Islanders explore a mainland

Mainstream radio play has always been out of reach for the band Sigur Ros, if for no other reason than much of its music has been sung in a made-up language called Hopelandish.

For its upcoming album, though, the group is instead singing in a language understood by a much larger population: Icelandic.

What next -- a collaboration with new label-mate Ashlee Simpson?

Don’t bet on it. But there is a new outlook surrounding the group as it has moved to Geffen Records for “Takk” (due Sept. 13), after last year’s folding of MCA Records into the Interscope Records family.

Even outside of its hometown of Reykjavik, the group is looking to broaden horizons for the slow mystery of its ethereal music. And Geffen President Jordan Schur believes it is possible to far surpass the quarter-million U.S. sales of the group’s last album, “(),” -- a.k.a. “the brackets album” -- already an impressive number considering the nature of the music. But he wants to make sure any moves remain true to the art.

“We’re just lucky to have them,” Schur says. “They’re like a jewel, and we want to make sure we don’t do anything to scuff it up.”

What the Geffen team has done is gotten involved in the planning for the album more intensively than the U.S. labels had before. Not that it’s all work.

“I’ve gone over to Iceland myself several times,” Schur says. “I’ve gone out drinking with them all night!”

More to the point, the band and its management have spent time in L.A. and New York meeting with Schur and his staff to brainstorm on new ways to promote the album.

“Management told me this is the first time [the band members] had a pre-release meeting to discuss the work that is going to be done,” he says. “They’ve never really stopped to focus on how to market records.”

To that end, Schur says he has no intention of trying to push Sigur Ros into conventional approaches. Schur sees the level of success that the group has achieved in terms of album sales as just a starting point, with further potential pointed to by Sigur Ros’ ability to headline the Hollywood Bowl, as will happen in the fall. But for now, he prefers to focus on noncommercial radio such as KCRW-FM (89.9) and other alternative means of exposure.

“Let’s face it, there’s a game to the music business,” he says. “You have to have a hit song, great video, go tour, create excitement around that. But the way you win with them is that you do not play the game.”

The label, though, gave Sigur Ros no artistic input. Any evolution on that front came from the musicians alone.

“To us, this record seems more positive than the last one,” says Georg Holm, suggesting that perhaps with the previous album, songs had gotten worn out from being played in concert before the set was recorded. “This time we have deliberately kept the songs away from the live shows so that when we came to record them we had no idea of where they were heading and could be more inventive and have more fun. I think that shows in the finished record, which is day for ‘the brackets album’s’ night.”

He’s also enthusiastic about the Geffen situation and notes that A&R; executive Joel Mark, who signed the band at MCA, is still on board. As for perhaps reaching to the commercial mainstream, Holm says it’s not a consideration for a band known for its long, haunting soundscapes.

“Actually, we have one four-minute song, which is maybe the poppiest thing we’ve ever done,” he says, “so you never know.”

Indeed. Matt Smith, music director of rock powerhouse KROQ-FM (106.7), says he’d like nothing more than to be able to play a Sigur Ros song.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find someone at this station who doesn’t love Sigur Ros,” he says. “It’s hard for that to translate to airplay. But we’re excited about the record and about them playing the Bowl. We would love to be able to play something.”

Ono’s Barnsdall festival spirit

The inaugural Arthurfest concerts on Sept. 4 and 5 at Barnsdall Art Park already has a lineup highlighting some of the most cherished and promising acts in the independent underground, from Sonic Youth on down. Now it’s adding the figure who arguably is the spiritual leader of the roster: Yoko Ono.

How did this little festival swing it? “All we did was ask,” says Jay Babcock, editor of the monthly Arthur magazine that is behind the event.

It was that simple, just a note to Ono’s management and the answer came back soon that she would be happy to participate.

“It’s great,” says Ono. “I did two festivals in London recently, and I think it’s good to do something on the West Coast. And the type of people in the festival are the kind I like to support.”

She’s “not really familiar” with the magazine but says “I heard they were cutting-edge, and I like that.”

The lineup was what got her attention, though. She’s friends with Sonic Youth and has some awareness of others on the bill, which includes acclaimed Oregon rock trio Sleater-Kinney, Japanese noise-maestro Merzbow and neo-psychedelic folkie Josephine Foster.

She’s not sure who will be accompanying her. The London shows (at the All Tomorrow’s Parties and Meltdown festivals) featured her son, Sean Lennon, and his band. It’s uncertain whether they’ll be available for this appearance, but if not, she has another group ready to go. The performance will also likely center on the song “Rising,” recorded 10 years ago in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“It’s timely with all that is happening,” she says. “We have to stand up and speak out.”

Ono has been busy with various art museum openings of her work around the globe and will be involved in various events marking what would have been the 65th birthday of John Lennon in October and what will be the 25th anniversary of his murder in December. But the recent music activities have made her eager to return to recording and performing.

Small faces

* Whoever wins an EBay auction to meet Motley Crue before the band’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheater show July 26 will have no excuse for not being on time. The top bidder also will receive a watch with a band made from a strip of leather from lead singer Vince Neil’s jacket. The auction, from which proceeds will go to the T.J. Martell Foundation for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research, ends at 11 tonight....

* Daniel Lanois and the band Tortoise are teaming for an October tour. The Chicago instrumental band will open shows, then serve as the backing band for producer-guitarist Lanois. The tour is at this point planned to close with an Oct. 22 date at the Avalon in Hollywood....