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| Medulla | 
 enlarge | Artist: Bjoerk
Label: Elektra / Wea
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy Used: $2.49
You Save: $16.49 (87%)
New (35) Used (45) from $2.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  363 reviews
Sales Rank: 34726
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.7 x 0.5
MPN: 62984
UPC: 075596298421
EAN: 0075596298421
ASIN: B0002JUXB0
Release Date: August 31, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: MINT CONDITION
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| Tracks:
| • | Pleasure Is All Mine | | • | Show Me Forgiveness | | • | Where Is The Line? | | • | Vokuro | | • | Oll Birtan | | • | Who Is It | | • | Submarine | | • | Desired Constellation | | • | Oceania | | • | Sonnets / Unrealities XI | | • | Ancestors | | • | Mouths Cradle | | • | Mivikudags | | • | Triumph Of A Heart |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Normally, an artist such as Bjork with a mass audience across the globe steadily eases off as the back-catalog starts to grow. However, Medulla, the fifth proper studio album from Bjork is without a doubt the most challenging collection of music she has ever released. For the most part, the album is made up of layers upon layers of processed vocal parts arranged in either harmony or dissonance such as "Vokuro" and "Oll Birtan," respectively. Some, such as "Show Me Forgiveness" are simple acapella, the aforementioned sounding like a vocal cut from Debut minus the music. Another echo of Bjork days gone by is "Desired Constellation," a slow trancy pulse underpinning her distinct vocals. "Where Is the Line," "Who Is It," and "Triumph of a Heart" are a bit grimier with a semi-urban twist, the latter a fantastically funky beatbox number with an outstanding introduction, the closest moment to a pop song appearing on Medulla. Although traditional instruments and breaks have been removed from this album, Medulla is no great departure for Bjork but in a sense it is radically different from any of her previous work. Some will love it, some hate it, and some just won't be sure what to think. --David Trueman Amazon.com Special Content An Interview with Bjoerk
 Bjoerk shared her thoughts about the directions she is taking with Medulla in our Amazon.com interview.
Album Description
Bjork is one of the most recognized stars in the world. She has sold millions of copies of her groundbreaking albums, she is an icon of cutting edge style, and she has received worldwide acclaim as an actress. Medulla, Bjork's first new studio album in three years, finds her delving deeper than ever before into her haunting and exhilarating sound and vision. Innovative as always, Bjork has this time built the songs on Medulla entirely from vocal tracks, with no instruments appearing on the album, creating a soundscape unlike anything you've ever heard before. Special guests include Rahzel from The Roots, Mike Patton of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, an Inuit throat singer, an Icelandic choir, the world's greatest human beatboxes and more.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 358 more reviews...
 Mouth music September 1, 2004
61 out of 68 found this review helpful
Ever heard of mouth music? It's a traditional technique for producing music with nothing except rhythmic vocals -- literally, just music from the mouth. Quirky Icelandic Bjork isn't aCelt, but she takes the term "mouth music to new heights in the enchantingly challenging "Medulla," an album whose music is based on the voice.
Bjork embarks on her strangest and most experimental musical journey here. Not just one kind of song, but many -- majestic medieval-flavored music to pop to hymns to an eerie vocal ballad backed by throat singing. Bjork even beatboxes with a choir behind her, giving a sort of classical hip-hop sound to the music. Can't get that just anywhere.
"Medulla" isn't entirely devoid of instrumentation... the non-vocal variety, that is. There's a pretty piano solo to "Ancestors," and the deep bassline of "Submarine." Keyboards pop up occasionally But those are the exception -- most of the time it's Bjork's soft vocals, singing, grunting, whistles, and various gutteral sounds -- sort of a dolphin-on-acid noise. It's wonderfully weird.
After the pretty but vaguely monotonous "Vespertine," Bjork just bursts out with her new sound. What's strangest is the effect it has when one is listening to it -- it's powerful and visceral, lulling you one moment and making you shiver the next. At times it's unnerving -- the grunts range from sexy to ghastly, and are enough to make you squirm -- but it never fails to provoke a response.
"Medulla" isn't a full departure from her past material. The opening number has echoes of "Vespertine," while "Where is the Line" hints at "Homogenic." But the heart and soul of "Medulla" rests in an entirely new zone, far away from the icy grandeur of her past trip-hop. This is a darker, thicker sound, backed by Robert Wyatt's odd vocals and a choir.
Bjork proves again that she is an artist in every sense of the word -- she doesn't just make wonderful music, but she explores into new and thrilling musical arenas. Revolutionary, sultry, and a jolt to the system.
a Triumph August 31, 2004
33 out of 43 found this review helpful
This is the sound Bjork has been leading us to since her debut album "Debut". Challenging? Difficult? Down-right Bizarre? Yes. Rewarding? Absolutely. Layers upon layers of voices, some beautiful, some other-wordly, some almost scary, used in all manners of ways. NO ONE TODAY IS MAKING MUSIC LIKE THIS. Bjork is a genius, and is never afraid to go places others will not ( or cannot ) go with their music. She knows no limits. Most artists of her caliber start off strange, and slowly work their way toward the mainstream. Bjork, God bless her, is doing just the opposite. Her music continues to get weirder and weirder. But not just for "weirdness" sake , and it is still highly listenable, enjoyable, and illuminating. I have listened to this cd 4 times all the way through, but only in my truck on the way home from the retail outlet I bought it from and in my computer on my desk. It sounds great, but I CAN'T WAIT to get this cd home and listen to it on earphones. I am sure it will open itself up, and will reveal much more to me as I delve deeper into the rich tapestry of sound. ( A side note to the young man at Best Buy who tried to convince me the $ 19.99 "special edition" of this cd includes the dvd of the making of Medulla - it DOESN'T, you idiot , it's only got a poster in it.THAT'S why I opened it and left it in the bin and bought the $11.99 regular version instead.)
Am I Right, People? September 21, 2004
24 out of 32 found this review helpful
Why do you people keep comparing MEDULLA to Bjork's past work? Does POST sound like DEBUT? Does HOMOGENIC sound like POST? NO! Therefore it stands to reason, MEDULLA would not sound like HOMOGENIC. Have you forgotten why you loved Bjork in the first place--because she was so different and fresh? Well, why are you moaning about her maintenance of that very same difference and freshness? Sorry that she's well surpassed your original idea. Some of you don't seem to get it: Bjork, unlike many, many other artists, is a tryer, in that she tries something new, then chucks it, because it then becomes old. MEDULLA is just another example. If that isn't a good thing, it should be. Some of you who were disappointed with this album are eagerly awaiting her next one as if she were returning to her old stuff. Move on People. This is a new era.
Has any of you listened to radio or watched MTV lately? It's just the same old rubbish used as fodder by those who aren't mentally prepared for this level of brilliance. If you think Britney Spears is a genious, then this album is not for you. If you are hung up on the past and not ready to soar new musical heights with Bjork, don't buy this. And, no, an a cappella album is not unique to Bjork, as so many of you repeatedly point out, but honestly, is there anything out there like this TODAY?
Love MEDULLA or hate it, just accept it as a new chapter in Bjork's book and either keep reading or put the book down and pick it up again when you think you're ready. And another thing: if another reviewer drudges through a Webster to regurgitate the definition of the word medulla, I'm gonna "explode this body off me."
Like a book you can't put down... August 31, 2004
23 out of 30 found this review helpful
As a longtime admirer of Bjoerk, I was of course excited to see where she would go after Vespertine.
When I first learned of the concept of this album, I had no doubt in my mind that it would turn out splendidly, and like an unexpected dream, because Bjoerk goes all out to accomplish.
...But I honestly wasn't prepared for this.
Swooping, delving and dreamy balladry complimented by vignettes of captivating melody, intersperced vocal patterns by the artist herself, alone.
Lyrics, whether in Icelandic, English, or gibberish speak for a corageous attitude balanced with wonderment at potential forces of all of our shared nature.
There are barely any instruments on this album, and otherwise vocals are sometimes rendered irrecognizible through interestingly synthesized techniques. But this record is very much alive, and puts on display the barely imaginable vocal work of distinguished beatboxers, human trumpets and other gems of human oddity.
Even disco comes out of this startling bouquet, which proves that choirs, beatboxers, drastically captivating Inuit throat singing, and roaringly confident vocals coexist in a vat of human energy, begging to be unleashed.
There are so many meticulous, yet intuitive subtlties to this album that repeatedly listening can only reward.
Buy without further question.
There is no one quite like Bjoerk.
 Jane Siberry did this years ago September 8, 2004
20 out of 36 found this review helpful
and she did it much MUCH better. I hate it when the media annoints darlings and then claims they invented things like layered voices without instruments, etc. I should add that I think "Vespertine" is a masterpiece, and that Bjork possesses spasms of genius. But this . . . this is a mess.
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