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Volta |  | Artist: Björk
Label: Atlantic / Wea
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $2.49
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New (68) Used (44) Collectible (1) from $1.54
Seller: musicfiendz
Rating:  136 reviews
Sales Rank: 25062
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.3
MPN: 135868
UPC: 075678998980
EAN: 0075678998980
ASIN: B000NVIXFA
Release Date: May 8, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Earth Intruders | | • | Wanderlust | | • | The Dull Flame Of Desire | | • | Innocence | | • | I See Who You Are | | • | Vertebrae By Vertebrae | | • | Pneumonia | | • | Hope | | • | Declare Independence | | • | My Juvenile |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 8-MAY-2007
Amazon.com
Björk's main asset as a musician is her fearlessness. Since the end of The Sugarcubes and the pop-dance of Debut, she has released progressively more experimental records. But after well over a decade of going further and further out, Volta steps back. Make no mistake; this is Björk, and so it's still fabulously weird. Like 2004's mesmerizing Medúlla and the 2005 soundtrack for Drawing Restraint 9, the songs are blissfully peculiar, with narratives about love, offspring, aliens...you name it. Yet melodically and philosophically, Volta recycles more than it innovates; the driving pulse of "Declare Independence," for instance, reminds us of Homogenic's "Pluto," and the lead single "Earth Intruders" sounds like Post's "Army of Me" on steroids. And just as Medúlla oriented itself around a certain instrument--the human voice--this one concentrates on horns. Still, the transition between her early work and the avant-garde bender she's been on since Vespertine is pretty harrowing, and it's satisfying to hear Björk revisit her more accessible self. Uber-producer Timbaland pitches in here and there, most successfully on "Innocence," which uses a fat, disjointed pulse to drive the euphoric vocals forward. Elsewhere, the hyperactive sitar sample on "I See Who You Are" provides texture for the song's theme of enjoying each other while there's still "flesh on our bones." And "Pneumonia" makes fantastic use of the horn section with a soft arrangement that compliments the song's lyrical melody. So while it's a bit of a stall, Volta is a lovely pause. It reminds us how much we appreciate the laboratory of Björk's imagination, but also how much we missed her back when she was just goofing around. -Matthew Cooke
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
 Challenging and Pristine June 27, 2007
Charles W. Loosen (Olympia, WA)
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
I was taken aback when I listened to Volta the first time. This wasn't because I thought it was a new, fresh and stunning representation of Bjork's genius, but because I feared it represented a transition in which this album was produced simply for the sake of sales and lacked any philosophical or artistic inspirations.
The second time around, I compared the sound less to previous works. I always have to remind myself that each new album is a new experiment and expression. To compare one to the other - expecting continuity - will only disappoint. Volta is a new child with its own personality.
Bjork has always pushed the limits of creative expression, and I feel Medulla was definitely evidence of this. Volta feels like an attempt to integrate her new territory with what some might call her classic sound.
Some critics have said Volta is directionless or just a hodgepodge of songs that form no narrative. Clearly they don't understand why Bjork chose Volta as the name for this album. It is full of sudden unexpected course changes, and I suspect she struggled with how to tie it all up in the end. The lyrics are more coherent than I'm accustomed to. I think Bjork had a lot to say here. The same critics who called Volta a hodgepodge also said "Declare Independence" is lyrically immature. They missed the point not only of that song, but also of "I See Who You Are," which is to enjoy every bit of life while we have time. Bjork's mystical understanding of the human purpose and condition is revealed once again in "Declare Independence" when she states the protection of language is as important as currency. David Abram's book "Spell of the Sensuous" goes into detail about the origins of language and how closely tied language is to the land of its birth. Bjork has integrated the sounds of her environment into her music and her language. Whether Bjork is familiar with Abrams doesn't matter. She understands the importance of sovereignty not just in terms of political borders, stamps and currency, but also the importance of remaining connected to our source and therefore remaining human. She has left behind a lot of mystique to reveal more grounded aspects of herself through Volta. "My Juvenile" is a peak into the relationship between Bjork and her son. She has gone to great lengths to protect him from exploitation, and it seems like quite a step to open up to millions in this way. She shares the fears, the regrets, the worries and the joys that every parent has. How does one protect, while letting go at the same time?
Volta is anything but immature. Lyrically Bjork has revealed another more grounded aspect of herself that comes with age and experience, while maintaining the buoyancy I need and appreciate. Volta adds context to everything she has created to date, and establishes a new foundation for future creative endeavors. What will her next gem sound like?
 Everyone seems to either love it or hate it. I'm the exception - I'm right in the middle. November 11, 2007
Joshua G. Feldman (New York)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I love Bjork - but Volta is pretty weird self-indulgent stuff. There are moments of shocking brilliance and a few very good songs. That just makes the long meandering patches and weird duets harder to take. I keep listening and hoping that with familiarity this album will "take" (sometimes an album I can't stand at first ends up being a favorite over the long haul - like "After the Goldrush" by Neil Young). So far (6 months later) I still find this album strong meat and tend to skip a lot of tracks. I still love Bjork - but I can't seem to find my love for this one.
Eh, it was OK. May 9, 2007
J. Leffel (San Diego, CA)
15 out of 20 found this review helpful
Maybe I'm just too hung up on POST, but nothing seems to compare to me like that album. Don't get me wrong, it's a good disc, I'm just not as impressed as with her former efforts. I would though share it with a friend. It's a good album to just play and let run while you're doing something else...like vacuming your car or something.
 muddy with twigs and branches... June 15, 2007
alan borden (highlands ranch, co United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Since I am a fan, I decided to wait a few weeks before reviewing Bjork's new cd "Volta." I remember being a little over enthusiastic for "Medulla," her last release. Over time, I really did not listen to it much, despite liking about half the songs. "Medulla" really was an experiment (she focused on mostly voice-based sounds), and might have made a good EP. Still, Bjork seems to always try something new, so you have to give her credit.
So whats new on "Volta?" The early buzz was that it was fun, uplifting music, a change after a couple of quiet, inner looking and reflective albums. And yes, that turns out to be partially true, "Volta" has its share of jumpy and upbeat stuff. But like earlier Bjork albums, it has a little of this, a little of that, its almost a summation of all the different types of music she has produced. "Volta" has its quiet, upbeat, and of course being Bjork, its weird moments.
By now, everyone has heard of the collaboration with Timbaland, Antony, Konono No. 1, and I think the mix is a good one in all cases. The african rhythms are very enjoyable: "Earth Intruders" is a little sing-songy, but I think its a good tune. Antony is as much an acquired taste as Bjork: you like him or you don't. I wasn't sure about his vocals on "The Dull Flame of Desire," but its grown on me, probably due to the song being one of the best on the cd. Also fun: the Timbaland produced "Innocence," where I just know Bjork is smiling while singing. The track sounds very today and modern, which is a good thing in this case.
The David Lynch moment is "Vertabrae by Vertabrae," (what a title), a slow creep-out with a brass arrangement, which is followed by "Pneumonia," another quiet, watercolor-like song. Things pick up a bit with "I See Who You Are" and "Hope," where a japanese pipa and an african kora are used to good effect on top of quieter drum beats. But for me the stand out tracks are "Wanderlust" and "Declare Indepedence:" "Wanderlust" features strong Bjork vocals on top of a building drum and bass beat, just fantastic, while "Declare Independence" is the industrial synth freakout with Bjork almost screaming the lyrics( remember "Pluto?"). Wonderful. "My Juvenile" is a nice coda to end the cd.
So "Volta" has what every Bjork fan should love: strong vocals and production, weird and enchanting lyrics, new approaches to music and rhythms, brass arrangements mixed with electronics and beats, and interesting guest performers. It's ultimately a pop album, but only a pop album that Bjork could make. Well done. Will definately be one of my choices for best of the year.
Always innovative, always surprising, always a pleasure. May 9, 2007
John E. Temple (Manassas, VA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I'm not going to belabor this review by analyzing every song. Suffice it to say that I am in awe of Bjork's ability to make the music that she wants to make without worry over whether it will be commercially successful. The fact that she is constantly exploring new musical terrain stands as testament to the fact that she is a musical artist and not one of the gaggle of "singers" who rely on hype to sell their wares. Do I think that this is a truly great CD? Yes... I do. I will add that it is best listened to as a whole and not as sampled tracks. What on the surface seems not at all cohesive is decidely so when taken in as recorded and sequenced.
Is this as good as "Homogenic"? "Post"? "Medulla"? "Debut"? "Vespertine"? Funny, but I never questioned whether "A Starry Night" was as good as "Sunflowers".
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
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