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Rating: I wondered, how is it possible that there's not even a single review of "Volta"? The album that saw the return in May of the quintessential Icelandic elf in a newly accessible guise; Bjork!
Premise: I have loved Bjork a lot, in the past and still do, and I am still convinced that there is a sort of genius in her, mixed with theatricality and originality that make her unique and special in the global music scene; in fact, I have often defended her like a mad watchdog when they said "Medulla" was a work of craft, with excessive experimentation; I tried to make it understood that "Drawing Restraint 9" could not be considered an album of songs, but had to be listened to exclusively with the film because that was its purpose, and I am still convinced that "Vespertine" is the album where all of Bjork's genius explodes and fills every tiny sonic space, almost more than in "Homogenic," the other towering masterpiece.
"Volta"? Quite disappointing... in the long term. As soon as I bought the CD; as soon as I listened to it, it seemed to me to be genius, intense, powerful, a return to the Bjork of her beginnings; it almost seemed that "Volta" was a newborn sister of "Post," because both works represent the journey, and the depiction of a global, rhythmic, and united world. Was I wrong in this impression? No, "Volta" is truly this, at its highest point, that is, in "Hope," Bjork's singing is extremely rejuvenated; with a free sound coming from North Africa, with those passionate jolts that Our one is a champion of, "Hope" is truly hope, it is a piece of infinite, powerful, and never cloying beauty.
But what is missing in "Volta"? The inspiration! Unfortunately, when someone said that Bjork was scraping the bottom of the empty bucket, they weren't wrong; in the long run, "Volta" tires, especially in the pieces where she revolutionizes herself too much as in "Innocence," genius at first listen but then heavy, pompous, useless, Timbaland? He remains an absolute clown even with Bjork. "Earth Intruders" not bad, but nothing so revolutionary and transcendental; the collaboration with Antony in "The Dull Flame Of Desire"? Pure craft, poetic, intellectualism, nothing more... nice but I had higher, more intense hopes.
Instead, I really like a track that seems weak overall, but hides a very strong soul, that is "Pneumonia," which has its vocal attraction as its strength, growing, exciting, alive; "Declare Independence" is also very successful, with its turmoil, its anthems, its revenge on noise, very energetic, captivating, to be listened to in the car.
"My Juvenile" sweet but boring; "Wanderlust" leaves no marks even if it is a well-done track; and "Vertebrae by Vertebrae" even becomes annoying, almost like "Unchestor" did in Medulla.
I still love Bjork, and "Volta" is not worse than "Medulla," but it doesn't even come close to the intensity of the first 4 albums, where Bjork played the part of the warrior, sometimes passionate ("Debut," "Post") other times fearless ("Homogenic") and finally grieved, sad but bright, extremely enveloping ("Vespertine"), in "Volta" there is the stubborn ambition to return to the revolutionary Bjork of yore (as it were), but without true inspiration, without a path.
I don't know, maybe it's just my impression, maybe it's just a slip of mine, maybe I was disappointed because I had excessive expectations, and "Volta" is a masterpiece, the tough judgment is yours.
Bye
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Earth Intruders (06:13)
We are the earth intruders
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
Turmoil! Carnage!
Here come the earth intruders
We are the paratroopers
Stampede of sharpshooters
Come straight from voodoo
With our feet thumping
With our feet marching
Grinding skeptics
Into the soil
Shower of goodness coming to
End the doubt pouring over
Shower of goodness coming to end
We are the earth intruders
We are the sharpshooters
Flock of parachuters
Necessary voodoo
I have guided my bones through some voltage
And love them still
And love them too
Metallic! Carnage! Furiocity! Feel the speed!
We are the earth intruders
We are the sharpshooters
Flock of parachuters
Necessary voodoo
There is turmoil out there
Carnage, rambling
What is to do but dig
Dig bones out of earth
Mud graves! Timber! Morbid trenches!
Here come the earth intruders
Stampede of resistance
We are the cannoners
Necessary voodoo
And the beast with many heads and the arms rolling
Steamroller!
We are the earth intruders
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
Forgive this tribe
We are the earth intruders
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
We are the earth intruders
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
We are the earth intruders
Muddy with twigs and branches
Marching
We are the earth intruders
Marching
March(...)
02 Wanderlust (05:51)
I am leaving this harbour
Giving urban a farewell
Its habitants seem too keen on God
I cannot stomach their rights and wrongs
I have lost my origin
And I don't want to find it again
Whether sailing into nature's laws
And be held by ocean's paws
Wanderlust! relentlessly craving
Wanderlust! peel off the layers
Until we get to the core
Did I imagine it would be like this?
Was it something like this I wished for?
Or will I want more?
Lust for comfort
Suffocates the soul
Relentless restlessness
Liberates me (sets me free)
I feel at home
Whenever the unknown surrounds me
I receive its embrace
Aboard my floating house
Wanderlust! relentlessly craving
Wanderlust! peel off the layers
Until we get to the core
Did I imagine it would be like this?
Was it something like this I wished for?
Or will I want more?
Wanderlust! from island to island
Wanderlust! united in movement
Wonderful! I'm joined with you
Wanderlust!
Can you spot a pattern?
(relentlessly restless)
04 Innocence (04:27)
I once had no fears
None at all
And then when
I had some
To my surprise
I grew to like both
Scared or brave
Without them
The thrill of fear
Thought I'd never admit it
The thrill of fear
Now greatly enjoyed with courage
When I once was
Untouchable
Innocence roared
Still amazes
When I once was
Innocent
It's still here
But in different places
Neurosis only attaches itself to
Fertile ground where it can flourish
The thrill of fear
Thought I'd never admit it
The thrill of fear
Now greatly enjoyed with courage
When I once was
Fearless
Innocence roared
Still amazes
Untouchable
Innocence
It's still here
But in different places
Fear is a powerful drug
Overcome it and
You think that you can do
Anything!
Should I
Save myself
For later
Or generously give?
Fear of
Losing
Energy
Is draining
It locks up your chest
Shuts down the heart
Miserly
And stingy
Let's open up : share!
When I once was
Fearless
Innocence roared
Still amazes
Untouchable
Innocence
It's still here
But in different places
06 Vertebræ by Vertebræ (05:08)
Up on the toe
There is a view
Up on the toe
And the spine
Straight and erect
Hungry and curious
Up on the toe
Looking forward to
The air is thinner here
She came here
To lose face
Got down on her knees
The beast is back!
On four legs
Set her clock to the moon
Raises her spine
Vertebrae by vertebrae
Up on the toe
Looking
I have been filled with steam for months, for years
Same old cloud, claustrophobic me
Let it burst like old train sounds
Make them leave me nature
Vertebrae by vertebrae by vertebrae
My arms ooze out of my shoulders!
And the arms ooze out of my shoulders
I curl my tail inwards
I set my clock on the moon
Vertebrae by vertebrae
[x3] Please release this pressure of me
Let off some steam
07 Pneumonia (05:14)
Get over the sorrow, girl
The world is always going to be made of this
You can trust in it
Unless you breathe in
Bravely
I adore how you simply surrender to high
And your lungs
They're mourning
Teepee-style
All the still-born love that could've happened
All the moments you should have embraced
All the moments you should have not locked up
Understand
So clearly
To shut yourself up
Is the hugest crime of them all
You're just crying after all
To not want them humans around
Anymore
Get over the sorrow, girl
08 Hope (04:02)
Here's my version of it, eternal whirlwind [x3]
What's the lesser of two evils:
If a suicide bomber
Made to look pregnant
Manages to kill her target
Or not?
What's the lesser of two evils?
What's the lesser of two evils:
If she kills them
Or dies in vain?
Nature has fixed no limits on our hopes
What's the lesser of two evils?
What's the lesser of two evils:
If the bomb was fake
Or if it was real?
Here's my version of it
Eternal whirlwind
I have fostered since childhood
Well I don't care
Love is all
I dare to drown
To be proven wrong
09 Declare Independence (04:13)
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Start your own currency!
Make your own stamp
Protect your language
Declare independence
Don't let them do that to you
Declare independence
Don't let them do that to you
Make your own flag! [x4]
Raise your flag! higher higher! [x6]
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Damn colonists
Ignore their patronizing
Tear off their blindfolds
Open their eyes
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
With a flag and a trumpet
Go to the top of your highest mountain!
Raise your flag! higher higher! [x6]
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Raise the flag!
10 My Juvenile (04:13)
Down the corridor
I send warmth
I send warmth
Down the staircase
I send warmth
I send warmth
Thank you for, again
To get to be able
To send warmth
To send warmth
Perhaps I set you too free
Too fast
Too young
But the intentions were pure
But the intentions were pure
My juvenile [x3]
I truly say
You are my biggest love
I clumsily try to free you from me
One last embrace to tie a sacred ribbon
This is an offer to better the last let-go [x3]
The intentions were pure
My juvenile
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Other reviews
By bjork68
"Volta is presented as a well-made and idea-rich work, perhaps a bit excessive and redundant in the arrangements, but with the courage to propose something interesting and quite varied from a stylistic and sonic perspective."
"Declare Independence looms like a disastrous explosion: it is a highly acidic techno-hardcore and electroclash track that hits hard like Bjork’s demented screams never so hysterically frenetic."
By The_dull_flame
Volta is the most adrenaline-fueled and daring album of her career, a cauldron of magic and beauty.
The spell of the album is unique: listening to it for the two-hundredth time feels like the first.
