’Dirty Paws’ | Of Monsters and Men | Sound Tracks Quick Hits | PBS

Iceland has a long tradition of Nordic myths and folk tales, many involving spirits and animals transforming themselves into people. So, it’s not too surprising that a band like Of Monsters and Men would call their debut album, “My Head is an Animal,“ and create a song like “Dirty Paws,“ about an epic battle between the birds and the bees and a four-pawed beast that saves the day. What’s impressive is that they pull it off in a way that appeals to fellow Icelanders and to an international audience. It’s quirky stuff with a campfire feel, but it also has an edge and an exuberant energy that recalls some of their favorite bands and singers from Mumford and Sons to Feist. Where do their songs come from? “The wind whispers to us,“ says Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir, the co-lead singer and guitarist. “Iceland is a magical place and all that cold and rain keeps us indoors where we can write.“ Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, singer