Bjork

Jamie
I have never got the hang of Bjork. Not music that appeals to me at all. She is either a wilfully eccentric pseud or just bonkers. Either way, I am probably just too idle (or life is too short) to spend time trying to get into her stuff. I have to go to Iceland on business in September - is she a national icon there I wonder?

chris, she's an odd 'un. i think i got one record, listened to it once. maybe i just haven't given her enough time ... but i tend to agree w/ you - too little time, too many great records. you'll have to do a little research on bjork and iceland -- perhaps she's just another crazy singer among thousands. rgds., artie

I believe she is a little pixie sent to perform mischief amongst us. The Icelanders do indeed worship her although they are ever afraid the sky will fall on their heads since she attained global cult status and relocated away from her national home. Thus, every year they celebrate her official birthday by dressing up in their bed linen, decorating their faces with paint made from organic soil collected from the hot springs prevalent around there and chant BIG TIME SENSUALITY in hopes of easing the pain of the gods such that they stop their world collapsing around their ears.

Or they just climb into their 4x4s and fuck about on the volcanoes for a while.

Hmmm, this touches a nerve! A few years ago, there was a series of programmes on CH4 to inaugurate the UK Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Each programme covered the key artists of a decade - 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Now, by any standards, Joni Mitchell, is one of - if not the - greatest singer-songwriter ever, so I was unperturbed when she failed to make a showing in the 60s programme - "I guess she did most of her best work in the early 70s, she's sure to be on next week", I thought. But I was wrong. This still sticks in my mind as an absolute travesty.

Fast forward to the present, and this entry from Bjork, on the website for the "Tribute to Joni Mitchell" CD:

Bjork on Joni

The last few paragraphs are polemical, but they articulate a lot of the frustration I felt with that CH4 programme a few years ago. I think that Bjork suffers the same sort of critical dismissal, or at least, implicit belittling - that she is "mad", or "weird", because she remains true to her (female) instincts, and makes music to match. Perhaps that is why she writes so passionately, and eloquently about Joni?

IMHO Bjork's achievement is astonishing - every CD of hers is worth hearing, and she is adept at pushing the boundaries of music, whilst retaining a measure of popular success - an extremely difficult balancing act. Her latest album is a joy - notwithstanding the infuriating packaging.

And no, I don't find her "weird" - her music always sounds naturally expressive to me - nothing odd about that!

Here endeth the rant!!

I'm with Chris K on this one. I have tried to get her,honest but she does not click with me,just too weird I guess.
Have you seen Icelandic motor sport? I think the lack of sunlight in the winter must have something to do with it.
They then don't go to bed for 5 months.

And this is what makes music so endlessly fascinating. One man's meat etc. Why the music of poor African Americans as expressed in the blues resonates so deeply within me and yet Bjork's warblings just irritate me is one of life's mysteries. I read the link that Droodzilla posted. I guess we mostly agree that Joni is under-appreciated in the wider world, but so are a lot of other very fine musicans of both genders. But His Bobness a saint? Not in my book!

I thought her recent appearance on Later blew away all competition. Challenging, uncompromising and cutting edge stuff. Not for all tastes but if you get her, she's smashing stuff.

Hello Chris - as if to prove your point, I have broad tastes, which range from Bach to Bjork, but have never managed to make much headway with the blues - the odd Lightin' Hopkins track aside!

That said, I'm loathe to concede that all aesthetic jusgements are subjective, as it's inconceivable to me that a Bach Cello Suite (say) is not of greater intrinsic value than Scooch's Eurovision entry this year. But I think that this is a topic for another thread!

how can a guy like bach and not like muddy waters?

what's weirder than bjork is all our musical tstes - no explaining such things, really.

Sure her music can be a bit of a challenge to get into but she has a reak knack of writting amazing hook lines into even her most challenging songs. She also does convensional pretty well... "Come to Me" from Debut is just an all round cracking song. Somewhat like Marmite it would seem, you either love her or really really can't stand her... unfortunately my wife falls into the latter category so my Bjork listening is restricted to the iPod which doesn't do it justice.

Look forward to have her last in my player.

I think Björk is a true original voice ... challenging, boundary breaking, and wildly creative, powerfully emotional and exhilarating.

My favorite album of hers features the songs she wrote for the film she also acted in, Dancer In the Dark. I feel certain there has never before been a melange of musical elements combined in quite this way. Pure brilliance, also due in no small part to the wonderful orchestral arrangements of Vince Mendoza. Plus, you gotta love rhythm tracks made up of trains on railroad tracks, or a basketball being dribbled accompanied by the squeaks of basketball shoes on the court.



Selmasongs: Dancer In The Dark




All best,
Fred

I bought it and gleefully returned it. What BS! Are those even songs?

Does it matter if they're not songs? Why get stuck on the idea of "song"?

I haven't heard Selmasongs. Maybe it *is* bullshit.

Keep an open mind!

quote:

Originally posted by droodzilla:
Does it matter if they're not songs? Why get stuck on the idea of "song"?

I haven't heard Selmasongs. Maybe it *is* bullshit.

Keep an open mind!

Good point.
Selmasongs is the soundtrack of the movie in which Bjork act in the role of the blind girl working in the little factory.
She will be charged for a murder she did not do etc etc
The movie is half way between an indy release and a musical and frankly i did not like it too much.
Btw i have all Bjork's albums as i think she can make very good things.
She played for years like a soldering point between the pop and the indy electronic scene involving some of the most prolific artists.
The same role that groups like the german "The Notwist" did for the last years putting together post punk, drones and synths in a very charming mix (saw them live as well like "Lali Puna" and i must confess that the boys rock and rock well).
"Vespertine" is probably the finest example of the effort and i consider the record a little masterpiece but you can find her voice in more "official" ambients like the Hector Zazou's "Songs from the cold seas" where she sings a traditional icelandic poem with rare passion.