Björk's first solo album, Debut, was released in 1993, when I was a freshman in high school. It was so different than anything else out there at the time, and my friends and I were transfixed by it. Who was this woman? What was that voice? Where was she from? We had to hear more. The songs on Debut have come to stand as some of Björk's most beloved and accessible: “Venus as a Boy,” “Human Behaviour,” “Big Time Sensuality,” and the like demonstrated that, in spite of her weirdness, she could write a perfect – and a perfectly beautiful – song.
In the intervening years, I have bought every Björk album and have enjoyed them all to varying degrees. My heart still lies with her early releases, Debut and Post, because they showcase, for me, everything that she is so terribly good at. I do, however, enjoy Vespertine and her more recent works; they clearly paint the portrait of an artist who is growing, changing, and finding her wings.
I have always wondered, though, if Björk will ever become a caricature of herself. That is, will the strange songs, the swan dresses, and the shyness ever render her too weird for mainstream audiences? It would be a shame if someone like Björk disappeared into the upper echelon of “strange and unusual” performers, never to be heard from again.
Fortunately, her newest album, Volta, puts those fears to rest – at least for now. Yes, she and her songs are as quirky as ever. Yes, she has recorded these songs in studios, in various homes from New York to Iceland, and on a few boats, too. Yes, the image on the cover is of her dressed up as...well, as something I can't quite define in words. And, yes, the music may contain a few too many sonic blips, brass arrangements, and sampled grunts for most listeners.
But, as always, Björk has surrounded herself with exceptional musicians and producers, and the songs benefit from her continued explorations. Most surprisingly, Timbaland is on board; he helms some of the album's most impressive, driving, and emotional songs. The lead-off, “Earth Intruders,” rocks through crunching gravel and djembe beats before Björk's lead vocal cuts, clearly and beautifully, through the mix. (The iTunes version of the album has an alternate mix by Mark “Spike” Stent, one of the best in the business, which I recommend over the version on the CD I received.) “I See Who You Are” weaves back and forth, running both ahead of and behind itself; “Innocence” sounds like an entire video game arcade on the fritz. Björk's lyrics are both thrillingly personal and expectedly oblique. My favorite song on the album, “Hope,” starts with a great vocal loop and then moves into something that sounds like a mid-period Sting tune sped up from 33 to 45. As always, Björk's voice is in fine form; as in 1993, I still can't put my finger on what makes it so compelling.
Volta is not for everyone. Those who are only fans of Timbaland's work, for example, will probably find the album too difficult to get into. Those who are only fans of Björk's early work may also have some trouble, as the songs aren't immediately as accessible as the songs on her first few albums. But, if you give it a chance, I think you'll find Volta to be an instant, avant-garde classic. Björk hasn't made a mockery of herself yet. She's simply raised the bar. Again. |