Holidays in Europe (The Naughty Nought)
Encyclopedia
Holidays in Europe, was the third and last album released by the Iceland
ic post-punk
group KUKL on January 24, 1986. This album was more complex in comparison to The Eye
, with the folksy and pseudo-oriental flutes, bells and pipes of that previous album abandoned on favour of keyboards and samples. The music on this record contains scrawny guitars, electronic noise, and distorted samples and keyboards.
Holidays in Europe (The Naughty Nought) opens with “Outward Flight” (”Psalm 323)” a track which begins with a sample of a flight attendant welcoming to flight on board Icelandair
. The drums accompanied by synthesizers and keyboard parts help sound like tuned percussion.
“A Mutual Thrill” commences with heavily-echoed sounds, and digitally altered chamber music until there is room for scratchy guitars and distorted keyboards that contrive to create a chaotic rhythm. Einar Örn
screams “Through the window!!!” along the track while Björk
sings in Icelandic.
"Just by the Book" is widely thought of by fans as one of the best songs on this album. The guitars played by Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson
(also known as Godkrist) are thinner and more grating than other works, while a clear contrast is shown between the two vocalists: Einar Örn sings that "The man on the cross, he keeps staring at me," while Björk features herself as a pious follower happy because she sings “I believe” and as this track evolves she claims that she is "Willing to convince everyone… You don't have to think, he think for you!". Thus, Holidays in Europe (The Naughty Nought) is a concept album about abusive relationships. This song in particular and most of the track names contain obvious puns on or references to Christianity
and the Bible.
The topic of the art cover is the “naughty nought”, that is, zero in power of itself equals unity (00=1). So, the meaning of this is that nothing in its own power can create something.
Reissue: Smekkleysa/Bad Taste in 2002.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
group KUKL on January 24, 1986. This album was more complex in comparison to The Eye
The Eye
The Eye, was the debut album of the Icelandic post-punk group KUKL. This album was released in September 1984, through Crass Records and was recorded at Southern Studios in January 1984. The album peaked at number 6 in the UK Independent albums chart...
, with the folksy and pseudo-oriental flutes, bells and pipes of that previous album abandoned on favour of keyboards and samples. The music on this record contains scrawny guitars, electronic noise, and distorted samples and keyboards.
Holidays in Europe (The Naughty Nought) opens with “Outward Flight” (”Psalm 323)” a track which begins with a sample of a flight attendant welcoming to flight on board Icelandair
Icelandair
Icelandair ehf is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, based on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík. It is part of the Icelandair Group and currently operates scheduled services to 31 cities in 13 countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean out of its hub at Keflavík International Airport...
. The drums accompanied by synthesizers and keyboard parts help sound like tuned percussion.
“A Mutual Thrill” commences with heavily-echoed sounds, and digitally altered chamber music until there is room for scratchy guitars and distorted keyboards that contrive to create a chaotic rhythm. Einar Örn
Einar Örn Benediktsson
Einar Örn Benediktsson is a popular music singer and trumpet player who has worked with Björk and The Sugarcubes. Since the 2010 elections he is a member of the city council of Reykjavík....
screams “Through the window!!!” along the track while Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
sings in Icelandic.
"Just by the Book" is widely thought of by fans as one of the best songs on this album. The guitars played by Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson
Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson
Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson , guitar player and engineer. He is a mathematician, an inventor, a practising polytechnic engineer, lecturer and the author of several scientific papers....
(also known as Godkrist) are thinner and more grating than other works, while a clear contrast is shown between the two vocalists: Einar Örn sings that "The man on the cross, he keeps staring at me," while Björk features herself as a pious follower happy because she sings “I believe” and as this track evolves she claims that she is "Willing to convince everyone… You don't have to think, he think for you!". Thus, Holidays in Europe (The Naughty Nought) is a concept album about abusive relationships. This song in particular and most of the track names contain obvious puns on or references to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and the Bible.
The topic of the art cover is the “naughty nought”, that is, zero in power of itself equals unity (00=1). So, the meaning of this is that nothing in its own power can create something.
Personnel
- Vocals: Björk GuðmundsdóttirBjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
- Vocals and trumpet: Einar Örn BenediktssonEinar Örn BenediktssonEinar Örn Benediktsson is a popular music singer and trumpet player who has worked with Björk and The Sugarcubes. Since the 2010 elections he is a member of the city council of Reykjavík....
- Electric guitar: Guðlaugur Kristinn ÓttarssonGuðlaugur Kristinn ÓttarssonGuðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson , guitar player and engineer. He is a mathematician, an inventor, a practising polytechnic engineer, lecturer and the author of several scientific papers....
- Bass: Birgir Mogensen
- DX7 Keyboards: Einar Arnaldur Melax
- Drums: Sigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur Baldursson is an Icelandic drummer and singer.Sigtryggur was born in Norway to Icelandic parents. He was a founding member of the Sugarcubes and has been a longtime fixture on the Icelandic punk and alternative music scene. Other bands he has played in have included Þeyr, KUKL,...
- Recording and mix: Southern StudiosSouthern StudiosSouthern Studios is a recording studio in the Wood Green area of London. It was founded in 1974 by John Loder, and came to be the recording studio of choice for Crass and their record label Crass Records. Southern Studios Ltd. continues to grow its label and provide label management and...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, between October, 1984 and October, 1985. - Engineering: Mel Jefferson
- Production: Penny Lapsang RimbaudPenny RimbaudJeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
Collaborators
- Jamil Sairah: Additional vocalist in “Zro”.
- Sirgurjón Birgir Sigurðsson (Sjón): Participated in the booklet design, but the early work was subsequently replaced by Einar Örn and Crass.
Track listing
| Track | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Outward Flight (Psalm 323) | 03:49 |
| 02 | France (A Mutual Thrill) | 04:19 |
| 03 | Gibraltar (Copy Thy Neighbour) | 04:55 |
| 04 | Greece (Just By the Book) | 06:58 |
| 05 | England (Zro) | 04:51 |
| 06 | Holland (Latent) | 04:40 |
| 07 | Aegean (Vials of Wrath) | 04:29 |
| 08 | The Homecoming (The Night) | 02:54 |
Reissue: Smekkleysa/Bad Taste in 2002.