My Conversion
It started with my NY Magazine music review in which I said:
Björk is an artist with serious indie cred, and I’ve always felt like I should like her records. But I don’t. They irritate me, and her new CD is no exception, although I do like the two duets with Antony Hegarty. I’ll still head for Sigur Rós when I’m in the mood for Icelandic music.
That caused quite a stir in my extended music network (through this blog I have the pleasure of listening and enjoying music with literally hundreds and maybe thousands of people, the vast majority of whom I have never met in person). I've gotten dozens of emails and a few comments expressing everything from surprise, concern, and even some anger. Bjork fans are a loyal group.
Many of them sent in playlists and music videos that I needed to listen/watch. Well to all of you Bjork fans, I want to thank you. Because I am converted, sort of. This playlist, sent in by Lindsay, and encoded in project playlist by me, is a good listen.
I've listened through twice and I have to say that had I been reviewing this set of songs, I'd have given it an 8 or maybe even a 9. I've got a long way to go before I'll reach for Bjork like I reach for the artists on my last.fm badge (left sidebar) but I am now converted to a fan (but not yet a djork Doug).
Thanks for the chuckle, Fred!
Posted by: Douglas Karr | May 20, 2007 at 10:53 AM
you have good taste in music. i think you'd like bands such as The Delgados, The High Dials, My Morning Jacket, Broadcast, Pale Saints, The Magnetic Fields, Serena Maneesh, RIDE, New Model Army, Slowdive, The Apples in Stereo and The La's, among others.
Posted by: Ari | May 20, 2007 at 11:39 AM
This cuts to very core of our society - liberals are comfortable in admitting they were wrong - the other side....we're waiting Tony......
Posted by: jackson | May 20, 2007 at 01:12 PM
Hi Fred - if you like Bjork, you might love the sugarcubes, the band she was in before she went on her own. "Life's too Good" is probably a good starter:
http://www.amazon.com/Lifes-Too-Good-Sugarcubes/dp/B000005IRX/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2650108-7063149?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1179716661&sr=1-1
Posted by: Chris | May 20, 2007 at 11:06 PM
Fred, I'm gonna tie it all in for ya here...
[all links are to Rhapsody]
For Bjork's commentary on consumer-facing web apps, check out:
Then, check out The Bad Plus covering "Human Behaviour":
Lots of great jazz peeps cover Bjork (and Radiohead...their music just keeps giving):
As a side note, these interpretations bring up an interesting copyright/creativity balance case-in-point...
Free Culture!
(which brings up an even more interesting question: if information wants to be free, doesn't culture want to be free, too?)
Posted by: Ethan Bauley | May 21, 2007 at 03:31 AM
Great list.
Bjork's strength is also her downfall - she likes to experiment, so from one CD to the next, the style is totally different.
I still think that her best is some of her early stuff. When I first heard her (probably 15 yrs ago), it was her first album, appropriately titled Debut.
I always liked Aeroplane and One Day, but it was Violently Happy (http://youtube.com/watch?v=38UrRpYsPjw) that caught my ear. At the time, I thought it was kind of what Laurie Anderson might do if she went techno.
Posted by: Barry Graubart | May 21, 2007 at 09:15 AM
Jackson,
I wasn't aware that liking crap was part of the grand political party distinction. Sure way to lose in '08, use Bjork tunes while out on the campaign trail
9 see comment on orignal post).
BTW, I thought we were both anti-"sides" in the political theater.
I see...
Posted by: Tony Alva | May 21, 2007 at 09:19 AM
I know I will probably lose all music credibility with this (music fredibility?)...
but Bjork, Tori Amos, U2 and Johnny Cash are way overrated in my book.
Posted by: cyanbane | May 22, 2007 at 02:02 AM
Well, I was anti-partisan, until the 'Bjork sucks' comment. A line in the sand my friend.....
C'mon, 'It's Oh So Quiet' sucks?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Z1MpcyqQU
Ah, look at me, again trying to convince the blind to see......such a dreamer.
Posted by: jackson | May 23, 2007 at 02:05 PM