Results tagged “Björk” from Fade Away Never

Stereogum has started to release 10-15 year artist anniversary albums.  The change is that the original album is now dissected by familiar artists and turned into covers.  The beauty is that they have some pull, they don't pick just any random artist.  A few months ago Stereogum released Radiohead's OK Computer.  I had bought a cover album of Radiohead a while back right after the release of OK Computer.  These were merely songs from Pablo Honey, The Bends, and OK Computer.  This preceded the Radiohead bandwagon everyone wheels around in and I had not heard of a single artist that had participated on that cover album.  Needless to say, I listened to it probably once and it left much to be desired.  The Stereogum's versions were much more enlightening and satisfying.  

This time they decided to put out an anniversary album of Björk's Post (1995).  Björk's best album in my opinion is Homogenic (1997), but Post comes in at a close second.  Post  summarizes Björk's career.  I remember when this album came out and how mind blowing and cutting edge the style of sounds were.  She was comfort for me through my awkward teenage years.  Stereogum's Post isn't as intriguing as their OK Computer but there are a few songs that are aesthetically pleasing.  

Liars "Army of Me" captured the intensity that Björk had originally set out for.  They even added a few layers to make it even darker.  They made a creepy Marilyn Manson-esque chorus by dropping it a key and slowing it down.  When doing a cover, you can't help but compare the piece to the original.  In one of Björk's best songs "Hyperballad," the Dirty Projectors attempted this with much defeat. I was quite pleased with the intro and first verse, but somewhere in the chorus his melancholy tone made everything sound repetitive and the powerful and beautiful lyrics got lost in the shuffle.  Pattern Movement's "Enjoy," White Hinderland's "I Miss You," and El Guincho's "Cover Me" are all not horrible, but forgettable.  The only musician even remotely similar to Björk's voice is Bell.  Although Bell doesn't dare belt out the loud notes, her version of "It's Oh So Quiet" had Björk's charm.  Evangelicals, "You've Been Flirting Again," Xiu Xiu, "Isobel," and Atlas Sound, "Headphones" are strong songs that project Björk's mood and depth.  Without a doubt, Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) and Ed Drost's (singer of Grizzly Bear) rendition of "Possibly Maybe" is the little gem of all the covers.  This song oozes sexiness.  I am sure it was quite intense in that recording room.  Does this foreshadow a romance between Pallett and Drost?  "Possibly Maybe, Probably Love?" 

Download: Stereogum Presents... Enjoyed: A Triubute To Bjork's Post