... Right down to those fake pearl tears on the cover of Debut, Bjork is an enigma in that special way that popstars can get away with. Back in 1993 when Debut was released she was voted babe of the year in NME. Looking at the stunning shots of her on this and the single 'Big Time Sensuality' ... Read review
Her first album following the break-up of the Sugarcubes,Debutis Icelandic trickster ... more
Björk's statement of purpose: bringing curious experimentalism to the dance floor and putting her startling, expressive voice front and centre. Her perspective is a li...
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Her first album following the break-up of the Sugarcubes, Debut is Icelandic trickster ... more
Björk's statement of purpose: bringing curious experimentalism to the dance floor and putting her startling, expressive voice front and centre. Her perspective is a ...
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Advantages: One Stop Shop For Fragile Masterpieces. Disadvantages: Could The Dancier Tracks Sound Outdated Some Day?
...with. Back in 1993 when Debut was released she was voted babe of the year in NME. Looking at the stunning shots of her on this and the single 'Big Time Sensuality' it's hard not to argue.
Recently Bjork starred in the much misunderstood 'Dancer In The Dark', and also produced the haunting soundtrack. Her role was so intense that she almost had a nervous breakdown during filming. Her legendary tantrums almost had the same effect on ... ...passion.
Debut is infused with a huge dance sensibility. A lot of the tracks have appeared elsewhere in altogether different guises, suitable for packing dancefloors en masse. Most of the time, these reworkings are loyal to their inspiration and dutifully prove how powerful the original recordings are. The first sign of Bjork's solo output was 'Big Time Sensuality' that came complete with 5 remixes. It has a didgeridoo electronic ... more
If you've never seen her, she is exactly how you would have imagined. Right down to those fake pearl tears on the cover of Debut, Bjork is an enigma in that special way that popstars can get away with. Back in 1993 when Debut was released she was voted babe of the year in NME. Looking at the stunning shots of her on this and the single 'Big Time Sensuality' it's hard not to argue.
Recently Bjork starred in the much misunderstood 'Dancer In The Dark', and also produced the haunting soundtrack. Her role was so intense that she almost had a nervous breakdown during filming. Her legendary tantrums almost had the same effect on the crew members! Here is a woman that lives and breaths her art. Paradoxically she craves privacy but when pushed too hard has the capacity to hit back with awesome ferocity. The attack on a journalist at an airport in Thailand is evidence of this.
Bjork made her first recording aged 13. She had been a member of the Sugarcubes before she went solo. The Sugarcubes spun off beat dramas that defined an alternative market in the mid-late eighties struggling to find its feet. Bjork's talent was their distinctive selling point though and they may have suffered without her powerful vigour.
There is something magical, almost whimsical about Bjork's homeland, Iceland. The people are warm and friendly and incredibly proud of their heritage. The Icelandic landscape is barren in a spectacular type of way and some of its natural features like the volcanic spa's leave an indelible impression. It is against this backdrop that you begin to understand where Bjork and more recently the heavenly Sigur Ros fuel their passion.
Debut is infused with a huge dance sensibility. A lot of the tracks have appeared elsewhere in altogether different guises, suitable for packing dancefloors en masse. Most of the time, these reworkings are loyal to their inspiration and dutifully prove how powerful the original recordings are. The first sign of Bjork's solo output was 'Big Time Sensuality' that came complete with 5 remixes. It has a didgeridoo electronic beat that skips frothily for its duration. Bjork doesn't croon, she just adds suitable splices of cool vocals.
'Violently Happy' creeps up on you like a wayward iceberg and knocks you for six as the delicious white hot beat distils pure alcohol into your shaking torso. Yes it is overwhelming stuff made all the more bearable by the perfect comedown of 'Venus As A Boy'. This song flickers like the comfort of a candle in a dark cave but the warmth of the vocals wrap you in the fur of a fresh bear kill. Just when you think you have a handle on Bjork's vocal range she disappears beyond the horizon.
Those put off by the notion of a beat fantastic album shouldn't worry because Debut is much more than this. For every 'Violently Happy' there is at least a couple of seamless vehicles for Bjork's astonishing chords. 'Play Dead' for example boasts a huge orchestral wall of sound and a chorus that wonderfully climbs to the summit of her vocal range. 'There's More To Life Than This' has more than a Moloko ring about it, but then this was released aeons before they had honed their sound.
Elsewhere 'Come To Me' contains all the trappings of a fairytale with the requisite plinking dew drops, distant wailing strings and little red riding hood pretensions. It sashes by with enormous clarity, charming is too underwhelming a word to describe it. 'Aeroplane' is beautifully uneven and hints at that 'It's Oh So Quiet' theme that her second album would so successfully adopt.
Listen to 'The Anchor Song' and you can imagine village life. As the prayers for returning fisherman are answered the most serene of lives continue happily as the outside world scrambles for a few hundred more worthless shares, squashing the weaker in society underfoot in the process. There is a natural feel to a lot of the album which may be difficult to fathom to someone who hasn't heard it. There is some technology employed but it is never overused. Debut let free on the today's charts would resemble a fresh clear mountain stream running straight through a polluted steel mill.
On occasions, like on the rather shallow 'One Day' Bjork drops her quality guard. To recompense the white label take of this song is close to perfection. 'Crying' is another notable disappointment with a vacuous centre, but hey there is a rather noodly last segment that almost saves the day. Don't let these tracks put you off though, they are only poor when viewed against the high standards set by the other tracks on the album. Make no mistake this is a fantastic debut that you should own for its individuality, inner self-belief and consistent wide-eyed arrangements.
A tortured genius, a peaceful soul, it's hard to tell. One thing is for sure, Bjork possesses the integrity to come across as very likeable. Her music is spiritual and uplifting, her voice is an unwavering beacon. She is a true star of her own making whose talent will withstand the test of time.
Advantages: original voice Disadvantages: may not suit the tastes of everyone
Bjork is now Iceland's most famous celebrity (sorry Magnus Magnusson, but when did you ever get column inches for hitting a reporter?). 'Debut' was her sensational first album that sold more copies worldwide than all of her previous band's albums put together. The Sugarcubes had had some minor success chart-wise in the UK, with 'Hit' reaching the Top 20, and other songs such as 'Birthday' being widely acclaimed in the indie music press. However, ... ...solo artist, as so it proved. Debut, reached the UK Top 3 when it was released in 1993 on the 'One Little Indian' label, and spawned 4 UK Top 40 singles. The first of which was 'Human Behaviour', perhaps most memorable for Bjork being run over by a hedgehog in the video. It reached #35, although did expose her more widely into the mainstream. This was followed up by the sublime 'Venus as a Boy', which reached the Top 30. Once again, the video showed ...
stoffy 25.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Debut - Bjork
Advantages: Some truly great tracks Disadvantages: A Few Less vocal exertions would help
...how many people have Bjork’s Debut album but did not go on to purchase anything else from the diminutive volatile Icelander. If you are one such person then I am not alone. There is a lot I liked about the Debut album, one or two tracks are sensational but is it without imperfection? No, definitely no.
Firstly the killer tracks : Human Behaviour is the first of these and the first track on the album. A small amount of criticism is that early ... ...As an album Debut was worth the cover price for those tracks which stood out. From a commercial perspective it was successful in establishing Bjork as an international artist. However what followed was the unnecessary publicity in airports and some unwise musical collaborations - a particularly awful duet with Skin was it from Skunk Anansie. (Correct me if I’m wrong) and soon the impetus was lost. But perhaps that was what Bjork wanted, commercial ...
polydeuces 31.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Debut - Bjork
Although she had been making albums since her youth back in native
Iceland, 'Debut' was the first solo album Bjork had made since leaving 'The Sugarcubes'. Having teamed up with producer Nellee Hooper the result is an album with a range of songs to demonstrate her extraordinary and unique voice. These consist of experimental dance ('Big Time Sensuality', 'There's More To Life Than This', 'Violently Happy') to ballads ( 'Like Someone In Love', 'Come ... ...The end result is an impressive collection of songs which serve to magnify the range and dimensions of an artist who bring new light to the music scene. 'Debut' is a stunning and inventive breakthrough album that places Bjork alongside the most-talented female artists around.
Stand Out Track: Venus As A Boy ...
thereview 24.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Debut - Bjork
Although she had been making albums since her youth back in native
Iceland, 'Debut' was the first solo album Bjork had made since leaving 'The Sugarcubes'. Having teamed up with producer Nellee Hooper the result is an album with a range of songs to demonstrate her extraordinary and unique voice. These consist of experimental dance ('Big Time Sensuality', 'There's More To Life Than This', 'Violently Happy') to ballads ( 'Like Someone In Love', 'Come ... ...The end result is an impressive collection of songs which serve to magnify the range and dimensions of an artist who bring new light to the music scene. 'Debut' is a stunning and inventive breakthrough album that places Bjork alongside the most-talented female artists around.
Stand Out Track: Venus As A Boy ...
thereview 24.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Debut - Bjork
Advantages: The voice , the hits, the attitude Disadvantages: None
The diminutive lead singer of the Icelandic band the Sugar Cubes emerged as a major new artistic talent in her own right in 1993 with her first album. It’s packed out with powerful hit songs like Venus As A Boy, Big Time Sensuality and Play Dead and saw Bjork announce her arrival in strident terms. The amazing videos captured her manic charm perfectly, especially the one which captured her singing on the back of a lorry s she danced to and fro before ... ...she captures stage centre and never lets go.
She managed to combine commercial success with artistic credibility and was the darling of the critical set for three or four years in the middle of the 90’s.
If you’re only going to buy one Bjork album, then this is the one to get, although she veered off into a very different and more interesting sound in her later albums. The bursting upon the world she achieved was a thing to behold and a world away ...
dave27 05.10.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Debut - Bjork
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Debut - Bjork"
Advantages: Better than first album Disadvantages: Lacks musical direction
More experimental than 'Debut', 'Post' sees Bjork expand her musical dimensions as well as her collaborators - this time round she brings on board Graham Massey, Tricky, Marius du Vries, Howie B and Nellee Hooper. 'Post' is a darker album than its predecessor, yet still continues to act as a showcase for the spectrum of music that Bjork can create. From the confrontational start of 'Army of Me' to the comic joy of 'It's Oh So Quiet', whilst by passing string arrangements ('Isobel'), dance ('I Miss You') and minimalist sounds ('Headphones'), the album is daring and brilliant.
Those who loved 'Debut' may like this less-so, but 'Post' is of superior quality, and shows an artist who is not afraid to experiment with her music.
Stand Out Track: Hyperballad ...
thereview 27.09.2000 (15.08.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Post - Bjork
Advantages: Visionary sounds, great vocals Disadvantages: Some of the tracks are a bit too 'far out'
I have been a fan of Bjork sine she first emerged onto the scene in the early nineties and I was a young boy of 19. Since then I have enjoyed the evolution of her sound, moving from electronica to a more experimental creatve sound.
This album however is even too experimental for me! The tracks are just not as good as previous albums 'Debut', 'Post' or 'Homogenic'. Tihs pains me to say this, as Bjork is an artist who I have great admiration for, but these tracks are more like a soundtrack for a remake of the Exorcist, than a Bjork album.
I was further irritated by the tracklisting being printed in black, on a BLACK background - confusing - tell me about it.
If you are looking for 'Venus As a Boy' forget it, these tracks are so far removed from that earlier music that I can now understand why Bjork is not the commercially succesful ...
Advantages: Musically consistent with direction and quality Disadvantages: Darker and less commercial than previous material
With a substantial amount of this album produced and written by Bjork herself, 'Homogenic' sees Iceland's illustrious singer take a greater control of her musical direction. Whereas the previous albums 'Debut' and 'Post' consisted of a host of collaborators experimenting with Bjork's musical diversity, this album is more of a solo effort, and although several collaborators do appear (Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B), Bjork remains very much centre stage.
'Homogenic' proves to be an album which is far more personal than her previous efforts, and it displays a musical direction and maturity which has been missing from her earlier work.
The album is lyrically challenging (on 'Hunter' she contends: "I'm going hunting, I'm the hunter"; "I dare you to take me on" on '5 Years'), poetic ("I'm a fountain of blood in the shape of a girl ...
Personnel: Bjork (vocals, keyboards); Jon Mallison (guitar); Corki Hale (harp); Oliver Lake (alto saxophone); Gary Barnacle, Mike Mower (horns); Marius De Vries, Paul Waller, Martin Virgo (keyboards, programming); Garry Hughes (keyboards, Hammond organ, programming); Luis Jardim (bass, drums, percussion); Bruce Smith, Nellee Hooper (drums, percussion); Talvin Singh (tabla); Jhelisa Anderson (background vocals). Engineers include: Jim Abbiss, Nellee Hooper, Howie Bernstein. With DEBUT, the Icelandic thrush Bjork Godmundsdottir (late of the Sugarcubes) brings her knowing innocence and quirky voice to bear on an engaging program of renegade pop tunes. The unusual instrumental textures on songs such as "Human Behavior," fleshed out with timpani, small percussion instruments, vibraphones and harps, suggests a post-modern version of Phil Spector. As a singer, Bjork's swooping octave leaps and guttural cries betray the elemental contradictions in her music. She projects the girlish innocence and barely constrained sensuality of a wise child, old beyond her years (the techno-reggae romanticism of "Venus As A Boy," the bouncy house changes of "Big Time Sensuality" and "Violently Happy"), and sometimes she sounds like she's trying to rediscover how such doe-eyed love might actually feel, as if for the first time (the mysterious groove of "One Day" and the jazzy standard "Like Someone In Love," with its spare harp accompaniment). There's a pronounced techno feel to DEBUT, with its airy synthesizers and spacious, uncluttered mixes, but without the cool, mechanized detachment of that genre. On "Aeroplane" Bjork combines a saxophone quartet with Middle Eastern-flavored percussion to steer her tale of obsessive love just outside of the pop mainstream, while the unusual saxophone harmonies of "The Anchor Song" lend a folkish color to her extended metaphors on home and erotic immersion. It's precisely Bjork's sense of adventure that gives DEBUT such a cool exotic flavor.
Album Reviews
Q (12/99, p.76) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s." Q (1/94, p.85) - Included in Q's list of `The 50 Best Albums Of 1993' - "...an album of tantalising contrasts....manages to be bubbly, exhilarating, brazenly dance-oriented and satisfying all at once..." Melody Maker (1/1/94, p.76) - Ranked #6 in Melody Maker's list of the `Albums Of The Year' for 1993 - "...a fantastic DEBUT..." NME (12/25/93, p.66) - Ranked #1 in New Musical Express' list of the `Top 50 LPs Of 1993' - "...DEBUT is a musical treasure chest of organic techno beats, twinkly jazz serenades and otherworldly nursery rhymes, disregarding categories and [displaying] a bewitching faith in pop's ability to challenge..." Musician (7/93, p.90) - "...what makes her singing memorable isn't the odd assortment of growls, moans and chirps she relies upon, but the emotions those sounds convey..." Q (7/93, p.85) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...Bjork Godmundsdottir's voice was undoubtedly the jewel in The Sugarcubes' crown and in the relatively sparse setting of this solo debut she reclaims all her old wit and joissance....a surprising, playful collection..." NME (7/3/93, p.35) - 9 - Excellent Plus - "...an album that believes music can be magical and special...."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Human Behaviour
2.
Crying
3.
Venus As A Boy
4.
There's More To Life Than This
5.
Like Someone In Love
6.
Big Time Sensuality
7.
One Day
8.
Aeroplane
9.
Come To Me
10.
Violently Happy
11.
Anchor Song
12.
Play Dead - Bjork & David Arnold
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