Medulla - Björk
Medulla Image
  • Summary: What the Icelandic singer's fifth album lacks in instrumentation (although there is a bit, provided by members of Matmos, Mum, and other collaborators), it makes up for with voices--lots and lots of voices. Think everything from beatboxing (including contributions from The Roots' Rahzel), choirs and Inuit throat-singing to, well, Mike Patton. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 39
  2. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. 100
    The album, impressive in its scope and sense of adventure, is a further reinvention in Björk's already massive discography.
  2. Medulla may divide Björk's audience, but, combining intellectual rigour and sensual ravishment, it is brave and unique.
  3. All in all, though, Medúlla is far too busy. Even when you're experimenting, the less-is-more rule still applies.

See all 39 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 83
  2. Negative: 3 out of 83
  1. aland
    9
    this CD is f**cking nuts. it takes a bit of patience to accustom ones self to some of the more bizzarre moments of this CD, but for me, once totally immersed in it, those moments became my favorite. the background growl that gets perfectly sequenced in the wierdly baroque "where is the line.", the rawness of "oll birtan", the hyper-ness of Dokaka in "triumph of the heart" especially, but most of all, the wailing and groaning in "anscestors" that the part in me listening to music is revolted by but the rest of me is completely drawn by its utter shamelessness and the powerful expression of the vaguest emotions. there are easy and accessible segments, however. the sound-perfect input of rahzel in "who is it?", "mouth's cradle" which sounds like hidden place redux for me (not that i mind), and the lovely "vokuro" all these tracks mentioned i love totally. the others, to a lesser extent, the one i cant warm up to is "submarine", thus the 9/10, but it's a small distraction from all the pure AWESOMENESS contained in this f**cking record. buy it. Expand
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  2. kandre
    4
    If an unknown artist had released this CD, it would have been dismissed as self-indulgent, or just plain awful (and many artist have done these sorts of vocal experimentations, only better--see shinjuku zulu, etc.) Pushing the boundries is great, especially on a major release, but not if the songs, ultimately, are bad. Repeated listens DO NOT make it better. Whole tracks, or parts of tracks, are downright irritating. Listen to 'Where is the line' for a particularily bad track. (On that note, 'Mouths Cradle' is a good example of beauty, experimentation, and, humanity and accessability. Too bad more tracks weren't like it...) Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. Zétinga
    1
    I really find this record rubbish, and I'm really full of pity bout this one! I love her, but this time, when she tries to sound different, she sounds frustated and with no ideas on her head... Really really pity Expand
    • 1 of 2 users said yes

See all 83 User Reviews

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