Reviews (page 6 of 8)
DNF :0 Sorry Björk
Not my thing. It's like they tried to make a grunge album but missed the point. Yeah, it's impressive that its basically only vocals replicating instruments and whatever, but it doesn't sound good.
It’s as if she’s mocking me when she sings “where is the line?” (Excuse me, “whur is dee lay-ay-i-i-ine???”) Well, this is it, Bjork, this is the line. I’ve tolerated and even enjoyed much of your Bjorkness through this project. This is it, I’m tapping out. Concentrations of Bjork this strong could kill weaker men. Perhaps it will enlighten stronger men. It is driving this man away. You’ve Bjorked me out, Bjork. Good work.
Weird
No. 333/1001 Pleasure Is All Mine 3/5 Show Me Forgiveness 3/5 Where Is The Line 2/5 Vökuro 3/5 Öll Birtan 2/5 Who Is It 2/5 Submarine 2/5 Desired Constellation 4/5 Oceania 3/5 Sonnets /Unrealities XI 3/5 Ancestors 1/5 Mouth's Cradle 3/5 Midvikudags 2/5 Triumph Of A Heart 1/5 Average: 2,43 Well a Björk album is never boring. For me though some songs were way too experimental. Like Ancestors. Don't know what others get out of songs like this, but it just doesn't work for me.
Still don't care for Bjork's style of singing.
Four Bjork albums later, she's growing on me! I can't say I love her music, much as I respect her as a human being and a musician, but I'm coming to understand her. Medúlla doesn't seem particularly different from the her other albums, but I'm paying close attention now. Like the vocals in "Ancestors" sound like echoing voices, or the beat boxing in "Who Is It", or singing "Vökuró" in her native Icelandic. All poetic choices. Regardless, Bjork's vocals do little for me, and the album ends up sounding like one big lump without a discernable start and end. I consider this growth for me.
I appreciate what Björk does as far as what she brings to music and her commitment to doing it in her own way. That said, she's pretty hit or miss for me, and this album was pretty much a solid miss. The instrumentation is quite minimal here, with the driving force instead being vocals, including chants and breath work. Probably my least favorite Björk entry on this project.
4eme (et dernier) album solo de Bjork proposé par le générateur. Je n'avais pas trop aimé les 3 précédents (notés 2/5 - accompagnement quelconque), par contre j'avais plus apprécié l'album des Sugar Cubes (noté 3/5 - accompagnement rock plus intéressant pour moi). Ce nouvel album n’est pas mieux que les précédents. Certes l’accompagnement est original, mais il ne m’accroche pas plus que celui des précédents albums. Je resterais donc sur les Sugar Cubes … => 2/5
Björing
Classic Bjork. Off key vocals where words seem to be cut short. Over melodies that keep you listening. She’s like that side piece that you want nothing to do with but you go back from time to time to play with fire.
Björk, you are one wacky son of a gun. Can I realistically say that I "liked" this? I don't know. But this is an extraordinarily bold and inventive album, and it's hard to challenge her musical prowess after a couple listens. Fave tracks: - Where Is the Line - Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right) - Desired Constellation - Oceania - Triumph of a Heart
Guided by voices... alot of singing which wasnt that bad but not something im gonna put on repeat.
Recht schwierige Musik.
Too weird for me
My second Bjork album in ten days. It’s fine. I think I’m Bjork-ed out though.
Eerder keek ik wel uit na een album van Björk. Op de radio kwam af en toe best iets interessants voorbij. Na twee eerdere albums van haar, merk ik dat ik er nu juist tegenop kijk. Het is teveel Kunst omdat het moet. Eerder schreef ik al dat één album Björk teveel Björk is. Dus drie albums is al helemaal teveel Björk. Het kunstzinnige komt ook op dit album sterk naar voren. Deels door haar eigenzinnige wijze van zingen (soms nog eens versterkt door het weglaten van de begeleidende muziek), deels door de compositie. Soms past de muziek haar gewoon niet, zoals bij het naar dubstep ontwikkelende nummer Where is the line. Soms is het gewoon belachelijk, zoals de keelklanken bij o.a. Anchestors. Met name die onsmakelijke geluiden brengen het geheel naar een onvoldoende. Maar het moet gezegd. Het is een unieke beleving, die ik wel in deze lijst thuis vind horen.
Toegegeven, het is knap gemaakt en het is op een bepaalde manier intrigerend. Maar het ademt zo zwaar snob, dat ik hier op voorhand wel heel veel moeite mee heb. Dit is echt laten zien hoe verheven je wel niet bent, dat je dit geweldig vindt. De muziek is zweverige a capella, een soort kerkelijke muziek en folkloristisch geneuzel. Het wordt (voor mij) pas interessant als ze beatboxers in gaat zetten, waardoor het meer muziek wordt, zoals in Where is the Line en Who Is It. Des te meer opgebouwd met subtiele laagjes, des te beter het wordt. Anders is het maar saai, krols gekreun. In totaliteit is dit natuurlijk idote aanstellerij en is het totale waanzin dat een album als dit in een lijst komt te staan. Daarvoor zou ik normaal uit woestheid een 1 geven. Maar ik heb het niet voor niets bewaard tot een moment dat ik er enigszins voor open sta. En dan is het best interessant om te horen wat er allemaal voor muziek mogelijk is met alleen stemmen. Het is een bijzondere luisterervaring, 2 sterretjes.
Avant-garde is certainly accurate for this album. I don't dislike it but I have a hard time enjoying the vocals throughout all of it. If this was an instrumental album or even a limited vocal performance album I would enjoy it more. I'm confused as to how to rate this album. At times I get it and love the artistry and at other times I just feel like I'm about to be possessed. 2⭐️
She’s incredible and innovative and ground-breaking. But I just can’t get on with this. It’s no fun!
Björk is unmistakably herself — no one sounds like her. But her music is hit-or-miss for me, and Medúlla is mostly the miss. It honestly stressed me out, so I escaped into yesterday’s generated “The Damned.”
not her best ngl.
A lot of this felt like sounds you'd hear in a jungle
I gave my last bjork album a 3 because I felt like maybe people judge her too harshly. But man, what the h-e-double fuck was this? Just because it’s experimental and weird doesn’t mean it’s good. I swear reviewers on here sniffing their own farts. That said I think bjork is a very talented musician, just really misses when it comes to deciding what to record.
Odd for odd sake.
Count me as one of the ones who don't get it. She has a pleasant voice. She might even make a good rock and roll singer but this stuff is just boring.
Too abstract for me Very experimental. Dubstep/electronic/vocals/beatboxing. Recorded raw. Interesting sampling between LR channels.
I'm not a big fan of Björk, and this album hasn't changed that opinion.
1,7 - Ich verstehe Björk einfach nicht. Manche Lieder sind ganz nett, aber beim größten Teil fühle ich eine Anspannung, die ich dann skippen muss. So macht das wenig Spaß. Highlights: Who Is It (Carry My Joy On The Left, Carry My Pain On The Right), Triumph Of A Heart
respect the experiment, but this did not do much for me
Meh
Experimental, artsy, haunting/eerie vocals. Very unique, haven't heard very many artists/music like her/this.
as a recreational music listener it’s not for me but I get the vision
3/10 Horrible. Like, really horrible. For all the experimentation and innovation, it's just a painful experience. I will never listen to again and I can now, after three Bjork albums, have confidence in my assertion that I Don't Like her music. Couldn't bring myself to give it one star as it is ART.
Impressive, cool as hell, I didn't really enjoy listening
I can see why people would enjoy it but it is not for me. Technically probably a good album but for listenability for me very low.
Pretty weird album #2
Bjork is a taste I have not yet fully acquired.
Way too much going on
repetições vocais que me irritaram demais
I made it through this whole thing. Never once over 1000 albums have I said "oh boy I hope to hear some Bjork today!" Is it weird for weird sake or do I just not get it?
There's a quality to her voice that appeals to me but I can't quite put my finger on it. On the other hand, I find her sing-shouting kind of off-putting and her singing style starts to sound the same from song to song. This isn't anything I could listen to for enjoyment and I will not ever revisit this.
OK, I didn't realize this is the 1001 albums by Bjork that you have to hear before you die. Is every album of hers on this list? I did not enjoy this album. Her early 90's stuff is the best. Leave it there. 1.5 / 5 (because it's better than Krautrock)
"Who Is it" is a 5/5 amazing song that will add to my future rotation, but the album as a whole is mostly a miss for me, and does not seem to hold up as well to her other albums.
Not since Fetch the Bolt Cutters have I been so bored and annoyed by something that is so clearly a work of genius. At least I made it through this one, and there were at least a few enjoyable moments on here for me; Bjork has wonderful pop instincts even at her most willfully abstruse.
björk: einzigartig. immer.
Ah, Icelandic scat music.
Just OK. Really something you need to be in the mood for, but there were a couple of nice songs.
This album is kind of experimental, not that Bjork's other albums aren't experimental. My first thought was where are the beats? Then where is the line started and the beats made me uncomfortable. Bjork's music is very uncomfortable on this and most albums after this one. Appreciate the artistry but not sure I get enjoyment from this mishmash of dark choirs and scary opera.
I like the songs that focus less on the acapella and more on the beats or whatever.
I don't mind weirdo music but I do struggle with her voice. Imagine a duet between Bjork and Yoko Ono ....... Yikes!
Admirable innovation but spread too thinly over a whole album. It's a Björk thing.
Not my cup of tea, but I think if you're a Bjork fan, you'd really like it
I can respect it, but that doesn't mean I can sincerely love it. "Triumph of a Heart" is still a banger, though.
Since it’s a Bjõrk album figured it would be weird and I was not wrong. I liked her music from Sugar Cube days much better than this later avant-garde style
Oof. I see what Bjork was going for, and appreciate the technical skill ot requires to make a complex album a capella. But I just did not like it. Some songs had good moments. But overall it did land for me- a big swing and a big miss. Overall- 1.5/5
Even for Björk, this is weird
The beats are interesting and experimental but I honestly can’t understand how people enjoy Bjork’s singing. It’s painful.
just meh nothing stood out. vocals were solid tho. 3/10
Not my thing but it did make me go back to Army of Me which is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Really didn’t like it!!
I can't take another Bjork album
I just have never been able to get this chicks music
The deep vocals from 'Where is the Line' haunted my sleep last night
No sabía que esperar del disco. Me parece muy valiente hacer un disco a capela. Un enfoque distinto a lo que estamos acostumbrados normalmente que tiene momentos muy épicos. 4/10
Listening to this album is like walking through a modern art museum. There are lots of interesting pieces that clearly took time and effort to create. There’s a high level of craft on display. But not much hit on an emotional level for me. A lot of these tracks gave me the feeling of walking into a side room exhibit, looking around, and saying, “Wow, that’s really something,” then leaving a few minutes later mostly unmoved. Björk is hit or miss for me like this. When she’s in experimental / avant-garde mode, I feel a wall between me and the music. I don’t have a good entry point into it. I’m not sure how to enjoy it. Her voice is beautiful, and the arrangements are bold and unusual. But I find my mind wandering off, looking for the next piece in the museum. “Ancestors” is a wild track. Gorgeous, overlapping vocals clashing with primal grunting. It’s a good example of the interesting-from-a-distance, art project vibe of the whole thing. The freaky beatboxing on “Triumph of the Heart” was sort of fun though.
I want to love björk, but I need to speak my truth… it felt like I was listening to the treblemakers half the time
Bjork réussit souvent à mélanger des vocaux absolument dingues avec de ambiances et des sons très particuliers. Le problème c'est que avec très peu de vrai instruments et de mélodies, je trouve que ça devient difficile à écouter. 2/5
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: ? Initial Reaction: Wow, okay... a third Björk album in less than a month. Let's give it a whirl. ----- I think I liked this the least out of the three albums I've heard, with the other two being Vespertine and Debut. It's very artsy, and I want to like it (I like Grimes and Florence and Lorde), but it's just not clicking for me. The vocals were weird. This album was apparently sort of opposed or opposite Vespertine, since the previous album was heavily electronica, and so being almost entirely created from sampling and splicing together vocals is an interesting concept, but I am not sure it worked. I understand the appeal of a cappalla, but this misses the mark.
she's weird, but cool - still, not for me.
Björk is really otherworldly and unique. I respect and admire that.
Not my cup of tea at all
Maso
Acapella. Curious if all her stuff is like this. Definitely unique. It's actually kind of frightening. Like the army of heaven and the evil of hell fighting. Like a cult of witches. It's like if Regina Spektor decided to lose her entire shit. Ancestors is awful. While most musicians have a silly interlude that spans 30 seconds, maybe a minute, Bjork thought it a good idea to listen to her breathing exercises and weird mouth sounds for over 4 minutes. Truly God awful.
I definitely could have died without hearing this. A few good sounds interrupt the dissonance and wailing. Björk, blech!
This album is definitely unique and interesting, but it isn't really something I enjoy or listen to much. High 2/5.
This album is everything I dislike about Björk wrapped into one package. Most of it is just her singing a bunch of nonsense, broken up by guttural noises that sound more like a modern-day Yoko Ono performance piece than anything resembling an actual song. I would have given this one star if it weren’t for “Oceania,” which is the only track that shows what she’s capable of when she reins it in. That one was genuinely good. What makes it worse is that Björk actually is talented. She has a unique voice and has proven she can deliver powerful, moving music. Instead, here she chooses to string together random sounds and words like someone dared Lana Del Rey to just start mumbling into a mic for an hour. This is my first Björk album on this list, but sadly not my first encounter with her music. I can only hope this is the last one here, though my gut tells me I won’t be that lucky. Listening to this felt more like a punishment than an experience.
Did not enjoy this
Ehhhhhh
Snelle inhaal review #23: Ben nooit echt into Björk gekomen, nooit echt de tijd gegeven ook, dus mijn eigen fout. Ik weet niet of dit het album is wat mij gaat overtuigen, het is zo'n extreem offputting, experimenteel album af en toe en hoewel ik mijzelf als best een liefhebber hiervan zou noemen, heb ik hiervoor denk ik een wat lager instapmodel nodig.
Amazing what can be done with nothing but voice. Nevertheless, just a curiosity that is an mostly unenjoyable listen, especially in comparison to her first 4 full-lengths. Kudos for the left turn but I still don't like the record.
Too atmospheric for me.
I appreciate the effort and concept, but didn't end up actually enjoying the result. Except "Who Is It", which is the most produced song on the album.
Not for me but if it's for you then you need to get ur ears checked
I wont be as scathing as some of you are here. But aside from the complexity that is making music with voice only, there isnt much inspiration in this album. What makes it good to me is the cohesive ability to take an idea and a concept from brain to physical medium is mostly what makes this enjoyable. Im sure bjork has other examples of defying the norms. Its something to change up your listening. Plus there are infinitely worse albums on this list. Dont throw a fit over this. But I do think the attitude aroune bjork's music has always been pompous and considered to be in superior taste but I dont see much here to be ecstatic about.
Well this was something What was up with all the weird panting/sex noises?? Parts of this were enjoyable but I have to rate low due to the weirdness overall. What an incredible voice though!! Also very impressive how they've made this without instruments. Would have been a 5 on skill alone 2 ⭐️
This is quite original and interesting but I really don't like it much. 2 stars or D.
making an album without using any instruments beyond the human voice is a pretty cool concept. unfortunately, in practice, it's kind of annoying to listen to after a while. i wish there were more sonic variation between these tracks and that they felt less arbitrarily-put-together. i don't hate it, but i've enjoyed bjork's other contributions to this list more. it's a 2.5/5 for me. favorites: where is the line, oceania, triumph of a heart
I enjoyed a couple of tracks but didn't need a whole album
i don't appreciate the weird beatboxing and moaning being subjected to my ears
While Bjork's voice is wonderful, strong, and unique, this album is art solely for the sake of art.
If this had been my first exposure to Björk, I would never have experienced her at her best. This is the album that turned me away from a healthy fanboy view of Björk and made me think of the choices she had made in the balance between innovation and pop sensibility. This was Björk’s first album that sacrificed listenability for artistic expression, for better or for worse (and imho, worse). It was interesting and brilliant and had continuity, yet simultaneously irritating and lacking any sense of repeatability: very few of these were songs I would want to listen to multiple times, or in some cases ever again. It was also the last Björk album I purchased or listened to in full. In contrast with her previous albums, this recording lacked the joy (Debut), playfulness (Post), edginess (Homogenic), and — despite the cover — sensuality (Vespertine) of her previous efforts. Despite all of this, there are some standout moments for me here: Vokuro is haunting and beautiful, and Oceania is a masterpiece in complex vocal orchestration with a refreshing melody. I wish the entire album was as captivating and resilient.
First song is lovely, but didn’t take to this as I’d hoped.
sounded very experimental. not my vibe
Kinda weird. But I found one song which I actually liked so it gets 2 stars
Who Is It
I thought some of this was interesting, can't say I'll be listening again, but it's a 2 star
65% Best: Pleasure Is All Mine Must-Hear? Nah
Okay album.
OK, unique, but not necessarily in a good way 😐 I tried to give it a chance but kinda challenging to sing or even hum along to 😏
Weird. Not unlistenable but close.
Never been a huge Bjork fan. This isn't changing my mind.
Wacky shit
Just bot my Cup of tea
Bjork certainly has an interesting and unique sound, I'll give her that. This is close to a 1, but her voice is just good enough at times and I respect the uniqueness enough to give a it a 2.
Holy hell that was freaky. So much breathing and grunting and random ass noises. Some of it was pretty cool at points but my ears and brain were mostly overwhelmed and not having a great time.
I can appreciate the vision, but the music was just ok.
De Björk me encantaron sus discos de los 90. Luego perdí el interés. Pues no me ha interesado. Prescindible en mi opinión.
2.5
I appreciate the idea: an album exclusively made with the human voice. While a couple songs were pretty solid, this album didn't draw me in and keep me interested.
I'm just not into Bjork, I wish I liked her because she's very cool but it's just not my thing
Well it’s not boring, but I don’t get it. Some great moments but it gets just too plain fucking weird for its own good.
I want to love it because it's Bjork. And there are some great songs here. But this one's a bit too avant garde for my tastes.
Unmemorable, I barely remember anything. Some was bad, some was good, all was nothing
Well, since it’s necessary to say it again, I don’t enjoy Björk. She’s the most pretentious of all the pretentious artists. Not saying she’s trying to be. Just is. Unlistenable, yet incredibly innovative and original at every turn. Can’t stand it. 2/5
Honestly some vibes tunes in here, but with the sex noises and scary tunes... Not for me
weird and ethereal. i think that this might be the soundtrack for a patient at a mental institution.
I like some Björk songs but I don’t think any of these are going to be included in that group.
I was really excited for this album to come out because I knew Rahzel and Mike Patton were going to be on it, so I went out and bought it the very day it was released. Honestly, from the first listen, it never quite connected with me. I gave it countless spins, hoping I’d eventually get used to it, because I genuinely wanted to love this album. Despite my efforts, I ended up giving up, and over the years, I’ve revisited it a few times, but it still feels the same as it did that first day, which was disappointing and unrelatable.
Inge kul
I am just not a Bjork fan. This album was all over the place. I gave it a solid listen, but really just could not get into it.
Pretty good. But not my favorite Björk album. I kinda like how she incorporates electronic into her songs, and she was mostly a capella here.
1.5
Åh jag var verkligen inte taggad på detta. Jag vet att hon har andra album som jag varit taggad på dock!!!
Almost entirely a capella, this album is certainly a listening experience. Just not one i think id ever subject myself to again.
This is pretty rough. I respect the unique idea and experimentation, but this just falls flat for me. It comes off as a total novelty.
gentle and lovely, but not for everyone. Oddly, the live album is significantly better than the original. 2
I love Björk as a Person. But this is not my cup of tea tbh. (2.0/5.0)
First 2 tracks are mostly a capella, Björk alone singing in her slightly strange way. Third track starts the same way before we get her brand of weird backing music. I like that Vokuro and other tracks are in Icelandic. This wasn't good, but it was different and unusual, which are things I appreciate a lot from albums on this list.
Malo je manje grozno nego što sam očekivala kad sam vidjela da danas slušam a capella Bjork album. Ne znači da je naročito podnošljivo ali nije ni najgora stvar u historiji muzike.
A very interesting album but not one I'll ever listen to again. Too avant-garde for my taste but I can see why some people might appreciate this. Also not a huge fan of her voice.
Omanlaisensa äänimaailma, mutta se on minusta Björkillä aina sama. Ainoastaan Who is it kuulostaa biisiltä. Ihan kiinnostavia sanoituksia kyllä.
I didn't have the most enjoyable time listening to this, couple of songs are ok but mostly this is like watching a fashion show - I don't get it and it's not for me. And I actually have enjoyed some of Bjork's work in the past but overall this was not my cup of tea.
Bjork s music walks a very fine line between brilliance and shit. It's very really average Unfortunately this album while having a few moments of brilliance is mostly shit It's a pity as when it's good is good
Een avant-garde acapella album met de beste keelzangers, hijgers en kreuners uit IJsland? Ik ben geneigd om Björk bij veel projecten groen licht te geven, maar deze - hoe erg ik ook respecteer hoe ze haar eigen unieke niche elke keer weer weet te vinden - vermijd ik voortaan. Ik weet altijd wel iets aangenaams, of in ieder geval iets enorm inspirerends, uit haar muziekprojecten te halen, maar voor 'Medulla' heb ik te weinig artistiek gogme, denk ik. 5,5/10 (Ik heb te veel respect voor haar om een onvoldoende uit te delen, ook al was het bij tijd en wijle een kwelling om aan te horen)
Van sommige nummers van Björk houd ik erg. Maar niet alles slaat altijd goed aan, zeker niet als je een experimenteel stijltje hebt. Eigenlijk de eerste tonen was het duidelijk dat Medúlla me niet echt zou gaan verrassen. Gelukkig verwacht ik nog wel wat meer Björk in deze lijst. 6/10
Strange, even for Bjork. I found the contorted vocals annoying even though I know she was going for stripped down instrumental and tonal variety through vocals. I mean, just listen to Ancestors. WTF? I listened to it twice to try and see if it would grow on me. Not really.
Bjork was always different and while I appreciate a non standard album this just didn’t work for me. I’m glad there are artists doing this kind of weird shit though!!!
I liked the songs that have music in the background. Not sure I needed 9 versions of the other stuff though.
bönk has much better albums
This was horrible but it’s a very cool concept
I would call this experimental sound art. I like a lot of music by Bjork...but not this. Kind of interesting, but also largely unpleasant. Experimental and weird, but not sure about influential.
I love the fact that my journey with Bjork so far on this project has been in order. First with the Sugarcubes, then to her first solo album, then a later solo album, and now this. Each album has been slightly worse than the one before I'm afraid; I started with 5 stars, but I'm finishing with 2 stars. This reminded me a lot of why I don't like Kate Bush's later albums. It just doesn't do anything for me and I don't see any reason to listen to it.
Really cool and innovative but if I’m being honest, I don’t really connect with it. Triumph of a Heart almost pushed me to give this an extra star though cause that’s a solid beat.
This ain’t it I appreciate the level of artistic integrity here, but I will not be returning to this
Schon okay, aber mir irgendwie zu kryptisch
I love Bjork. But I've heard Medulla before, and I didn't love it then, and I don't love it now. I admire it. It's a remarkable work of art that I feel nothing about.
It sure is something.
Not a fan, but maybe I should listen more
I was suffering listening this album. You know one some - you now while album.
mé
For the first few songs, the music really excited me. Björk creates a unique sound world almost entirely with her voice. Sadly, the style didn’t really change throughout the album, and it became a bit boring to me.
I don’t like Bjork
2.6
Returning to this one that I missed. I don't think I've ever listened to a Bjork album, though I've liked a few singles. Spooky start! acapella track weird weird and scary cool icelandic track more acapella, giving Dirty Projectors cool layered strange choral acapella cool mellow big vocals wild vocal exercises Ancestors - lmao. she's making grunts and heaves I've literally never heard before in music. I'm cracking up imagining almost anyone listening to this. unsure if related but my cat is full on yowling at me at this point this last track.. beatboxing! lmao. meowing? I'm really happy someone is making this music and I'm glad to have listened to it. But I certainly won't return to it. This made me want to listen to some of her more approachable stuff though. 2.4/5
Comme Portishead, mais en relou.
I find this fairly interesting as a work of conceptual sonic art, but it's not doing anything for me in the context of music. In a way, it kinda sounds like Jacob Collier if he were an Icelandic hipster.
There's a pretty voice here, but musically it often seems to be just making noise.
I enjoy Björk and her vibe but did not vibe with this album. Good for her and how experimental she is but this one was wild. Would not listen again.
Not my thing. Wouldn't listen again
See rating for Vulnicura
Some of these songs are okay, but a lot of them just feel like random noise.
I feel like I should like this and Bjork but I just can't get into it. Everything just feels so random and I am not really coherent. I was cleaning while listening and realized I kinda of blocked it out and didn't really focus on any of it because it was just not that enjoyable. Personal weird story however, during Submarine and the song repeating "Do It Now," I found a sticker with the exact same words. Bjork is doing her best to force herself into my head :p
I seriously hope this is Bjork's weirdest album.
This was very avant-garde and too weird for my listening palate. I did like that the last song actually had a beat and also what sounded like meowing cats. The rest of it, no thanks.
Favorite Track: Where Is The Line
I enjoyed Vespertine and Vulnicura, but this is way too vocal-driven for my liking.
If you like Björk's style you will like this one, if not, you probably will find it weird.
I'm behind with my albums and so I checked with the "ex" albums and found this is no longer necessary to hear before I die so it's a big DNL for me.
I can appreciate the artistry, but too ethereal for me
Ahh yes, time to feel like an insane person. Theres not much left for me to say that I haven’t already said about Bjork in my other reviews. I still don’t like it. I still feel like the songs would be better without her constantly trying to speak English. This album in particular featured a full ensemble of mouth musicians, so that’s something. I’m convinced she is a witch that has taken her studio hostage under her crafts and forces them to do her bidding. 4/10
OOF
Not for me
Previous impression of Bjork: don’t get it, and don’t like it. Updated impression of Bjork: sorta get it, still don’t really like it.
I can’t argue against more than one Bjork album being on here, but I am starting to suspect she is one of the artists that also has too many. This was a chore.
I get it. She's extremely talented. She made an \"acapella\" album which is impressive - but is this in here because it's simply her? Is this the best acapella album to hear before I die? I don't know what is - maybe some Gregorian Monk Chanting or Mongolian Throat Singing or that Lady Smith Black Mambazo album I've already had or Random Sea Shanties (they were popular during COVID weren't they?) but is it this one? Probably not. One listen is enough for me. Best Tracks: Pleasure Is All Mine; Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right); Triumph of a Heart
As a bit of a Bjork fan (mostly her 90s stuff) I was looking forward to revisiting this as haven't listened to it since it came out and I wasn't much of a fan at the time. It's very weird and idiosyncratic but not really an engaging listen. Its one of those albums that is impressive rather than enjoyable and feels more of an exercise in what can be done with the human voice rather than a collection of songs to be enjoyed. Highlights: Most of the songs with Rahzul beatboxing. Some great beats on those. Who Is It, Where is the Line, Mouths Cradle, Triumph of the Heart. Lowlights: A few of the songs are completely unlistenable. Ancestors was the main offender here. Hard to review as I think it's an impressive artistic achievement but I wouldn't want to listen to it all again bar the odd song. I can't give it a 1 because it's better than Travis and The xx
Nah.
Not for me. Just a bunch of badly arranged sounds in my opinion. Not enough quality to be able to hide behind the avant garde label
Not for me
This one felt terminally bjorky, the kid A of bjork. So stripped back that most of the time it was just her singing with a drum machine. Sometimes not even a drum machine. Definitely wasn't in the mood for this but even then I think it wasn't as good as previous albums, particularly the first quiet one. It was interesting sometimes, so 1.5 for that. Would not listen again.
One of the better of the far too many Bjork albums on this list. I quite enjoyed how almost un-listenable it is. The quieter tracks were the better ones.
Holy shit that's Bjork alright! Too Bjork for her own good at times, "ancestors" was mainly weird grunts and breathing.... I think I did enjoy "Oceania" though. Was there some actual beat boxing in there? Thought it was but could've been synthetic. You don't hear that too often. At times interesting, but can't give more than 2. Too out there for me
Somehow better than most bjork shit but still pretty bad. Parts of it sound cool but then I realized I was just thinking of how much more I like panda bear. Will not be listening to again
I remember when this came out and I hated it. I figured 30 years of expanding my musical tastes might change that. Nope! This is unlistenable, I like some of Bjork's music, she has an incredible vocal range but this is the vocal equivalent of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, just layers of sound for the sake of it. Honestly this sounds like something an artist makes to fulfill a contract with a label and not something that should be taken seriously
Musical maverick, very original, some great songs, but this offering didn’t really do it for me to be honest.
чресчур коцептуально
I didn’t really like it
Geen Vibes
Ambitious and there’s a few decent moments on here, but it’s just too weird
Mums gone to Iceland! But they’ve sold out of prawn rings! If you want to listen to some abstract Icelandic music just stick with Sigur Ros - it’s far more atmospheric and less jarring! 2.2
I enjoyed some songs more than I thought I would, but I know bjork is not for me
I liked the beat boxing, I didn't like the heavy breathing, mixed overall, bit something I think I'd listen to again
No thank you
Kut album Björk is zeker een grote artiest maar dit album van haar is gwn wack
Elektronisk pop, nytænkende, lidt for minimalistisk, god vokal ellers
Björk is one of those artists that I'm glad exists, simply because I think you need people like this to come along and challenge musical conventions every once in a while. I admire her creativity and boldness in that regard. Unfortunately for me as the listener, it turns out a lot of those conventions exist for a reason, as this weird, confusing, disjointed album shows.
Bjork at her most listenable? Still a struggle to get through, just less so than the other albums. I will never revisit this, but it wasnt bad, just kind of draining? its almost like you get bits and pieces of something that sounds good, then some weirdness takes over and assaults you.
I've always adored Björk, since she was a Sugar Cube. She's not always easy to listen to, but in my opinion, her voice and skill are still very impressive. I have many of her albums but didn't buy this one - I appreciate her but this one is too experimental for me to enjoy - only a couple of tracks
Strange.
I find the concept interesting, but I don’t enjoy listening to it.
I respect bjork and don’t think this is necessarily bad. But I won’t listen to it again.
Not essential
I don't understand what Bjork is going on about and I don't enjoy it. Still, its not bad
I often times found the music enjoyable. It's interesting and richly layered. Björk shows she can sing, but far too often Icelandic Yoko Ono's warbling screeches make this punishment I don't think I deserve. At least twice I thought I was having a brain aneurysm. Once, while I was working intently on a task, I sort of forgot what I was listening to and suddenly thought I needed to call 911 for someone needing help nearby. Björk is massively talented though. She made music out of hyperventilation, and I almost thought it was okay. She would have gotten away with that if it weren't a prelude to what I think was some half goat-half man having sex at her. There is tolerable Björk music out there. This isn't it.
Weird
It's very unique and a bit strange. No me gusta que veces no me suena armónico ni especial
This was at least listenable, as compared to the other two Bjork albums I've had to endure from the list. But three times nothing is still nothing.
I can appreciate it (I think) for what it is but I just don’t really enjoy listening to it.
Fuck a beat, I’ll go acapella (however, I don’t really like acapella). 1.5
I used to love Björk when I was younger. That’s probably because I hadn’t heard this album.
Where I rate Vulnicura and Vespertine as two of the best albums ever made, this Medúlla has never done it for me. I find the sounds lacking any interesting quality to it. I appreciate where Bjork was going here, but it needed time to be fleshed out, which she did on later albums
Interesting. 2.5 Where is the line? Idk Bjork. You’re the one talking about it.
Bad 1.5
A cacophony of voice
Not a huge fan of her sound unfortunately
Odd songs
I don't like Bjork's voice. I've tried and tried, and it's just unpleasant to me. This album appears to be completely made of that. Also, it's really boring. I slogged through about half of it, but couldn't force myself to pay attention to it. There were a couple of moments that managed to grab my attention briefly, but aside from that, it was like trying to listen to paint dry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlByoPdG6c
Jøsses en lang plade.. Hun har en vild stemme, men stilen er virkelig tillært og det er bare ikke mig.. Nogle af de sidste sange var rigelig fresh og have noget catchy i sig
I thought this was bad.
björk I love you but this ain't it. this one is too avant-garde 4 moi
not my thing and very 'weird'
so fucking bad, no amount of titties could save it. Where is the line kinda goes hard
I like Bjork but I think this is where her output starts to go too experimental for me. I get the premise behind it but I will never be listening again
Overuse of throat singing
I’m sorry, I just can’t do it I don’t like Björk…an extra star for creativity!
Interesting concept, and there’s a few songs that were enjoyable, but overall most of it just felt weird.
If you listen to the whole thing, there are glimpses of catchy, good music, but it’s more artsy than music for me.
It’s a no for me.
It is interesting from a sonic/experimental angle. The lack of melody hints at rap. The production values are excellent. I will never listen to this again. Do these albums sell? I find this list perplexing it goes from experimental music to second rate synth pop. Do I really have to hear these albums are they really enhancing my life or giving me insight into my time? Whoosh, I guess it is over my head. 2* Cathy almost screamed during Ancestors, I had to skip it. Apparently it is all voices manipulated in the studio. Good for her.
Brooding and foreboding. An ominous listen that just isn't my cup of tea, though I can sense why it would be well received by others.
It's like the other Björk album on my list, only with even lesser known songs but with the same terrible voice.
Interesting concept that I can appreciate, but musically confusing and directionless. I enjoyed some of the layered vocals, but most of the others were very cheesy and annoying.
Had some nice moments, but I mostly found this annoying.
Closer to a horror/thriller soundtrack. Really interesting, but not for me.
Love Bjork as an artist. Still can’t handle the discordance
KRIVO SAM REJTALA AEROSMITH!!!! AEROSMITH 5!!!!
Aloft, light as air Abrupt, shocking as lightning Aloof, tech folk witch
Granted it's experimental. But too much of her voice makes me go crazy
I like some Bjork but did not enjoy this.
weird af
Mest bara jobbigt.
A little too abstract for me. Not bad though.
The album is impressive as an intellectual and conceptual experiment. The human voice is truly a magical instrument. However, it’s also a challenging listen. I’ve never been a fan of Bjork’s music and this album isn’t going to change my mind.
Really enjoyed her first 2 albums, and the reminded me why I stopped listening to her. Just a bit screechy vocals in too many of the songs. Gave up half way through.
Very strange album. Listened to one of her other albums before on this list and really liked it, this one not as much. 2/5 Won’t listen again
Medulla... Oblongata? Bjork always had weird albums, but this may be the weirdest. It's almost borderline inaccessible.
I can get behind some ethereal sounding stuff, and I get the intended vibe, but man Björk is weird af and not in a good way sadly. Tough listen for me, weird moaning, whatever. 2 outta five
Challenging
Too avant garde for me. It felt like vines were wrapping around me - 4/10
Pretty weird, which was expected. Glad I listened to it though.
4/10 - It was absolutely insane but in kind of a bad way. Some of the songs but most were crazy and I could not vibe with. Where is the line and Who Is It both grew on me as they played.
I appreciate Bjork's work, even this record, but I did not have much fun listening to it and nearly developed a headache.
I get the ambition. I feel the talent. I appreciate some of the vocal achievements. I do not intend to listen to this again, by choice.
Damn that actually was pretty awesome. I really liked the voices and stuff
Interesting and innovative but not fun or cool in any way for me. I guess this is too avant garde for me to appreciate properly I guess. The vocal techniques showcased are impressive... but also a bit off-putting for me personally.
Some cool stuff - her voice is amazing overall and I’ll definitely go back to “Who Is It” - but in general, I’m just not super into it. Very cool concept and arrangements, though. 2.5/5
I hope this album wasn't included to ensure continental equality. This was a tough listen. Part goth rock, part Gregorian chants, part experimental throat sounds. I was expecting to hear "bud" "Wei" "ser" somewhere in there. But don't worry, I'm not going to complain. What would I actually say if I met her? I don't think you ever want to ask a musician to explain themselves, do you? "What's the track that has the greatest meaning for you? Which songs do you hum when you're doing the dishes?" I just don't know. I guess I don't want her to ask me why I'm giving this album the rating that I'm giving it. Who Is It is pretty good.
Sure it's adventurous, but when have i ever felt like "sure, I'm in the mood for Medulla!" It is generally strange, but then there are several cringey moments, well featured in Ancestors and Triumph of a Heart that just make you go "WTF?" Who Is It and Oceania are the closest to traditional deliveries and I'd be a lot more engaged if the rest wasn't as artsy/experimental. To each their own... this one isn't mine.
I appreciate that she was trying to do something different. It just wasn't for me.
Ailishin pilli.. Hehehe... Billy.. vai... Hehheh.... Billy ailiiishi... hehehe. islanti valtaistuimella seisoo.. länsimaiden valokeilassa nautiskelee... remote island not like boring finlan mainland... ei viikinkifantasiaa.. hollywoodfantasiaa suomessa tarpeeksi... björkki kuulostaa erikoisen epäerikoiselta... yrittää tehdä jotain.... jotain mitä kaikki muut tekee... ja annettu valokeilaa koska politiikka, islantiulkopolitiikka.... where is the line
She's definitely talented. Just not my cup of tea.
weird pero nice voice?? idk not for me rn
Not my style, didn't like it
Aldri heilt forstått meg på Bjørk
Not fun to listen to. Bonus star for Rahzel beat boxing making it SLIGHTLY tolerable.
Have to hand it to Bjork, she is very good at gasping, panting and breathing. I can appreciate the concept of the album but did not enjoy.
my first björk album!!! -of course i have heard of her but have never listened to her music -the noises in the beginning of this song are……interesting -this is definitely weird but im waiting to see if its my kind of weird or not -WOAH THOSE SOUNDS IN WHERE IS THE LINE -this does feel a little like something that would play in a fight scene in a game of thrones type show -like its giving warrior music -who is it is the first song i actually kinda like -this is something i would not listen to again -BUT! it is very interesting to listen to -her voice is very mystical and i like that -overall this is a 2 star album for me just because its a little too strange weird for me Not in a good way
You can put all the Björk you want on here but it doesn’t mean I ever have to get into it
2.3/5 Like 20% of this was pretty good, 60% was whatever, and 20% was barely listenable. Weird af lmao Best track: Vokuro
Interesting lol
An Björk komme ich nicht ran.
14th female artist on the list out of 159 albums... Not really for me, honestly I welcomed the change of pace from the rest of the list, but it was a bit much for me at times. I would say I probably wouldn't listen again.
I like Bjork. She's experimental and weird. This is not her best album. Too experimental and weird for me. 2/5
For this dumpster fire, Bjork decided to make a completely a cappella album, so there are no instruments at all. Just voices making ungodly noises. I feel like I should like Bjork's music, but I just don't. Like for this album she paired up with beat boxers, Mike Patton of Faith No More, as well as Inuit throat singers. It should be good, but it just isn't. Bjork just ends up layering too many voices on top of one another, and it just ends up giving me a headache. In a few songs, she uses heavy breathing as a "musical instrument" of sorts. Fuck off, I don't need to listen to wheezing. I think what drives me nuts is when she constantly switches time signatures, or starts into a really fucking weird time signature. It makes my brain itch. Overall, a few tolerable songs, but for the most part, just hot garbage that hipsters would love ironically. This was better than her other album I reviewed (Debut). Let's hope this is the last of her albums on this list. Favourite songs: Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right), Where is the Line, Vokuro Least favourite songs: Ancestors, Oceania, Oll Birtan, Show Me Forgiveness, Desired Constellation 2/5
Having never listened to Björk before I didn't know what to expect with this album. Norwegian throat singing/beatboxing was definitely a surprise but what's more of a surprise was that I didn't hate it. While this album is almost certainly one I will not return to it was an interesting listen so it gets a 2 out of 5.
That's Bjork alright.
oerhört busigt album. består nästan bara av mänskliga ljud
2.5
i mean it’s interesting but it just doesn’t sound good
Good God. Can people handle a full album of this sound? This guy can't. Kooky little Eskimo had the weirdness dial cranked to 11 on this one.
Kokeellista ja erikoista, mutta niin on myös Björk niin ei yllättänyt. Aika pitkälti acapella Ei kauheasti miellyttänyt musiikillisesti, mutta ei kummiskaan vituttanut suunnattomasti niin 2 tähteä. Ymmärrän kyllä 1 tähdet kanssa
Third Björk album and I can definitively say I don’t get it - the instrumentals hit some notable highs and scratch the experimental itch, but the vocals kill me every time. The repetition, odd rhythmic delivery, just all of it. I get this is her thing but as someone who is an instrumental listener first I just cannot digest what sits on top of some stellar electronic backing tracks.
Who Is It // Sonnets / Unrealities XI //
Didn't have a desire to get through the whole album. It started alright, but not for me.
I’m not a fan.
A bit much for me. Had a few cool songs, though.
- very interest free form avant garde pop - lots of different noises used - feels like I’m being cursed by a witch at some points
It's B jork, not really my musical tastes but it was nice to try something new.
Not for me. For how great Bjork can be, this feels like an atonal mishmash of sound.
I want to love her because she's so weird and cool, but I don't find anything that makes me think I'd like to have this album in rotation. There was a brief moment, and definitely not with this album where I fell in line with what she was doing, but every track here just is not approachable to me now. I feel some pang of regret to rate it so low, but here we are.
The problem with Bjork’s music for me is that it gets old very fast, you listen to a few songs and then it feels like it’s the same with minor differences
Definitely interesting, but overall not something i would listen to again. An alright experience, but that's about it.
Todo muh lindo con bjork pero no terminan de entrarme los temas ni los discos. Perdon bjork 4/10
What is left to say about Björk after the other albums of hers that I've already reviewed? She's a nutcase weirdo marching to the beat of her own drum and I respect that. But I don't like her style of music. Electronic experimental bullshit isn't my bag, baby. And now she's serving pure human vocal a cappella this time? I mean, c'mon. I'm so disinterested in this and it's just not working for me. Nothing about this album has changed my overall opinion of Björk. It's cool that she exists and does what she does, but it's not for me.
Every song is her just holding a note between words
wholeheartedly agree that it's significant enough to be on the list, also absolutely not my cup of tea. sorry bjork!
Huorailee enemmän kuin edellisessä... Täsmälleen sama taso.. Pitäis parempaa tehdä...
2nd June 2023 Listened on the journey back from Italy. Delayed flight so got back around 10.30 then chilled weekend doing house bits and axe throwing with Oscar. She’s one of a kind and her music comes from a unique, sensual place. 2.5 if I could.