Volta

Björk | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 8, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic
• ASIN: B000NVIXFA
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,295 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Earth Intruders

2. Wanderlust

3. The Dull Flame Of Desire

4. Innocence

5. I See Who You Are

6. Vertebrae By Vertebrae

7. Pneumonia

8. Hope

9. Declare Independence

10. My Juvenile

Editorial Reviews

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

Product Description

Bjork returns to her iconic, innovative and rhythmic roots with Volta. Featuring her own infamous beats and collaborations with Timbaland, Antony Hegarty, Brian Chippendale and an all-female Icelandic brass section, the end result is an explosion of beats and an amalgamtion of sound and visuals that give Volta a life of its own, like the world hasn't seen from Bjork in years.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging and Pristine June 27, 2007

By C. Loosen

Format:Audio CD

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?

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Everyone seems to either love it or hate it. I'm the exception - I'm right in the middle. November 11, 2007

By Joshua G. Feldman TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Always innovative, always surprising, always a pleasure. May 8, 2007

By John E. Temple

Format:Audio CD

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".