[illkemist]

...maybe you'll be interested in this:

Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra

Forgive me if someone has already mentioned this. But I heard a track on Worldwide with Gilles Peterson this week. Just thought I'd share.

 

[erythrophyte]

I do like her and I feel like such a purist saying this, but it doesn't compare.

The new instrumentations are refreshing but her voice can't be replaced. I can't recall correctly the last time I've listened a reproduction such as this, but I have heard those string quartet versions which have become so common. Some were nice though. But then again, I don't even like listening to most of her remixes, so a bit biased.

 

[illkemist]

I guess I should have said, "if you like her songs...". I understand that this does not really compare to the original source material. Normally, I don't like to see such strong songs remixed or re-imagined, but this is the excuse to my rule.

 

[iancraig10]

Thanks Illkemist. We can't get this easily in the UK but I downloaded it from Itunes for a listen. Interesting.

Got me thinking, how good are Bjork's compositions or whether her music relies on the execution moreso than the composition itself.

An interesting thing my wife said on hearing her music was, 'It sounds as though it's aimed at a hi fi listener'. ie: She doesn't like the sound of her music, but she likes the quality of the reproduced sounds.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Thanks.

Ian

 

[illkemist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iancraig10 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Got me thinking, how good are Bjork's compositions or whether her music relies on the execution moreso than the composition itself. An interesting thing my wife said on hearing her music was, 'It sounds as though it's aimed at a hi fi listener'. ie: She doesn't like the sound of her music, but she likes the quality of the reproduced sounds. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Thanks. Ian

Ian, it's funny that you say that, because a friend told me the same thing about Matthew Herbert. I use Bodily Functions to test equipment. Even his big band stuff sounds like it was made for Hi-fi junkies.

Cheers,
Fred

 

[iancraig10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by illkemist /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ian, it's funny that you say that, because a friend told me the same thing about Matthew Herbert. I use Bodily Functions to test equipment. Even his big band stuff sounds like it was made for Hi-fi junkies. Cheers, Fred

Hi Fred,

I found this jazz rendering of her stuff interesting in that it does point out what I feel are weak compositional ideas that don't really develop into much. Then if you listen to the original, the jazz harmonies, etc are very close so the attractiveness (if you like) of her work is its eccentricity.

Tie that in with extremely well recorded electronic sounds and we are left with a composition that relies on quality of sound and eccentricities. (My wife linked in to the quality of the recorded sounds because she really doesn't like Bjork's voice at all)

The opposite, imo to Frank Zappa, where, if you strip away the eccentricities of him and his band, you are left with stunning compositional work. The Yellow Shark album points this out dramatically and it's just that I am very fond of Bjork's work, but this album has pointed out a kind of musical weakness to me. (Probably the opposite to what this new album was trying to do as well)

Maybe it's me that's weird!! ;-0

 

[Zarathustra19]

I don't.

I kid, I kid. I always like to see (hear) alternate takes on a song. String quartet of metallica, slayer, etc. This can't be too bad.

 

[Oliver :)]

You may also like "Read: Interpreting Bjork". It's worth it for The Decemberist's take on "Human Behaviour" alone.

 

[Klisk]

I kind of gave up on Bjork after that "beatboxing" album she did a year or two ago. Terrible.

 

[ken36]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klisk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I kind of gave up on Bjork after that "beatboxing" album she did a year or two ago. Terrible.

I'm kinda puzzled about bjork. Great talent, but where did it go? However, she sure knows how to dress.