what's so nice about Bjork's music?

[foray]

I watched Dancer In The Dark; she's a great actress. But what of her music? What's so great about it??

Do people like her just because she's weird? Yeah yeah, there's no one in this world quite like Bjork, but so what? Why are people attracted to her music? My ears can't take it most of the time. The only song I can stand is "It's So Quiet".

I'd also like to ask, how does she perform on stage? Does she play some instruments? Does she play in the studio? Where did she get the other musicians from, because I'd like to know how they can possibly co-ordinate with Bjork's singing--there's no sense of timing! So, how do they do it? Is it a free-fall thing when she performs on stage?

Just want to understand.

foray

 

[DrTeeth]

I remember Human Behaviour being released around the same time as Numb (and Debut around the same time as Zooropa).

There are some real gems in Bjork's catalogue but there are some really strange songs too which aren't bad but just strange.

I especially like; Play Dead, I've Seen It All (with Thom Yorke), Bachelorette (this one's really great).

Strange ones; It's So Quiet (?), Hunter (??) and the one with the tank/car in the video.

 

[Spectre]

I love Bjork's music but I can't really explain why. I don't like her just because she's weird and interesting, which she is, but I genuinely like her voice and style of singing. I think that she's one of those singers that either you find annoying or love, sorta like Kate Bush.

 

[melon]

I just do. I like her voice, and I love her experimental music. I find it very enjoyable, personally, and I loved "Dancer in the Dark." It's all about personal preferences. Personally, I think most rock is tripe--just Pearl Jam ripoffs. It's all about personal preferences in the end.

Melon

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?Confused by thoughts, we experience duality in life. Unencumbered by ideas, the enlightened see the one reality.? - Hui-neng (638-713)

 

[OzAurora]

Once again it is all about personal opinions- not everyone is going to like everything, but I for one really like Bjork and I have seen her in concert twice and both times I was front row. On stage she dosn't really do much- she dosn't play any instruments but her voice is something that is unbelieveable. She is such a little thing and when she opens her mouth this 'voice' comes out, so I think that the thing about her is that her voice is something unique- her voice is not at all like any of the other female singers around, such as Madonna, Mariah Carey(YUK!!!) and the rest, so maybe that is it. And also her quirky kind of personality also adds to the appeal I think........

I think that most of her music is great and once I got into her stuff I went out and bought some 'Sugarcubes' stuff (the band she was in before she went solo) and this is really good, I recommend the songs;

Birthday
Hit
Deus
Motorcrash
Regina

and of Bjork's solo stuff;
Venus as a boy
Human behaviour
Isobel
Play dead

 

[grace]

i truly like almost all of the music on her albums. I really like the way she sings and what she sings about too. i would say her 'weirdness' is because she's always been way ahead of the game, music and style wise. And her singing style is pretty 'weird,' i admit. i definitely don't like her BECAUSE she's weird. I think she's more eccentric, than weird, actually. I loved Debut, Post, and Homogenic. i found that the more i listened to these albums, the more i liked them, kind of like my experience with radiohead's more recent experimentation. I can't listen to her all the time, but i definitely enjoy her music every once in a while. I would say Debut and Post contains her best work. And "It's oh so quiet" is probably one of her best songs. I agree with melon, liking her is all about personal taste. So if you can't stand the music, i don't know if listening to more of it is going to help.
As for Dancer in the Dark, I might get flamed for saying this, but personally, i hated it. The (agonizing) experience of watching that movie soured my taste for the music from the soundtrack, so i don't have anything positive to say about it.
I've never seen her perform on stage, so i can't shed any light on that. I did see a part of a video documentary about her where she's recording in the studio. that was wild. when she sings, she's all over the place...jumping around. She really gets into her songs. It's amazing. i don't think i've ever seen someone put that much body into their singing. She wasn't dancing either.

 

[travu2]

I love Bjork. I've got a Bjork poster on my wall right next to "The Joshua Tree." I guess I would also have to say that one of the reasons I love her music so much is because it's different than the mainstream stuff that you hear on the radio, experimental, but there are a lot of artists that are doing experimental things that I'm not into.. so, as has been said, it just comes down to personal preference.

I've only seen her live twice (on TV) and she was not playing an instrument either time. I recorded her performance of "Bachelorette" on SNL. It was mesmerizing just watching her sing. I think she is an incredible and uncompromising singer, and I absolutely love her voice. Another thing I love about her is her lyrics. I just can't say enough good things about her lyrics, so I won't.

I would say basically the same thing about her that I said about Radiohead in the [radiohead] thread. She's just coming from her own place.

My favorite Bjork song would probably be "Isobel."

-------------------
"Unless you feel like you're going to die if you don't do it, it's cheating." Bjork on music

"when she does it she means to
moth delivers her message
unexplained on your collar
crawling in silence
a simple excuse

in a tower of steel
nature forges a deal
to raise wonderful hell
like me
like me" Isobel

[This message has been edited by travu2 (edited 05-02-2001).]

 

[travu2]

OzAurora, I love those Sugarcubes songs you listed. I especially like "Birthday" and "Deus."

 

[grace]

I second that. You might actually like some of the Sugarcubes stuff better.

Birthday, Motorcrash, and Cat (in icelandic) are my favorites.

 

[grace]

oh! and she's got the most amazing scream. gotta love it!

 

[travu2]

Damn right!

 

[CatDubh]

Originally posted by grace:
oh! and she's got the most amazing scream. gotta love it!

Hell yeah! She's lovely! I also love her accent in English

My fave Bjork song is All is full of love, the vid is pretty cool too. Play dead was a soundtrack for Crying Game, no? Love that song. Venus as a boy is a must-hear, in deed. I also lurve 'There's more to life than this', good one too. Oh, ok, I don't think I could list all the songs I like of Bjork's

Loved her swan-dress too she wore at the Oscar's, she looked cool.

------------------
Wow. After I jumped, it occured to me. Life is perfect. Life is the best, full of magic, beauty, opportunity, and television. And surprises...lot's of surprises, yeah. And then there's the best stuff, of course. Better than anything anyone ever made up, 'cause it's real.

Get down off your holy cloud, God will not deal with the proud

[This message has been edited by CatDubh (edited 05-03-2001).]

 

[travu2]

Originally posted by Bound:
I will confess to buying that one sugarcubes cd, 'lifes too good' because of the lime green and pink cover!!

LOL! Hard to resist, isn't it.

We're all SO programmed to accepting everything looking and sounding same.. people, music, strip malls, etc,. When we experience something outside of those comfortable boundaries, we don't know how to react.

That's a great point. I cringed as well when I first saw her, and I was thinking "You have worn so many other beautiful things, why a swan during the Oscars??" But then I thought she was very brave to do something she knew people would be ridiculing her for. I admire her for doing what she wants to without caring what others might think.

------------------
"This is really dangerous.
Cover me.
But worth all the effort.
Cover me.
I'm going to prove the impossible really exists."

Bjork

 

[Bound]

I haven't heard a lot of her solo stuff, but I was/am quite taken with 'Post'. Lots of good stuff on it, including the songs mentioned, like isobel. I will confess to buying that one sugarcubes cd, 'lifes too good' because of the lime green and pink cover!! (deus, mama, cold sweat, motorcrash, etc., are good songs from it).

Yes she is quirky. Perhaps some of that is a result of her Icelandic backround, a place like no other on the planet!

I did cringe a little when she performed at the Oscars: I didn't think she looked good (by hollywood standards or conventions).
and I imagine a lot of people there were thinking "HUH??"

We're all SO programmed to accepting everything looking and sounding same.. people, music, strip malls, etc,. When we experience something outside of those comfortable boundaries, we don't know how to react.

well, that's this one man's opinion anyways.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I loved Debut, Post, and Homogenic. i found that the more i listened to these albums, the more i liked them, kind of like my experience with radiohead's more recent experimentation.

Yes!

I gave myself whiplash once dancing alone in my living room to "I Miss You." I love where that song goes with those crazy horns.

"Isobel" is another favorite.

 

[BabyGrace]

I haven't heard enough to judge for myself, foray, but I've often wondered the same thing!

since I'm not knowledgable, I'll back out...

------------------
And I must be an acrobat
To talk like this, and act like that...

 

[travu2]

Originally posted by joyfulgirl:

I gave myself whiplash once dancing alone in my living room to "I Miss You." I love where that song goes with those crazy horns.

Did your insurance cover it?
Crazy horns are nothing to fool around with.

"Isobel" is another favorite.

That song is definitely up there with my all-time favorites. Even that simple whistling part at the end does more for me than 90% of the stuff that I would hear on the radio, if I still listened to the radio.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

To me, Bjork's music is a breath of fresh air. Exciting vocals, groundbreaking beats, unconventional lyrics. That's really all I can say, at the risk of repeating all the great things already said by others. I loved her at the grammy's too. I felt bad that people would mock her dress, but I admired her for her boldness.

I highly recommend the song Joga, too, which I don't think anyone mentioned (It's on Homogenic). I once read in a year-end issue of a music magazine (don't remember which one) that Thom Yorke said it was the one song of the year that he wished he'd written. BTW, their duet I've Seen It All is beautiful! I was hoping Thom would come out and sing at the grammy's.

 

[foray]

Hey! Wanted to bring this up again because I've decided that I like Selmasongs--A LOT. After watching DITD for the 2nd time recently, I discovered that gem of a song, A New World. After that, I began liking I've Seen It All, Qvalda...

I should check out Bjork's albums soon. Probably the one with the same producer as Selmasongs. He did Homogenic too didn't he?...

foray

 

[AM]

I like her stuff, it?s fresh, it?s original.

I loved her music when she was in a punk band in the 70?s, in Kukl and Sugarcubes in the 80?s and now solo, although I have to admit that I prefer the Sugarcubes stuff. I have some recordings from the time she was in this punk band around 1980. The only interesting stuff is her voice though.

Bj?rk is different, even in Iceland she?s considered a freak. That?s what makes her interesting. Sort of like with U2, you never know what she?ll come up with next.




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The world is but one country and mankind its citizens. ~ Bah?'u'll?h

 

[hermes]

Her new album is coming out soon...

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Steve
SAME OLD STORY- Hardcore American Comedy

 

[mad1]

Well, no doubt u know Bono worships her ass and the ground she walks on!!!!!!

Anyway, I think the song, 'Come to Me' is very beautiful, and no doubt loads of couples make love to that!!!! Also, when she sang 'The Anchor Song' on the Millenium Eve Celebration Night, it was beautifully sung..........

My mum, however, thinks shes a spoilt little bitch who should have been hurt badly for punching that lady interviewer that time.........

 

[Cathy]

As I heard it that lady interviewer had it coming. She just ran up to Bjork and her young son (in an airport I believe) and started asking her son personal questions. To me that's totally out of line, though I think punching her for it was a bit much.