Björk - Volta Review

I have been a fan of Björk for over four years now and I have always been amazed by everything she does. Most people I know don't totally understand my admiration with the Icelandic pop princess, so I'm going to try and explain and express my thoughts on her newest creation, Volta.

I first heard of Björk from Chino from the Deftones. He said in an interview that she was his biggest influence vocally. Now I love Chinos voice, so I had to hear this Björk person. I bought her Greatest Hits album in early 2002 and was instantly blown away by the immense originality and creativity in her music. It was like I found treasure in the CD section of Best Buy! But I didn't fully appreciate her art until I saw her live at the Fleet Boston Pavilion in Boston, MA. Her performance made me once again realize how little I knew about music and art. I distinctly remember the long trek home to my apartment in the North End thinking about how astounding the show was. The next week I bought all her CDs. Every single one. I also eventually purchased a few DVDs of live performances and music videos as well as a few singles. I slowed down my devotion to her once I got a girlfriend (thanks Katie). But I still bought her 5th album Medulla and her 6th album Volta the day they came out. I did not however buy her soundtrack Drawing Restraint 9 because of "creative differences." I guess I like her because no one compares to her. I admire that so much in an artist and she has it down to a science. Even the record companies are like, "Go ahead! I don't care how you do it or what you do; it will most likely sell." Yup, and it does. And I love it all.

Now on Björk's newest disc, Volta, she touches new ground yet again. There are some really great upbeat songs on this album that remind me of past albums like Post and Homogenic. Earth Intruders: which is a great single and sounds better on the actual album than the single version. Innocence: The beats are a little too big for her, but overall the song is danceable and very fun. Declare Independence: This is now one of my favorite Björk songs. This track is a bombastic explosion of technoclash and revolution-like lyrics. It's just awesome. Wanderlust: This is old school Björk mixed with the newer "brass" side of Björk that seems to have taken over this album. Very moving.

Those are the songs that have really hit me so far. Tracks like Hope, Pneumonia, My Juvenile, I See Who You Are, and The Dull Flame of Desire have impressed me on how diverse Björk can be with songs that range from slow 7 minute long love duets to full out techno-core rebellion anthems. I think I have to listen to it a bit more to get used to a few eclectic songs (i.e. Vertrabrae by Vertabrae) but so far I am very impressed. After all, it took me 2 years to like All Neon Like from Homogenic.

That's all for now. I'll going out tomorrow to explore Newburyport with my favorite person in the world.

Later!