolla”. Most of the new music is incidental, although the euphoric pop of “Gathering Stories” and lullaby tones of “Ævin ender” are instantly appealing. Jónsi seems ideally suited to the soundtrack world, given the success of so many Sigur Rós tracks on TV and in film, and the popularity of his end credit theme for How to Train Your Dragon. Essentially a greatest hits collection, We Bought a Zoo is likely to attract the attention of even the most mainstream of mainstreamers. The clear fan fear is that eventually Jónsi will go all pop, joining the likes of Cat Stevens and Tom Petty (featured in the film, but not on the album). Having met the man on his home turf, I can safely say that he’s too eclectic to allow that to happen. (Richard Allen)
Gathering Stories
a closer listen 