Bjork is my favorite singer of all time. The only problem with her is that she is soo ahead of her time it is ridiculous and that is why alot of people(including myself when i first heard her) don't get her music.... but after seeing her live performing volta i was blown away..... if you want to hear volta at its best download the mp3 of her at coachella 2007.

Profoundly experimental, sketchy, brilliant (at points), head-scratching and quasi-fun. Some tracks really shine like Pneumonia and Innocence, while others flounder and become restless beasts (The Dull Flame of Desire / Declare Independence). But a good B album is better than many. She's still a unique force in the music scene and shows no signs of musical fatigue.

I think the only Ms. step Bjork made on this album was proclaiming it 'pop' and setting up false expectations. 'Volta' is one step away from 'Drawing Restrant #9' and three steps away from 'Vespertine'. Gorgeous, challenging and strange.

theres nuthin really much to argue about bjorks album; watever bjork does in her carrer I will still support her;shes a legend and I luv her!

Dull Flame Of Desire is an incredibly amazing and touching tune - my favourite in last 5 years. It brings me to tears every time I listen to it (ok, now - not but first 20 listens it did :). I See Who Your Are is another tune here which brings to tears. Declare Independence is an amazing electroindustrial energetic, but Pheumonia is one of her most beautiful "quiet" songs. The whole album is as good as her other work, here are only two songs which did not work for me: Wanderlust and My Juvenile. Interesting a lot of fans claim Wandelust as on the the best :) And I think Innocence is too poppy and has too much of Timbaland but it's fine. Earth Intruders shows a perfect balance betweet Timbaland's and Bjork's producing.… Expand

Figure-skating judging rules seem to apply; critics have been charitable w/reviews because it's Bjork, and no one wants to say the emperess has no clothes (or no songs.) It sounds like she just sang bits of lyric ideas into her laptop, and rather than flesh them out to full songs, just left them at that. Awkward phrasing, bad vocals (just listen to the first minute of Wanderlust), overlongs songs (Earth Intruders could be cut in half) and virtually no melodies...and bad lyrics.… Expand

One of the best albums in many years. I was amazed with some of the songs, 'Declare Independence' being the greatest. This is a keeper!

I seem to find the joy out of this records that the critics don't. The moments of beauty in this record "The Dull Flame Of Desire" & "Vertebrae by Vertebrae" matched with the ferocity and driven songs as "Innocence" & "Declare Independence" suggest a fond welcome back to the Bjork we all knew from Debut - Homogenic. Impressive record from one of the most important forces in Music today.

fantastic

Volta is a fantastic effort. It covers so much ground (emotionally and musically) so it can seem scattered. And it kind of is, which is one of it's few downfalls. It is so nice to hear something exuberant (aside from the calm ones of course) after the beautiful sweeping Vespertine and experimental vocal Medulla. Volta kicks off with a jungle-inspired, fun track, called "Earth Intruders." This is one of the better songs on the album, and I was dancing around when I heard it, but then the 1 minute+ brass outro, while pretty, completely through me off. And so begins the 8-track downfall. the tracks are all fine, but I dislike how they are all strung together by little nature sounds. It's kind of sweet at first, then you realize "wait... if I want to just listen to one song, I'll get this annoying, unmatching outro." And if theyre not strung together in a way, they end PRECISELY when the next one starts. This works well once ("Dull Fame" to "Innocence") but overall this stringing bothers me. "Wanderlust" and "Innocence" are two of my favorites, and the former may rank among her best songs ever. "Dull Flame of Desire" is beautiful, but I will only listen to it's 7.5-minute structure sometimes when I listen to the album as a whole. From "I See Who You Are" and "Pneumonia," Volta takes a bit of a slowdown, losing some melodic power. These songs are very beautifully crafted though, which makes up for it's bridging. The song I dislike highly is "Hope." It has a terribly trying-too-hard-to-be-political scheme about it ("What's the lesser of two evils, if a suicide bomber made to look pregnant, hits her target or not?") I think it's the worst line on the album. But, then we're saved, by one of the best tracks I've ever heard, "Declare Independence." An industrial-sounding, powerful shouting song where it's repetition works in it's favor. The album closes with the "okay" song "My Juvenile." It's nice, but I don't love it as much as the others. Overall, Volta is not her best album, by FAR. But it's a nice sign that Bjork is not settling down any time soon, and she'll be back with something different (as always) in a few years.… Expand

give it a couple of tries... and then you'll have no scape to its charm

If Bjork took the time actually trying to improve her craft that she seems to spend on wearing the next outrageous outfit, she may become relevant again. I mean, what the hell is that thing she is dressed in on the cover of her latest offering? Too bad that reporter in the Orient didn't knock some sense into her. Eclectic is one thing. Nuts is another. I'm afraid our girl has strayed a bit too far into the latter camp on this one.… Expand

It seems like a lot of critics and fans thought that the Timbaland collabarations meant this was going to sound like Nelly Furtado. Did you really think Bjork would stoop to that level? I can't imagine anyone who's been listening since Homogenic would be shocked or disapointed by this album.

Very human and magnificent.

its a mix of her last 3 studio albums. 'Declare Independence' is a political version of "Pluto". "I See Who You Are" is very intimate and touching. All of the Timbaland/Danja/Bjork collabs are on point! Bjork always surprises and scares.

Masterpiece

Keep listening and you will see. I'm really digging it but wasn't so sure at first.

Bjork comes back swinging!

Well if you strip down all the experimental production choices you would have a very boring album. Instead you have a just semi-boring album. If the production was better it would probably be a average to above average album. But the production is weak. Bjork is retreading familiar territory here and she sounds very similar here to vespertine, with the exception that the production now is not as fresh nor as ground breaking as it was back in 2001. The songwriting isn't as good, the melodies aren't as good, and the production is stale and uninspired. A poor, disappointing release from an artist that had previously been inventive and creative with each release; she has slipped into a groove. An artist that relies on her reputation as a innovative artist, repeating the same formula since 2001 hurts her reputation and will most likely disappoint.… Expand

I am a big fan of Volta. But like all of her last 3 albums -it had to grow on me as I grew in my ability to appreciate such a unique musical mind. I truly see her music as an inspirational, heart melting brilliance. She is consistently genius and if you can see that, you just don

I consider myself a huge Bjork fan. I love all her previous albums and never found any of them particularly hard to get into. So I am sad to report that Volta is a big disappointment. I pretty much agree with many of the detractors: shoddy production, lack of true songwriting, lack of interesting melody, vague concept, and an overall unfinished feeling. For the first time, it feels like she just released an album because she was obligated to. There are a few moments with some potential that never fully materialize ("Wanderlust", "Dull Flame of Desire", "I See Who You Are", "Vertebrae by Vertebrae", "Pneumonia"). After about a dozen listens, the only track that fully satisfies, but still ranks in the medium range of Bjork greatness is "Earth Intruders". I hope she sits down and really hashes out some great music for the next album. Volta is so not worthy of her legacy. But maybe she needed to make this album to cleanse her musical palate. I guess every artist is entitled to one lemon.… Expand

The more you listen, the more you'll love. Certainly better than the rather average Medulla but nowhere near as good as her earlier stuff, then again not much is.

I found this album can be felt more deeper when I heard it by my discman. And I think each songs in Volta are paired up, a sort of short story: Earth Intruders (crazy beats) & Declare Independence (my favorite, it's so fierce) The Dull Flame Of Desire-I See Who You Are (so lovely)-My Juvenile Wanderlust & Innocence Vertebrae By Vertebrae-Pneumonia-Hope A little scattered in themes, but Volta's just gorgeous.… Expand

People, especially reviewers are morons. This isn't Bjork returning to her "Debut" or "Post" days as some have said. Nor is it a "pop" album as many have been led to believe. I think people were expecting something much more superficial, "catchy" and commercial. But it isn't any of those things. We are talking about Bjork. Just like all her previous albums it's daring, emotional, inventive and brilliantly odd. Standout tracks:Earth Intruders, Wanderlust, Declare Independence, Innocence and Dull Flame of Desire. Please don't buy this album unless your an estatic Bjork fan, because it is NOT FOR YOU otherwise.… Expand

What the hell happened? There are 3 great songs - the rest have no pulse. She said this album was going to be more fun. What does she consider fun?

Bjork's albums were never easy and this one is probably her most difficult yet. Definitely, not for everyone.

In Medulla she lost her arrangements. In this album she lost her melodies. It's quite decent, cohesive, and interesting, but it just isn't catchy as her work from Debut up till Vespertine.

Not her best by a long shot. In fact this may be her weakest album ever besides Drawing Restraint which is not even really a true Bjork vocal album, but more instrumental in nature. I love Bjork, but this album disappoints.

No tunes - no real fun.

I was really dissapointed with this album; the songs just wander without hitting many exciting moments or memorable melodies. I feel like Bjork needs to reenergize and come back with a more inspired album, because it has been a while since she's delivered a stellar album (Homogenic). I was hoping for a return to her more poppy, fun music of the early 90s.

I love Bjork and expected, based on early reports, for this CD to be slightly less experimental and more groovy. Now I am in it for the ride no matter what she does but I would have preferred more to dance to. That said, Dull Flame of Desire, Wanderlust and Declare Independence are some of her best ideas ever. There is a certain lack of polish to the CD that is sometimes refreshing and sometimes a bit disappointing.… Expand

on paper this album does read very well, i expected high energy and it's not here!? parts of it remind me why i fell in love with her years ago but other bits bring me back to why she gives me a headache!? i'm pretty mixed about this one. hardcore fans with LOVE it others might eject it the moment of entry!? anyway Bjork...love ya! but it's all starting to feel a bit old!? and that's sad.… Expand

why does metacritic use reviews from a terrible magazine like NOW?

I've never been a Bjork fan, but you could never say she's bland. This one is bland even at its surface. Some songs are excruciatingly long.

i dearly love bjork and think she is one of the most creative arrtists in music today, BUT her need to constantly try new things and outdo her own past work leads to an album that is unfocused and perhaps TOO eclectic. plus i hate stupid duets. everyone's doing them, mostly in an attempt to bolster their fading careers. bjork doesn't need them. i pfrefer the simpler, stripped down electronic/experimental sound of her previous music, partly because her great voice is not buried in the production. however, all great artists are driven to experiment, and even if the experiments don't always work (neil young's "trans" for example) it is still better than the "play-it-safe" approach of mainstream music. i would ususually give her a "10" but i'm only rating it 8. perhaps upon more listening, it will grow on me. one thing that can be said about bjork is that she is never boring and always into something new, the mark of a true creative genius.… Expand

Not her best creation but always super! Her sound is different from everything else and her voice is always magical ! Is this enough?

almost as terrible as her clothing selection. Gross

a little deception !

Good album... but a little disappointing because it does not contribute anything new and it is not as original as the previous one.

How come with every single artist that makes complete psychotic gibberish his or her artstyle, there are people claiming things in the nature of the cock-eyed argument that GOD MOVES IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS? I listened to this album and I find that all of her songs are nothing but noise. It's Björk WITH instruments. This should be referred to as a single instrument which makes lots of noise. Björk resorts to yelling a bunch of stuff at different tones and intervalls and calls this music. I'd like to consider that seeing an artist live will make me appreciate their music better... But excuse me, that means the album is shit and her prestations are good. Björk is a visual musical artist. Notice what's wrong here? The only way she can be awesome is through looks. Her music... It. SUCKS. ASS. She picks bits and pieces from other types of musics and just goes on having a seizure. The song "The Dull flame of Desire" was the worst torturous piece of trash I've ever heard in my life. I don't know how long it is but to me, it felt like twenty minutes of a girl and a guy having auditory sex, REPEATING "THE DULL FLAME OF DESSZZZZAAYURRRRRRRR" ... I liked some of her older songs which I'd hear at random, but this... THIS IS GARBAGE! Only buy this shit if you're a fan. I still feel damn dumb I bought it and I deserve to be shunned.… Expand

an ok album, better than medulla, not as good as vespertine....

I love the brass arrangements but the stiff beats and missing tunes makes Volta hard to love. The epic ballad Dull flame of desire never really takes of. Another Bjork album to admire but unlikely to be played much...

true bjork's fans will never give this album less than 8- or even 9! this is bjork, not avril, britney, hilary, or any other pop artist!!! definitely a great album, but never quite surpasses medulla n vespertine, for this one's kinda messy, but still mesmerizes with tracks like earth inruders, vertebrae by vertebrae and declare independence. note 2 critics: listen 2 an album 3-5 times with a good audio system, then give reviews :)… Expand

The first time I heard Volta I thought it was just okay. But after several listenings I think it's brilliant. Every tune grows on me. Even the slower songs are amazing (although they were the ones I thought of as just okay in the beginning) Not her best album (I can't decide which one that is...) but certainly a classic!

One thing that I hate than anyhting are morons spewing their non-sensical opininons about "Volta". Bjork sings urgently and beautifully on all ten tracks. You have to know Bjork and have a speck of intelligence to understand the music. The more you listen to Volta the more you understand and enjoy it.

With Bjork sounding this triumphant, the majesty of her talent here in full force, there

Not as good as Medulla, but equally thrilling and wonderous.

half of the songs are reminiscent of The Sugarcubes, and the rest are similar to many songs from Dancer In the Dark/Selmasongs (especially the brass sections). All in all, though, it's a nice effort. Not nearly as intimate as Vespertine; not as grand as homogenic and not as edgy as medulla. It seems more of a post-modern blend of Post and Debut

Bjork rocks! Earth Intruders is the best single of the year. Buy this instead of your run of the mill pre-teen pop garbage that keeps being released.

This is an album only bjork could create; however, for her lofty standards it is a disappointment in vision and execution. There are allusions to all her previous albums, but an attempt at taking the best of those works and putting them in a blender merely offers a schizophrenic record with little melody. Marketed as a dancable, "fun" album, especially with the Timbaland, only the first single "Earth Intruders" lives up to the hype. Don't get me wrong, "Volta" is a good album, but it makes no leap forward for such a progressive artist and requires a few spins for its best moments to take hold.… Expand

Before she records her next album, she should write some songs first. You know, juicy hooks, melodies, choruses, those little things. This one's nothing but a meandering bummer, and I've loved all of her previous work. No one is beyond criticism. I don't care what funky country you're from. Or how good your voice is.

I've successfully made it through this album, in entirety, twice. I've tried to make it through this album on at least five other occasions, usually stopping short after around three tracks into it. Prior to this album, I've never had this problem with Bjork's unique and ever-evolving music. It's actually difficult to listen to some of the songs on this album, however, even for a long-time Bjork fan like myself. To be precise, this album feels a lot like an unfinished re-release of some of her older works: "Hope", for instance, is "Cocoon"-esque; "Wanderlust", for instance, is "All Neon Like"-esque. With that said, they are both fairly good tracks, although neither of them feel new. The same stands for a few other tracks on the album. The other 50% of the album is more or less a waste of time, especially the tracks which feature one of the most disgusting/creepy vocalists I've ever heard, "Antony Hegarty". He does Bjork's lead vocals no justice. If you're *really* curious about this album, just buy it used, because I'm sure many of them will be returning to the shelves soon enough.… Expand

This is most definently one of Björk's best albums. It's magnificently human and ultimately beautiful. As emotionally raw and glorious as 'Homogenic'.

i hate politics! so i loovvee this album (; and "earth intruders" is very suitable for this "global warning" moments.

I wish she would have gone further out to sea with this one and not have felt compeled to make a comeback. The result is messy, divided and overly objective, heady. The direct nods to the Drawing Restraint #9 soundtrack makes Volta feels like she subconsciously wanted to further her more abstact and introverted side while feeling obligated to make the next Bjork album.

Agree with the Pitchfork review. Volta has some curious moments but a lot of it is without melody and tried to rely on sparse electronica to dig it out of the hole. Disappointing compared to Debut, Post, Homogenic and Vespertine which provide done with a lot more indeed.

Prior to Medulla, I can scarcely remember even thinking of skipping a song on a Bjork album. I have loved them all -- almost equally. Volta is an utter disappointment for me. The arrangements are far too sparse and for the love of god -- where is the melody? Earth Intruders is a decent song, but after dozens of listens over a week, I've felt no urge to listen to any of the remaining tracks on this Volta. I'm blown away ... just shocking.… Collapse

Well as this one, bjork has a special feeling of doing different things and it has a reason, her reason, and it's very funny listening different instruments each time every single album and real satisfactory to listening something weird and hard to digestion, just for some of us

Bjork seems to have been aiming at musical abstract art with this album(as with Medulla) instead of real musical art, as her previous albums were. Most of the songs on this album sound make you feel like you're in an art gallary, watching a bunch of wealthy socialites admire a canvas with random pocka dots all over the place. I must say, I don't get it, and I question the sincerity of those who think the album is awesome.… Expand

I am a HUGE Bjork Fan. I loved her ever since her debut. Fell in love with Hyperballad, Joga, Bachlorette, Isobel, just to name a few. Adored the entire Vespertine - I have all her CDs and DVDs. VOLTA is such a disappointment. I was looking forward to it and couldn't believe how bored I was. I decided to give it 3 listens and each time, I got less impressed. The lyrics are not nearly as thoughtful and elegant as her previous works and the melodies seem like rehashs of her older material. Her phrasing is sloppy and form is largely non-existent. I even tried to listen to it with pure experimentation in mind.... and I decided that sure, it might be alright if this was her personal little musical diary, but I don't think this album even deserved to be manufactured. I wanted to return this CD, but unfortunately, music store policies won't allow that. I'm soooo dissapointed. I hope the next one will be better. IN the meantime, I"ll listen to all the albums up until Vespertine.… Expand

Good Björk so good her 3d best.

The album starts out brilliantly! But during the second half it's like she loses focus and the album becomes dull and, exept for "Declare Independance", uninteresting.

I agree completely with Yuka. Only tracks 1-3 are worth listening to; the rest of it is damn near horrible and I'm a huge Bjork fan. Lyrics, inspiration, all of it's out the window. Even "Medulla" had redeeming qualities, but I can't believe what happened here.. Maybe she'll never return to her 90's glory.

Bjork remains my favorite musician. Her music is made for a person like me and I have loved all her work with all my heart previously. Having said that I feel very badly saying this but I must be honest. I do not like Volta at all. Many of the songs drive me crazy. I cannot even listen to it. I had to delete it from my I-Tunes because it was making me angry.

God bless Bjork Guðmundsdóttir! Bjork contribution to pop & avant garde in the last 15 years has been among the most interesting stories of that time. No artist has more deftly balanced fearless adventureousness with consistantcy. An artist like Bjork you'd assume would have by now discovered the dark side of following every fanciful whim, producing a turkey or two. Yet looking back over her catelog each of her proper studio releases and both of her soundtracks has its own soul, statement & meaningful contribution as a definative chapter to Bjorks legacy and gift to the world. This record is no different. It takes time to hear it (it took me about 15 spins) but just about everything you've ever loved about a past Bjork release is on this record. Admittedly, some of the child-like exhuberance that used to light up a room has been dulled by the weight of our times. It burns still but feels labored like she has to work at keeping it lit. That aside, who Bjork is to us - planet earths finest offering of avante garde melded with pop music, is better defined on this record than anything previously. Both houses are represented here equally only its avante garde who opens the door first this time around. If this surprises you read the extensive guest artist list for Volta. Aside from Timbaland the most mainstrean contributor is the Tazmanian who flails & kicks behind the kit for Lightning Bolt. Any grumblings you've heard are merely due to the fact there are more pop fans who listen to Bjork than avant garde ones and pop fans are lazy and don't want to put in the work. To be a Bjork fan though is to enjoy the work - to enjoy the embrace of wonder, release the attachment of expectation and letting Bjork guide you to its Volta's purpose. Your beloved ice-pixie has not forsaken you with Volta. Its her most challenging, rewarding album yet.… Expand

First time i listened through the cd, i thought it was a complete dissapointment, then i listened it again, it was possibly one of the most amazing things ive listened to this year (besides The Con,Ga Ga Ga,Maths and English etc.) i think a high light is the duets with Anthony, it showed how much emotion she can sing with, it was soo haunting, so original, it almost brought a year to my eye when i first heard the song, it was soo amazing. Bjork, good job, another great success. I hope you put the dull flame on your greatest hits cd (which i expect will be out in the following years)… Expand

Her sixth album, I felt, it was a recap of all the work she had done until. It brings up the vicious beats from 'Debut' and 'Post', the high level songwriting of 'Homogenic' and the passionate voice tone from both 'Vespertine' and 'Medúlla'. That said, she sounded a bit tired along the songs, as if she knew it was just a big remix of all her other albums. But even Bjork in her lowest levels can stand out making an album better than other artists.… Expand

Simply the worst album of Bjork's career, filled with incoherent songs and silly lyrics. Avoid this if you are not a die-hard fan of the Icelandic oddball and don't buy this as her first record.

The opening tracks re-establish Bjork as the strange pop icon we all grew to love, but something terrible happens in the second half, with mute arrangements, and a lack of vocal diversity, her experimentation's infiltrate this pop album leaving the fans feeling a little betrayed and bewildered by it all. 'Earth Intruders' is still great though.