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List Price: $66.99 | | Label: Universal
Salesrank: 690996
Released: August 23, 2004 |
| Our Price: $66.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Medúlla Track Listing:
1. Pleasure Is All Mine
2. Show Me Forgiveness
3. Where Is the Line
4. Vokuro
5. Oll Birtan
6. Who Is It
7. Submarine
8. Desired Constellation
9. Oceania
10. Sonnets/Unrealities XI
11. Ancestors
12. Mouth's Cradle
13. Midvikudags
14. Triumph of a Heart
15. Komid
Editorial Review:
Japanese SACD/Hybrid edition pressing of the Icelandic icon's 2004 album includes one bonus track 'Komid'. Polydor.
Medúlla Reviews:
Bjork's most avant garde aurual journey to date 
2004-08-31 - This CD is Bjork's most avant garde aurual journey to date. The best way to describe it is to compare it to her previous album 'Vespertine' since that is a stepping stone to this album.
New fans be warned, if you haven't heard Bjork before this might be a bad place to start checking her out but current fans, put your seatbelts on.
The bulk of this cd is very acapella like and the songs rely strongly on chorus that is sometimes interwoven into the actual song itself. Beats are at a minimal either volume wise or composition wise. Although the rich samples Bjork is infamous for are here. All those complex bass samples fill virtually every track but they're very laid back and mellow, compared with her previous albums.
Track by track review:
1. Pleaseure is all Mine - The song starts with a chorus (all Bjork) and quickly she starts singing. The song has a soft and slow feel and some soft bass sneaks it's way into the song. The beat is actually composed of vocal samples altered through a synthesizer so they sound proper. A men's chorus works it's way into the song later on and this song comes off very nicely with emotion.
2. Show me Forgiveness - This track is totally acapella, nothing but Bjork's voice with a soft echo. She actually does a nice job and Bjork's singing has improved over the years and it is to the point where she can carry a song with only her voice.
3. Where is the Line - This is the first full blown song on the album and it's very avant garde innovative. There is this bizarre but catching bass hit that sounds like it was composed from a guy's voice. A spooky chorus pops in and overall this song has an evil frientening sound to it that I enjoy. One of my personal favorites from this album.
4. Vokuro - Another acapella track here. It's just Bjork singing in her native tongue but this time she's accomponied with a haunting chorus. The track comes off very nicely and even if you don't understand her language, you will still enjoy this track.
5. Oll Birtan - Yet again another acapella track. This time it's 3 layers of bjork singing and it's hard to focus in on any specific track to figure out what she's saying. I didn't like this track but it's a nice short 1:55 so you don't have to deal with it for long.
6. Who is it - another full blown song (how few there are on this album). As always a slow intro and after half a minute some spooky synths work their way in and quickly some soft but chaotic breakbeat type beats come in. Some interesting note changes occur in here with the melody. I do like this track although it's just a step below 'Where is the Line'.
7. Oceania - starts out with a male humming and more males come in and start to sing. They actually go on to sing the song and it sounds as if Bjork is in there hiding with them. Eventually she does sing in the song. Yet again another acapella as it's purely voices.
8. Submarine - Another full blown song, this song has a sexy beat with some rich bass samples that sound as if they are reworked vocal sounds. The chorus takes some real interesting "ahhhhh" up and down the note scale. The singing is pretty simple here, no crazy choruses like some Bjork songs and she only belches a couple notes. Overall I like this track as it's interesting.
9. Sonnet / Unrealitiies IX - Starts with a chord sample that loops with a lot of clicks and pops. I don't know if this was intenional or not as some other groups (Postal Service) have released a song that did this also. There's never a beat per say but later on some bass sneaks in now and then with the chord. I like this track as it's a minimal piece of work.
10. Desired Constellation - Another acapella track with just Bjork and a chorus. Honestly by this time in the album I've gotten a little tired of beat-less songs with the only melody coming from the chorus or Bjork. It's a well made track, but I think Bjork is overdueing this new style she's playing with.
11. Ancestors - some sad piano work with a vocal sample that sounds like weeping in reverse. It's actually a nice track until half way through when some bizarre breathing sample like a tortured animal kicks in, it changes but stays throughout the entire song, pretty much ruining it.
12. Mouth's Cradle - this song possibly sums up this album all together. Bjork with a chorus and some good bass work, yet again vocal inspired. You'll be surprised how many of the samples are actually from somebody's mouth but manipulated to form a beat.
13. Mivikudags - Yet again a song with 2 or 3 layers of Bjork singing making it hard to focus on what she's saying, if she's even singing english. This track is better than her earlier attempt of this. There is a bit of bassy noise in the background this time.
14. Trimph of the Heart - the most bizarre but my favorite track from this album. There is some really wierd beat boxing (making beats from the mouth) and this track has almost a hip hop feel to it. It actualy an interesting track even though it's also very wierd.
Overall I'd say Bjork really went off the deep end for this album. I think this will be a love it or hate it album, there is no middle ground. If you really liked 'Vespertine' then I think you will like this album as it takes 'Vespertine' to the extreme. If you disliked that album, I think you will absolutely hate this album.
Acrobatic tongues and Gothetic hearts. 
2004-08-29 - Where does someone begin to describe an artist who makes the music they desire to make and at the same time is successful at it? I guess the term would be "Bjork". A name in and of itself. Never repeating the same thing twice, "Medulla" takes us on a vocal layered journey from the pure "Show Me Forgiveness" to the put your foot down "Where Is The Line" and ending with the simple joy of "Triumph Of A Heart". The bonus track "Komi" is worth to have. Putting a reminder in all of us that Bjork, first and foremost, is a voice unlike any other. A natural force where the instrumentations...no matter how grande or simplistic, accompany her work to explore and satisfy. "Medulla" is a vocal album filled with vocal samples and tricks that leads the listener towards alot of anticipation and wonderment. Personal favorite track, "Mouth's Cradle". Medulla's 'ghost is brighter than anyone's...those beams assure me.' What is next for Bjork to create?!?! Well, that is partly the enjoyment of being a 'Bjork listener'...the other half is based on the aspect of how much she has to give and continues to give.
"...when in doubt , give..." And Medulla is a sure testament to that.
