It is a record that proves Bjork's voice as one of the best in the music industry. The beats and strings are a real lack, but her finest tones of vocalization drives us into the soul of her marrow, and the storytelling behind the lyrics is improved at each song. The humanity she always sings for is in a 'state of grace' in this album, producing deep thoughts. Bold and shining, it's her best effort of the last decade.… Expand

At the first listen i was very disturbed and the front vcover picture made me cringe, but then I realized that that's who she is and I LOVE IT!!!! The songs are great and "Triumph of a Heart" made me dance.....Some songs are lacking what bjork usually gives though

Bjork deserves full marks for experimentation, but Medulla often lacks cohesion, structure and reason to listen fully to each of its tracks. There are several of her best efforts here but overall the talent seems misplaced and lacking, leading to an enjoyable yet disappointing listen.

Overall, I consider Medúlla to be Björk's best and most refined work because it's fearlessly original and innovative. Other than that, this album lacks instrumentation but instead, the usage of orchestral choirs and layered vocals revolutionize the third wave of music evolution after the classical and pop/rock periods. If you're looking forward to a novelty or even soothingly haunting, this album is for you. The strongest highlights on this album are "Pleasure Is All Mine," "Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right)", "Oceania," and "Submarine." I also give kudos to the high and mighty Björk for her well-crafted and non-repetitive songwriting, a breakaway from the boundaries of generic pop.… Expand

There are decisions to be made, consciously or subconsciously, by each individual listener. Is it humanizing to use people as instruments, or is it dehumanizing? Does the menace sublimated to varying degrees in each song represent an unusual honesty about the human condition, or does it only serve to further solidify Björk's image as a devoted eccentric? Neither choice is wrong. What both sides of any argument will have to agree upon is the powerful sense of immediacy that Björk has achieved. It took me two more listens after the initial three to stop scrutinizing each vocal element as I would the chorus in a pop song. Even after the urge is suppressed, it subconsciously remains -- each "instrument", being explicitly human, demands our constant attention. This is initially very uncomfortable, but it gradually works its way down to strange and beautiful. Your first experience of "Where is the Line" will be of a song that is aggressively strange and threatening. By play number ten -- and you must listen to this song an absolute minimum of ten times, as soon as possible -- you'll realize that it's just a texturally fascinating bit of cinema with an emphasis on the contrast between Björk's high voice and some shockingly deep backing vocals. When the electronic distortion hits, goosebumps will rise, no matter how many times you've heard it -- but the first time, you'll be frightened that they might burst. The song clearly has it in for you...until it doesn't any more, at which point it's simply titillating and fun.… Expand

Medulla is certainly Bjork's most inventicve album, and, in turn, her best so far. On par with Vespertine's introverted, soft beat filled songs, Medula's a capella songs are truly captivating. While it may take a while to get accustomed to all the 'a-a-as' and the various Bjorkified shrieks, it's definitely worthwhile. This is the only, truly, inventive album I own. Fabulous.

"Desired constellation" and "the pleasure is all mine" are my favourites. A brilliant, overwhelming album but not as attractive as her previous album, Vespertine.

Having been a Bjork fan for a long time before this CD I loved her work but was never 100% satisfied with complete albums. This time around I was amazed at how much I loved every bit of the album. I've listened to it already many times. Unlike others I find Where is the Line to be one of the weaker tracks... for best listening I found Oceania, Submarine and The Pleasure is all Mine as well as Vokuro.… Expand

Paradoxically both challenging and accessible, breathtaking and full of breathing, heavy and as light as air travelling throat a throat. Album of the year, so far.

I LOVE ART!

Absolutely amazing. Doesn't need the "hey, it's just voices" gimmick at all -- it stands on the merits of the sound. The best album I've heard this year.

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

For an artist whose previous 4 albums are all masterpieces of eletronic pop music, my expectation of Bjork's 5th album is very hight, and strangely, Medulla is way beyond my expectation! Bjork's music is always a hybrid of pop, avant garde, experimental art with enough marketing calculation. However, having built a highly successful (profitable) career, Bjork seems to have finally freed from the need to satisfy to mass, and begun to work according to her own indulgence. The concept, a pop album consisted of mostly human voices, seems so weird at first, but I am shocked how Bjork collected all the voices and programmed them to a collection of accessible songs without losing any pop sensibility. An unique accomplishment.… Expand

Excellent record-One of Bjork's best (which is saying a lot). Requires multiple listens to truly appreciate the artistry of it. A fine and unusual effort

Her best work since Homogenic.

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

I am a longtime fan of Bjork (despite my age 18)and did not know what to expect. At first I was a little weirded out. But you have to give it a chance. And when you give it that chance you'll see that it is the most unique, passionate album of our times

just listen to triumph of the heart in the dark then you will know what sound is.

An absolute gem. Muscially inclined as she is, she's also a genius. I love this album to it's depths. From the intriguiing Pleasure is all mine to the dark dancy Triumph of a heart, Bjork has actually met the expectation all her previous works set ridiculously high standards for. WONDERFUL!

This CD took me a few days to understand... I couldn't keep track of the melodies and it seemed to glide over me. Now that it's finally "clicked", I'm having a tough time listening to more mainstream music. Great album - just give it time, and don't let your expectations for what you think it should sound like stand in the way of really hearing it.

Bjork is having the same problem that Radiohead has had in the post OK-Computer time: while creating unbelievable sounds, nothing short of brilliant production, the songs themselves aren't really up to snuff. After this album is done playing, you're left with a general sense of it's tone and texture, but you can't remember the songs, the melodies, etc. It's so slick that you kind of slip away. This is a very impressive album, and it clearly has depth worth working to get into, but a stronger collection of songs to apply the new technique to would have been even better. (The cd booklet, by the way, stinks. Bjork prints the lyrics in black type on a black background. Why make it difficult to read the liner notes, Bjork? Come on!)… Expand

One of the most defining, mind-blowing experiences I've had this year - and it's been a great year. And by the end of the third track, I alerady knew it would be that - so the impact with me was far more instant than most others, and if it grows on me any further, it might become my absolute, all-time favorite album. It's certainly her most ethnic and experimental work yet, but it's also her most ethereal and entrancing.… Expand

meticulous,mesmerizing,beautiful

i love bjork, but this may be the first time she has left me behind. i only listened twice so it may grow on me.

Being one of Bjork's biggest fans, I wanted to love this album from the get go. However, I was, and am, dissapointed. It's not that Medulla is a bad album; it's a great album by most any other artists' standards. But Bjork is Bjork, and she is coming off a streak of 3 straight BRILLIANT albums. This album takes the experimentation hinted at on Vespertine to a whole new level, albeit one with as much failure as success. Where are the heartbreaking choruses we've come to know and love? The vocals on this album feel like scattered wails more than song. It shows how good bjork is that I still give this an 8.… Expand

i think post and homogenic will always be her best albums, but this one came real close... and maybe it will grow on me like those other two did and became such favorites... mouth's cradle is just gorgeous.. pleasure is all mine, who is it.. oceania... vokuro... where is the line.. triumph of a heart... so many great songs in here!

This album sucks. Artsy fartsy choir voices take up all the sounds instead of electronic music/beats/synth. I realize Bjork is tried of electronic music and it may have past its prime but this CD is nothing like her previous efforts. I think Bjork has dropped off after Homogenic, but this definitely some spacey weird music I just can't listen to. Listen to this and then listen to post and you'll see she probably hit her musical peak right about there.… Expand

Jaw droppingly beautiful. Just keeps getting better the more I listen to it.