Edited for iTunes
4
By Philly Ed
It should be noted that some of the iTunes tracks here are edited. Innocence (21 seconds), I See Who You Are (15 seconds), and Hope (27 seconds) all have their ambiant outro bridges cut off. Some other songs are just a few seconds. They don't hurt the songs any if you listen to them all by themselves, but the album tracks were origianlly designed to flow into each other with the sounds of harbors, rainfall, and machinery bridging the gap from one to the next. It's kind of a bummer to discover they were missing. I don't know if that is an error or deliberate, but I wish I could buy the original complete tracks instead.
As for the album, it is underrated, but I can see why there is so much debate about it. I find half the tracks brilliant (Earth, Vertebrae, Declare) or really good (I See, Hope, Pneumonia), but others I can't listen to at all (Dull, Juvenile), or I vastly prefer the remix versions (Wanderlust - Ratatat, Innocence - Simian Mobile Disco). The horns are just odd enough here that you either love or hate them. I love them on Vertebrae and Pneumonia, hate them on Wanderlust. It is an album worth repeated listenings to get the infectious grooves, and then debate whether you like all the songs or not. Bjork albums challenge you and make you think about what you are listening to, and I like that.
3 Stars: Messy and loud, yet still has some good songs
3
By Piñata Magonia Poppy
I still enjoyed it, but it was her most messiest and loudest album yet, and it seemed not to truly have an objective. Now, it was still enjoyable, it just felt a little more empty, given some of the songs stretched on for too long and didn’t do enough, as if they were half developed life-forms, trying to be something and make a certain point, but not really fully doing so as they intended. Lyrics repeated the same thing, one for seven minutes, but still it remained an empty vessel, not pushed any emotion forward like her previous efforts. Now, I will say, out of the albums I have heard by her in their entirety (currently being 5) that this album had my favorite subjects on it. I would say, while this album seemed to not really have an objective and just wandered, it also had three central themes. Love, wanderlust and politics. And I really enjoyed all of them that she had to talk about, it just seemed lifeless and needed a little more flair. I honestly think she could’ve just threw this album out, and waited until Biophilia to make her comeback, as that one had more of a point and solid support of an idea. But this one still had enjoyable songs, ones such as Earth Intruders, Wanderlust. Now, I don’t have the worst things to say about this album. Please don’t take this as an entirely negative review. I just don’t know what Bjork was trying to prove with this album. It really wandered but it is still an interesting era within her music. I wouldn’t really recommend this album, only just the first two songs, and maybe the last one with “The Conscience”. The song before that one “Declare Independence”, kind of sums up how the whole album was. I think if you’ve heard that one, you’ve heard it all. And I’ll say it again, Volta repeated themes and words, but not having the driving force behind it called depth. That is this albums main issue. I would’ve liked it more if there was more depth and less surface noise and shock trying to make up for it, but still, Wanderlust is on the list of my favorites from her, and Earth Intruders is very interesting to with those weird bog bubbling sounds in the beginning. As an album though, just needs more development. That’s all. This album is also just too beat up by many. It ain’t that bad. Fin.
Underrated
4
By Still awesome!
First: I can't believe Björk released this through Atlantic Records! I mean they're like for Pop artist!
Second: From what I've heard this record isn't as bad as critics make it out to be. She's Björk for crying out loud! This sounds like Björk just being EXTREMELY experimental. Like she always is. Björk is by far the artist I respect the most. Volta is definitely underrated and not seen for its good.
WANDERLUST
5
By Marry the night the night
WANDERLUST IS THE BEST SONG EVER
Excellent...
4
By Johncroix70
I have followed Bjork for decades, and one of the issues that I have always had is that there always seemed to be an album missing between "Post" and Homogenic" (the change was so drastic). Then, finally, "Volta" was released. What I like best about this album is that it brings us back to some of the original Bjork sounds.
She still manages to challenge the standards of normal music, and this album is one of her most ambitious works. Combining a wide variety of musical sources, the end result is just as original as "Medulla", but is, in a way, even more entertaining to listen to.
A must-have for every Bjork fan
5
By russian ink
I just recently started listening to Bjork and bought an album of hers for the first time in January. Since then I listen to her more than almost any other artist on my iPod. Her creativity is unmatched and the way she breaks up lyrics and words to match the harmony of her songs is incredible. In the last few months I have bought all of her albums. Volta was the last to add to the collection, because I wasn't sure I liked it. I listened to the samples a million times but finally bought it. It truly is a must-have for every Bjork fan. It is more "mainstream" than her other albums but it does not stray from her creative genius. Songs like Independent are inspiring and Earth Intruders is just fun. If you love Bjork, just buy it and give it a try. You won't be sorry.
Feeling!
5
By CPT_rhrrs2
Looooooooove this track. You can actually feel the words of this song. Never felt anything like that before.
Awesome
5
By Kidzzy
I was a bit disappointed at medulla but voltra is really good! Love "earth intruders"!!
<3
5
By Twitter@plasticgrasp
Love this album!!!!! Declare independence is perhaps my all time fav bjork song. Love how it captures that feeling of being tied down and the will the be free.
Voltaic
4
By pokora05
I love volta, is colorfull, creative and fun. Björk is the best... :)
"Declare Independence"
1
By pearlescent_clouds
This song creeps me out...she's not even singing.
Tribal
3
By Essentialism
Intriguing use of tribal rhythms, a la Dead Can Dance or the Fourth World sound. A different spin on Bjork's sound, but unfortunately one still has to hear her nails-on-a-chalkboard squealing. Also, possibly the most ridiculous album cover artwork of all time.
Ummm
1
By aegrwhrjhnwrohi
Um first of all the cover I really don't get it's kind of creepy. Second of all people say that this music is better than Kerli. Kerli is better than this person and I'm not saying I hate the person or her music, I'm just saying that she could be better. =\.
Ehhhh
4
By $Kinderman$
This is by no means a bad album; it's actually quite good after a few listens. But it's just so horribly uneven. It goes from a thumping cough beat to sitar guitars to ridiculous singing about suicide bombing. The singles themselves are great; really some of her best. But they're hidden among chaotic arrangements that just can't flow. If ur gonna make a loud brass album, do it. If ur gonna make a string album (please don't), keep it the same throughout. What worked on Debut and Post falls apart here.
Aside from the singles (Wanderlust is one of my all time favs), other good ones are Pneumonia and My Juvenile
Volta
5
By Sone97
To all the people who gave this album a sucky rating/review, this is for you. If you rated this album 5 stars and appreciate the geniusness of bjork and her music, disreguard this review, because it's basically me saying this album is amazing bla bla bla.
So okay, to the "haters" of this album:
If I hear another "it's not Vespertine"esque review I swear I'm gonna throw my computer out the window. And ontop of all this beautiful madness, alot of these unhappy reviewers are self-proclaimed bjork fans. If you were truly that much of a bjork fan you would take the time to really appreciate and understand her creative process, which is relativally simple: to never remain stagnated. Bjork's albums may have similar elements that connect all of her work together, but she's not a musician who churns out the same thing over and over and over again just because it happened to work the first time it was released. I'm sure all of you Vespertine/Homogenic lovers would not be happy if bjork made another light, airy musicbox or string album. You would say it's boring, but bjork pays homage to her past works without using the same instruments or concepts. And as for Volta being really abstract, yes, yes it is. It is challenging and not easy to grasp on a first listen, and y'know what? That's okay. A perfect example of this is with her album Medulla. For me, it's a toughy to listen to, but to be honest, that actually doesn't repel me from her work. In fact, it makes me find her and her work more attractive and beautiful. Some of her albums are just like that. Sometimes you have to think along before you can really sing along. Volta was also said to be really all over the place or messy, but wasn't that the point? It describes a vast range of human emotions and that really is a huge spectrum of things to convey, but Bjork does just that- brilliantly. No matter how off the wall this album is, it has a concept, a story, and that is one thing that all of her albums have and will continue to have.
So in review, will there be another Vespertine? No. Another Homogenic? No. Another Post, Debut, or Medulla? No. and just for the record, her newest work Biophilia is a CONTINUATION of Volta, but does it have the same exact story or same kinds of songs? Not from what I've heard, which leads me to believe that there won't be another Volta either, and that, right there, is the very reason why I love bjork. She moves forwards and never looks back. So appreciate Volta for what it is, because just like all her other albums, there will never be another one like it.
is she on crack or is this just
1
By JimsInBoston
crack smoking music
This is called art
4
By the girl who reviews stuff
Bjork is one of the most creative musicians in the world and this is her wildest album. The emotional layers of her songs sink deeper into your heart every time you hear her sing. She throws things into her blender of ideas that seem strange at first but become essential after two or three listens. I can understand why some people didn't like this album, next to her early work she sounds like a completely different person. My favorites were Earth Intruders, Wanderlust, I See Who You Are, Innocence, and Declare Independence.
Vespertine seems like ages ago
1
By Jason Savvy
This is the last time I purchase a Bjork album without giving it a serious listen first. This is sad to say because up through Vespertine I would wait with baited breath for the next Bjork album. Then came Medulla, which was a disappointment and now comes Volta. Volta sound like a bad B-side collection.
Boy do I miss the Bjork that came out with Vespertine, Selmasongs, Homogenic, Post and Debut.
original & awesome
5
By raa@wr
i dont normally listen to this kind of music but bjork is amazing. best tracks are wanderlust, innocence, and earth intruders!!!
