Post

by

Björk

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Artists who are worth their salt must grow. By that measure, Bjork is worth a lot of salt. She has yet to dissapoint me in that she refuses to stand still artistically. Yes, there is a definitive Bjork-ish-ness about her music, but I don't think she makes the mistake of making the same album over and over.

Her 1995 CD, Post, is a nice followup to 1993's Debut. In this album, some of the seeds she planted in Debut begin to mature, as she drifts farther from the mainstream and her Sugarcubes roots.

"Army of Me" I tired of rather quickly, but that's OK. It was the hit single after all, and typical of hits, it couldn't hold my attention long. Can't hold her responsible for that. "Possibly Maybe" on the other hand, which you've probably seen on MTV, I never tire of. There's a lot going on in that song, and the notes Bjork chooses are positively jazz inspired.

But I think the thing that hooked me on Post (which was my introduction to Bjork, by the way, in 1997) was the pure emotion that comes across in her music, and in her voice. "Hyperballad" is the one that really gets to me. The lyrics outline the story of a woman who walks to the edge of a cliff every morning, throws junk off, and contemplates suicide as she watches the items fall and strike the rocks below. The reason she indicates for this bizarre behaviour is that after that rather dismal start to her day, there's nowhere to go but up. Dark? Certainly. Sappy? Perhaps. But for whatever reason, I was emotionally affected by that song. But no matter the subject of the lyrics, it is Bjork's delivery that really sells the emotion, and what ultimately affects me. It's just nice that Hyperballad had something more to it lyrically.

There's plenty of good music on this one. There's the ethereal opening to "Isobel", which is orchestral and haunting in its beauty. I could listen to that minute and a half alone over and over (and I have). There's a Japanese quality to "Cover Me". This one was evidently recorded in a cave, apparently a result of an incident during recording the album when Bjork just decided to run out into the night in the middle of a recording session, sound men scrambling to drag some recording equipment out the door after her...you can even hear the bats in the background. Strange song, almost shades of Yoko Ono, but I love it. Nice, experimental stuff.

Granted, Bjork's music is not for the closed minded or musically timid. And I know I'm not the typical consumer sample -- I'm an artist at a game company -- but I find all her albums very inspiring. I usually have one of them on while I work, and I find I'm more relaxed and creative for it.

Bottom line, for creative people, or even just people who enjoy adventurous music that's a little out of the ordinary, Post won't disappoint.

I enjoy the music on this CD. Björk does some amazing and outrageous things with her voice, once again. IT's OH SO QUIET, a 1940's tune by Hanslang-Reisfeld, is a roller coaster of big band sound -- at once quiet then explosive. Björk displays interesting and unique perspective in her lyrics. HYPER-BALLAD is a complex statement of relationships. We live on a mountain / right at the top / there's a beautiful view / from the top of the mountain / every morning I walk towards the edge / and throw little things off / like / car-parts, bottles and cutlery / or whatever I find lying around / it's become a habit / a way / to start the day / I go through all this / before you wake up / so I can feel happier / to be safe up here with you / Not your standard girl-meets-boy pop sentiment. THE MODERN THINGS contains a perceptive insight on the role of gadgets. I am intriqued and challenged by the music on this CD. If you are interested in songs sung well which are extremely unique, this CD will interest you.