Customer Reviews

Live Box

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The premise is that I am a huge Bjork fan, owning as many as 35 releases to her name - a quantity which still leaves me unsatisfied. That is to say that I have a deep-rooted admiration for her: without a doubt, I consider her the most complete artist in her field. As far as I am concerned, she is the only "Pop" artist that has proven to be capable of fitting a musical vision as complex as hers into passionate and spontaneous-sounding songs. She is the only singer/songwriter I know of whom I think merits to be qualified as a "composer" in any truly classical sense of the word. The complexity behind her vocal renderings and the music she has conceived over the years is simply astounding. And even more so is the ability with which she has been able to make all ingredients come together in songs that have a real beginning, a real development and a real ending. Songs which, notwithstanding their complexity, never sound "crafted," overly experimental or gratuitously arduous to listen to. Songs which, on the contrary, are always "narrative," in that they display an intelligible sequence of emotional states. On the whole, I feel words fail me in describing her many musical talents. (Therefore, please take the time to go read the article "All hail the ice queen" on [...].

All this said, from the standpoint of a person who does indeed have a great many of Bjork's previous releases, the LIVE BOX SET was a most precious gem for me to acquire, at what I consider a very reasonable price (45 on amazon.co.uk). I was so fortunate as to be able to go to Bjork's concert in Verona, Italy last June, and I can assure you that that woman can sing like very few others. She was so good on stage I could hardly believe it! Now, listening to the box set, I can bring those memories back. And that was the point, right? So I feel entirely rewarded. However, there is much more to be found in the 4 CDs that comprise the set than just that.


Listening to the live versions of Bjork's songs is a great chance to get to the core of her music. While some songs vary significantly from the studio version, others are arranged in a way that is nearly identical to that of the albums - but in all cases listening to the live version makes it possible to access the song in a totally new way, to understand its essence and full potential, beyond the (however fortunate) circumstances that led to the studio version. The song's true character, I want to say "personality," emerges when sung live on stage. Or rather, the combination of the studio version and the live interpretation makes it possible for all the facets of the song to surface. Thus, "Venus as boy" proves to be so much more than just a catchy Pop Hit: the harpsichord accompaniment and passionate vocal rendering turns it into an ageless love poem in music, a tribute to the magic and romance of erotic intimacy. "Aurora" sounds as operatic (or at least musical-like) as can be, and more so than in the studio version, when the Inuit choir and Bjork's voice merge in the final crescendo. These are just two examples of the many I could provide, but I think they are sufficient to make the point clear: on these 4 CDs Bjork's music flourishes and gains new maturity.

I will admit though that there are instances, throughout the 4 CDs, in which her singing sounds more confident than in others. HOMOGENIC, for instance, is immaculate, whereas VESPERTINE, in my opinion, displays some minor problems. Bjork, as we all know, has a somewhat guttural voice at times: that's exactly what's so unique about her tone colour! The way it can sound hoarse and extremely potent at once. However, this peculiar quality of Bjork's voice can lead to what other reviewers have referred to as "flaws." I can assure all uncertain buyers that upon repeated listening, such "cracks" in her voice become expressive much more than they are bothersome. After all, let's remember that her voice has been likened to "a glass not quite breaking"... And just how beautiful is that? I think this image really helps to account for whatever weaknesses one might find in some of her performances and to interpret them properly. Tremble as it may, Bjork's voice refuses to break: the thinness which briefly affects it only makes its overall strength more surprising and moving.

On a final note... For those of you (the majority I would suppose) with more than just her studio albums, my suggestion is to peruse what you own already and to confront it with the complete track list to the set which can be found on [...]. If you think you're missing too many performances, then buy this box set! Otherwise, don't... It's as simple as that. (My suggestion might sound rather commonsensical, and I do apologize for that, but I've read so many reviews filled with silly complaints to the effect that the performances found in this compilation can be found elsewhere, that I just couldn't restrain myself. OF COURSE, if you already have recordings of these performances, or a good number of them anyway, and you are not a collector, you shouldn't buy this!)

Where to begin with such a musical treat such as this? Describing how much I adore this nifty little arrangement is near impossible because my love for Bjork blinds it so much. It was a few days after Christmas in 2003 when I saw Bjork's debut album "Debut" for sale and bought it on the off-chance that I would like it. Little did I know that I was about to embark on the most profoundly amazing musical experience of my life. 2004 for me was Bjork. No one else. In the space of the year I have acquired pretty much her entire back catalogue on CD, and "Live Box" was a welcome addition to this last month.

To firstly understand the importance of a project such as this one must first understand the way in which it is constructed. Bjork is both a visual and musical artist whose work appears to be the end result of just one person's hard work, when in fact everything she does is a collaborative effort. She has always let other people have a say in the work that she does, and she does this because she wants to develop a connection and really make the most of a particular project. This may be a design for a CD cover, a photo shoot, a concert, or even a remix. She knows she can't do all this herself, so she has others helping her, which I find very interesting. With the input of others (and her vision pushing the project forward) she is able to create really big projects, whether it be musically or visually, that boast many different formats and challenge the limits of what that particular field contains.

Undoubtedly one of the best examples of this collaborate effort can be seen in one of Bjork's concerts, which is superbly displayed in this Live Box. Consisting of four live albums, it is a must-have for any Bjork fan. The four CD's are all complete live versions of her first four solo studio albums "Debut," "Post," "Homogenic" and "Vespertine." Bjork especially picks musicians for her tours who are willing to alter the framework of her music while keeping the structure and order the same. She also chooses arenas that are specifically designed for her music. For example, the music on the live Vespertine album was all recorded in opera houses. She chose this because the acoustics of her music would benefit better from the structure of the opera house rather than in a large arena where a lot of the sound would be lost. That's the thing with Bjork, you see: she's not in this to make a quick buck. Her career is her life and we as human beings should respond to this and embrace her passion. She might be in a world of her own, but hey, I'd rather be in hers than the one we're currently in...

The theatrical design of the stage is also very important in the production of shows like this. Her team all offer their opinion and Bjork will choose the ones she thinks are the best, from costume design, stage props and the order of songs. Her live shows seem simple and effortless because of all the hard work that has gone into them. Not many people know what goes on backstage, making it seem effortless. Only when something is effortless is it pure. Now I haven't talked much about the actual music in this collection, but Amazon sells each album individually. Don't worry, I shall be writing reviews for all four individual Live CD's and in great detail - this is too good a collection not too. I felt that it was important to tell newcomers about Bjork's collaborative efforts to make them appreciate her music in a way that is different to any other artist. When you listen to the music on these albums, think of what I said above and if you're ever confused about Bjork's credibility and genius, you'll know why.

This Live Box was released in the summer of 2003 and went down a storm with Bjork fans. Retrospective projects of this size are normally reserved for dead Jazz musicians or classical composers. For a 39-year-old pop star with a mere four solo albums to her name to get this kind of treatment is unprecedented. If any other living musician were to release a similarly grandiose project, it would be seen as an act of unforgivable hubris. This collection also contains a superb DVD which features performances of the songs "One Day," "It's Oh So Quiet," "Joga," "Aurora," and "It's Not Up To You" from different stages during Bjork's career. All in all this collection comprises of four superb CD's and 55 live songs. It is a stellar collection of ground-breaking and misunderstood beautiful music that will be treasured for the rest of time. Essential.

I'm such a nerd. I went out and bought Björk's Live Box Set today, the day it was released. Even though I around half of the performances spanned across numerous DVDs, I am quite satisfied with the box. Disc One - Debut: Altough it consists of almost entirely the MTV unplugged performance, it is a still a pleasant listen. It also is presented without the edit cuts MTV imposed. Disc Two - Post: Again, most of this is from the Sheperd's Bush performance (availiable on DVD) and is probably my least favorite, considering that a few of the songs are flawed. Disc Three - Homogenic: The performances on here are superb, though her vocals are a little loud on some parts. Disc Four - Vespertine: Wow. Brilliant. Magical. This CD is worth the price of the box alone. Disc Fove - Bonus DVD: This is nice if you don't own the MTV unplugged DVD or Live at the Royal Opera House. The packaging is very manageable, compared to last year's "Family Tree" which, once removed from the box, could never fit comfortably back in. Overall, the Live Box is a worthwhile investment. Go buy it. You know you want to. With a referece that only hardcore fans will understand - You owe it to yourself.

After waiting and waiting, I fianally got this box set. The first thing that I was impressed with was the packaging and presentation. This appealed to the collector in me.

The "Debut" disc is basically the soundtrack to "MTV Unplugged". I was slightly dissapointed by this considering that I already have it as a ....bootleg.

My favorite disc is Vespertine. I was fortunate enough to see Bjork at Radio City in Oct. 2001. I remember thinking to myself what a great live album whis would make. I was pleased to see that the set list was the same. When the Il Novecento Orchestra plays the first notes of "Overture" I got the same goosebumps at home as I did hearing it live two years ago.

For the most part, the discs are the soundtracks to the DVD's that we've all been buying. Since we can't play a DVD in a CD player, this gorgeous box set is for you.

Björk is a creator of a unique style that in its own way is as important as anything in popular music. It's about creativity, taking risks and being popular, all at the same time. The performances are strong and her music is experimental, but at the same time romantic and lyrical. Björk has never been limited to one level at a time. She has never been obvious

OK in firts place... we have all (ALL) the songs of Björk in here... Debut featuring in the MTV Unplugged... Post in Shepherd's Bush Empire, All the Homogenic album in Cambrigde and Europe and all the songs of vespertine and i've seen it all in the 2001 tour... plus a dvd withs perfomances of "it's not up to you" and "Aurora" at the Royal Opera House, "Jóga" at the Later with Jools Holland, "It's oh so quiet" at Taratata and "One day" at the MTV Unplugged... so please CAN I ASK FOR MORE???... NO, because is all in here!!!...

Just buy this now!!!

Once again Bjork comes through for her rabid fans (myself included) with a superb box set filled with astounding music, visuals and packaging.

This set contains 5 discs total: 4 CDs and 1 DVD. Each of the four CDs focuses on live recordings from her four main full-length studio albums (Debut, Post, Homogenic, Vespertine). The DVD contains five songs in concert from various points in her career.

Also contained is a 36-page booklet packed with full-color concert photographs and an in-depth Q&A interview with the artist herself. With all the inferior Bjork bootlegs floating around, this is really a trasure for those of us who want high-quality, artist-approved recordings.

I will be attending my third Bjork concert in two weeks and this box set couldn't have come at a better time... defintitely what I need to get me (even more) psyched for her live show.

For the diehard fan: this is a must-buy.

Bjork Live box is great but could have been a little better in my opinion. I saw Bjork live this past August in NYC and was in the second row near the center and boy it was amazing. Her live proformance was better than the first two discs display in the boxset and much represented her Homogenic live disc.

Debut Live: 2/5 stars. My least favoirte by far. I never like Bjork's unpluged songs. The style is not Bjork's style well nothing really is off limits to Bjork, LOL. I would rather have seen songs from her mini tour back in 1994 with all of her songs live from Debut like "Play Dead", and her B-side from the era that I just love "Atlantic". Highlight of disc "Violently Happy"

Post Live: 3.8/5 stars. Okay this one is better than Debut but not by far. Songs like "Army of Me" and "Hyperballed" sound pretty bad. (PS she sung "Hyperballed" in NYC and it sounded really beyond amazing not like this live proformance) The others are are just Okay. Highlight of this live disc is "Enjoy".

Homogenic Live: 5/5 stars. Okay this is the best of the discs I believe. It's amamzing. I love Visur Vatnsenda Rosu then right into Hunter. A couple of songs here are better than the studio version like "Hunter", "Isobel", "5 Years", "I go Humble", and "Human Behaviour". Listen to this disc over and over. Highlights: almost everysong, but should have picked a better song live for "Pluto".

Vespertine Live: 5/5 stars. It's great just up there with Homogenic live. It's more slow but keeps your interest in her music. A couple more songs that I enjoy more than the studio versions are "All is full of Love", "It's not up to you", and "It's in our hands". Highlights: everything

All and all it's a keeper although the first two discs could have been better.

Before receiving the Live Box as a gift, I had only liked Bjork mildly. Only some songs appealed to me, and I could only handle her on various occasions. Quite frankly, when I was feeling out of my mind. The experience of this box set changed things. I had never given her live performances a chance. I spent time listening to each disc, chronologically (Debut to Vespertine). The experience was incredible, and her music began to touch me in a way I hadn't expected.

The Live Box made me appreciate her albums to the max, and I now consider myself a Bjork fan. I hear what she's saying, I know her motivation for music...I get her.

Besides only being a personal benefitting factor for me, the Live Box is also a gem in itself. Bjork's genious takes over when she performs. Her albums do much justice for her talent, but nothing compares to her concerts. Hearing the amateur performances of the songs from <Debut> to the techno-filled dance party of the <Post> tour, all the way up to the theatrical beauty of the advanced <Vespertine> tour is the best treat this box set can offer. You also get a handy book that features a lengthy interview with the artist herself, and a DVD to slightly hint at how these amazing performances looked.

My next step is to buy all the DVDs to see these shows rather than hear them. I'm sure that experience will only be even more gorgeous and inspiring. It took me some to realize it, but Bjork is an amazing intellectual talent that will continue to amaze with everything she releases.

Well, out of the two box sets Bjork has put out in the past year, this is the one to get. The Family Tree retrospect was well-intentioned, but it just didn't work--not enough music for the price, and the packaging was just inconvenient.

This set more than makes up for that disappointment. It has 4 full length cds, one from each of her touring eras, as well as a short dvd and a lengthy booklet with an interview.

Some people have complained about some of this material being previously released, but really, that's not totally true. MTV Unplugged has only had a recent dvd release, and it has never had an official audio cd release with the exception of a limited fan club release...and even then, it was only 6 tracks.

Post collects a few tracks from the Shepards Bush show, but there are lots of other recordings from other shows on there. Included is a version of Hyperballad with strings that does a better job of capturing the essence of the song than the accordian version performed on the tour. There's also a really fantastic version of I Miss You with Howie B--again, better than the tour version heard on the DVD. My favourite is probably Enjoy, an explosive performance which was also captured on the dvd.

It's too bad that they didn't put any other live versions of Violently Happy in this set beyond the "Debut Live" disc. Something that still sticks out in my memories of the Bjork show I saw in 1998 was the live, electric Violently Happy and it's pounding beats. Still, the acoustic version on "Debut Live" is essentially the same arrangement and is still pretty hot.

The Homogenic cd also includes recordings from live performances other than the one captured on dvd, and this is a good thing because often the videotaped performances feature songs that are a little off. On this we get better versions of songs like Human Behaviour and Pluto than were recorded for the Cambridge dvd.

All in all, a great set that shows her innovations as a live performer in high quality for those of us not interested in wading through bootlegs.

ok, i'll admit it.

i was a bit cheesed off when i first saw the tracklisting for this release. debut live is from MTV unplugged, which i have on dvd and cd, and post live is mostly from shepherd's bush empire, which i also have on dvd and cd.

but being the björk freak i am, i picked up the boxset the first day it was released over here in the US.

first, the packaging.. brilliant! m/mparis once again came up with fantastic artwork. you gotta love the whistling duck doodle :) It's a nice size black box, with the tracklisting for each cd listed on the side.

Inside are 4 cd's in their own era-appropriate sleeve, and the bonus dvd in the same packaging. included is a nice sized booklet with a wonderful interview with björk, and tons of live pictures from 1993-current.

the sound quality on all 4 cd's is EXCELLENT. i can see why these tracks were chosen for this boxset. even debut+post live, which i have in other formats sound brand new. homogenic live blew me away. they've included a fabulous version of i go humble, where she sings "gotta be starting something" ala jacko at the end. amazing, that's all i can say. and of course, vespertine live, with it's amazing, icy sounds. i have a new found love for an echo a stain and harm of will.

the bonus dvd is also amazing. even though it contains 2 tracks that can also be found on the royal opera house dvd, the taratata performance of it's oh so quiet totally makes the dvd, and the whole boxset.

so, all you björk fans, do yourself a favor and buy this boxset! it really is one of the most impressive things she has released in the past 25 years!