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POST

Björk

Crossover Prog


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Björk Post album cover
3.60 | 164 ratings | 8 reviews | 24% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 1995

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Army of Me (3:54)
2. Hyperballad (5:21)
3. The Modern Things (4:10)
4. It's Oh So Quiet (3:39)
5. Enjoy (3:57)
6. You've Been Flirting Again (2:30)
7. Isobel (5:47)
8. Possibly Maybe (5:07)
9. I Miss You (4:04)
10. Cover Me (2:06)
11. Headphones (5:40)

Total Time 46:15

Line-up / Musicians

- Björk Guðmundsdóttir / vocals, keyboards (1-3,7,8,11), organ (5,9), brass (9) & string (6,7) arrangements, co-producer

With:
- Marius de Vries / keyboards (1-3,7,8), programming
- Adrian Thaws "Tricky" / keyboards (11), programming , co-producer
- Graham Massey / keyboards (1,3), programming, co-producer
- Guy Sigsworth / harpsichord (10)
- Jim Couza / hammered dulcimer (10)
- John Altman / conductor & orchestral arrangements (4)
- Eumir Deodato / conductor & string arrangements (2,6,7)
- Gavin Wright / 1st violin, orchestra leader (2,6,7)
- Robert Smissen / 1st viola (2,6,7)
- Tony Pleeth / 1st cello (2,6,7)
- Einar Örn / trumpet (5)
- Maurice Murphy / trumpet (7)
- Stuart Brooks / trumpet (9)
- Gary Barnacle / soprano sax (9)
- Talvin Singh / percussion (9)
- Markus Dravs / Fx (10), mixing

Releases information

Artwork: Me Company with Stephane Sednaoui (photo)

LP One Little Indian - TPLP051 (1995, UK)

CD One Little Indian - TPLP51CD (1995, UK)

Thanks to chris s for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
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BJÖRK Post ratings distribution


3.60
(164 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(24%)
24%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(45%)
45%
Good, but non-essential (24%)
24%
Collectors/fans only (5%)
5%
Poor. Only for completionists (2%)
2%

BJÖRK Post reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Chris S
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars When it comes to Bjork being taken seriously, then this has to be her weakest work over her " Limelight" era. Yes she made a couple of escapades into jazz/ballroom but overall only her arduous obscure tracks stacked up here. She may have made some buckeroos but " It's Oh So Quiet" is an appalling reach at stardom, little did she realize at the time that all attempts were inept, she had made it already. That misnommer aside and " Cover Me" just miss the plot. Other than that listen to the opener " Army Of Me", great energy and vocal direction, " Hyper Ballad" is the cherry on the top for Post. The other two stalwarts are " Isobel" and " Possibly Maybe". Is there a hint at androgyny? Maybe but regardless of that inferrence there is an determined missive that this work is not to be taken lightly and better moments may yet come to pass.
Review by Finnforest
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
2 stars Yet another sophomore slump

Bjork and Tori Amos hung out a bit back in the day, no doubt mutual admirers of the other's work. There are some parallels to their careers in the way that their albums struck me. Both arrived with a fresh and vibrant debut album, both in my opinion tanked on their attempted follow-up, and both recovered later on. "Post" featured material written by Bjork after her arrival in England. She was dealing with new material, great success with Debut, a cavalry of too many people around to "help", and a strong desire to bring back producer Nellee Hooper who had made the debut such a success. Hooper however seemed a bit burned out with Bjork and in the end he agreed to help oversee but wanted far less intricate involvement. While many of the critics were sufficiently enamored and the album was another commercial success, I believe it to be a real mess and the weakest album in Bjork canon (though I've not yet heard Volta or Medulla). Fittingly, the album cover is just awful, somehow both gaudy and generic, absolutely nothing special for an artist so attuned to visual art.

It's difficult for me to find much praise for the material on Post. The lead-off track "Army of Me" suffers from a noisy sludge of too much sound. The lyrical themes I can personally appreciate however, as Bjork takes a surprisingly harsh no-nonsense tone to tell people to get their [&*!#] together and man up. "It's me saying, 'just get to work, stop this.' You come to a point where you've done everything you can do for them, and the only thing that's going to sort them out is themselves. It's time to get things done." Another absolute Bjork low point is the painful-to-hear "It's Oh So Quiet" which features Bjork doing a show number from the 1940s that the media and public went nuts over. To her credit, Bjork would later regret covering the song as she grew weary of it. I was weary of it before it finished playing the first time I heard it.

While there are fewer good songs here than on Debut there are a couple of nice tracks. "You've Been Flirting Again" was her first solo production credit and her first string arrangement, and she was most proud of this achievement at the time. It's a melancholic and sparse piece with just her voice and strings to carry it. "Isobel" is a track whose long story runs as far back as her days in the band Kukl (pre-Sugarcubes). It is complex and moving without requiring the sludgy, suffocating electronica that drowns some of her other songs on the album. The string arrangements are nothing short of luscious, breathtaking. It is easily the high point of the Post album along with the following "Possibly Maybe," a seductive and hot/cool accounting of a relationship that was falling apart at the time. The pulsing beats, sound effects, and repeating soft background keyboard runs counter her painful lyrics and passionate vocal. (The video was equally impressive.)

My problem with the other tracks isn't necessarily the heavily repetitive sounding rhythms, but the fact that it sort of lulls the songs into similarity; many of them are truly short of the natural charm that sells her best stuff. Another problem which begins to emerge more frequently on the Post album is her use of certain vocal tics, grunts, moans, quirks, etc. She's not the only vocalist guilty of this, and in her defense the sounds are probably not entirely conscious. When used sparingly these can be an endearing personality trait that adds to the material. When appearing too often to spice up a track it can get tiring, and perhaps this is why certain vocalists end up parodied on shows like Saturday Night Live. This has nothing to do with her accent or her beautiful natural voice, it's just an observation of her performance habits.

So, there is not enough here for me to recommend Post beyond the Bjork fanbase whom already own the title anyway. I can barely stand to listen to Post anymore and I think the critics worldwide were way too generous with this one.

Review by russellk
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars A step down from her engaging debut, BJORK's 'Post' is less idiosyncratic, more generic and inevitably - but disappointingly - aware of her fan base.

Others have remarked on the appalling mess that is 'It's Oh So Quiet' so I'll pass on that one. It is fortunate that playlists can be set to skip tracks, that's all I'll say. Apart from that there's no weakness here: I enjoy the mostly understated electronica backing her unique vocals, her experiments (such as 'Cover Me') generally come off, and the best songs here ('Possibly Maybe' and the well-known 'Hyperballad') are worthy of the artist.

But there is a strong sense of marking time here. BJORK is an innovator, an artist as much as entertainer, and I'm sure she was not satisfied with this mere replication of her debut formula. Perhaps one hit record didn't give her the confidence to launch out into the career she eventually chose.

In the end BJORK's music stands or falls on her remarkable voice. Here it stands - barely.

Review by AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Bjork may not be to my taste on some albums but I am still drawn to hear more of her material to see what she has come up with, and a friend of mine has the full collection so I had to borrow these CDs to learn more of this popular unique but extremely off kilter artist. As soon as the album begins you are in Bjork's world. Bjork's voice is unique, high piercing and wavering imperfectly throughout, and her fanbase wouldn't have it any other way. She sounds to me like an imperfect Kate Bush. There are more strings, cellos, violins and orchestrations than other albums and that was good thing in my opinion. The music is excellent and symphonically charged, with some electronic passages, but Bjork's voice is one that you will either love or hate. To be fair she really is a genius of the absurd, totally original, shakey and vulnerable, and sometimes uncomfortably sad in her tones.

Listening to Army of Me, I can detect slabs of electronica and her multi tracked vocals are very nice to hear. I love the melody of this and the Daft Punk deep bass synths are mesmirising. This is a very eerie song but definitely one of my Bjork faves. The dark atmosphere is driven by serious vocals, lyrics and deep downbeat tones. Hyper-Ballad has a deep bass and electronic drums to begin with, and then Bjork's distant high register vocals talk of living on a mountain at the top, and walking toward the edge to throw car parts, bottles and cutlery off the edge. As usual everything is morbid and sound like the ravings of a deranged mind. Nevertheless it is compelling and draws you into her darkened rage. She imagines what her body feels like slamming on those rocks, and she wishes to be sane again; so not a happy song by any means.

From this suicidal depression we move to The Modern Things, that has a mixed to the front Bjork voice and a basstronic vibe. The way she forces out the vocals is kind of interesting at first but it wears thin after a while. The lyrics are nonsensical unless you want to get into Bjork's brain and that is not a nice place to be. This is dark stuff and of course will appeal to many for that reason.

It's Oh So Quiet is one I had heard on MTV with its weird broadway dance clip, so it was strangely familiar though I had forgotten the melody. The strings on this are endearing and its jazz reminds me of the stuff Neil Peart does on his latest drum solos. Bjork is at her nuttiest here ssh-ing us to listen, and acting like a cabaret jazz act. It is fun and she loves to scream at times which is a nice change from all the high vocals. The chimes on this are more chilling than nice, and of course this was a single and nothing really like the rest of her catalogue.

Enjoy is very dark, scratchy effects and Gary Numan industrial synths; I like that deep sound. Bjork's voice is distant and melodic. "I wish I only love you, I wish implicitly" she croons as the synths gyrate like house music. The electronic rhythms are overpowering but somehow this really works. You've Been Flirting Again is another of the ballads Bjork likes to perform to show her vulnerable sad side. I never like them on her other albums, and this is no different. It is painfully slow and has a repetitive violin sound.

Isobel has more orchestral arrangements, a brass section and ambient strings, until an electro-drum begins and scratchy guitar. Bjork sings of being in "a forest pitch as dark, my name Isobel married to myself". The strings are luscious and sweeping, and overall this is a nice song.

Possibly Maybe is a quiet song with a lone organ motif, and Bjork's vulnerable voice overlayed as sinister strings are heard. The atmosphere is bleak and esoteric as a slow bass pulse is heard down tuned and electronic.

I Miss You has an electro pulse and a fast paced percussion sequence. Bjork says she misses me though she hasn't met me yet, but I can't relate to what she is on about; perhaps an imaginary relationship is not as painful as the real deal so she fantasises about the untouchable lover who is out there somewhere ready to sweep her off her feet.

Cover Me is a short thing with creepy keyboards and a mad whispering vocal that is sinister and haunting. Not my taste at all but it is quite a unique minimalist piece, the keyboards are progressive and almost improvisational. It ends with Headphones, with a low key humming keyboard and Bjork singing like the previous song, whispering quietly without force, just taking it easy voicing phrases such as "they haven't been touched before, these sounds are virgins, my headphones they saved my life, lulled me to sleep, nothing will be the same, I like this resonance, it elevates me, I don't recognise myself, this is very interesting." A compelling eerie song that says something about how music becomes our companion in our darkest hour.

So ends a satisfactory album, and I was quite fascinated by most of it. Bjork fans will love this no doubt as she is in her element here, having fun shocking the establishment and twisting music to form her own style.

Review by Chicapah
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars I started checking out Bjork earlier this year and have been somewhat surprised to find how interesting her music is. I've always liked the female voice whether it was Barbara Streisand's, Linda Ronstadt's or Billie Holiday's but didn't encounter it to any extent in the progressive realm's heydays of the 60s and 70s so when courageous ladies like Bjork and Tori Amos appeared on the scene in the 90s I paid them little attention. But prog rock paints on a much wider canvas these days and it took me a while to accept that all progressive music isn't necessarily going to sound like Yes or Genesis or ELP. Once my horizons were broadened (thanks in no small part to this template-expanding website's existence) I realized that I'd only been limiting myself by not giving the younger proggers a fair listen. Bjork is one of them and she is cool in every sense of the word. Her first official solo record, "Debut," was impressive and made me want to investigate her aural art further so "Post" was the logical next step in my education.

As she did with "Debut" she opens her sophomore CD bravely with something challenging. This time it's "Army of Me." A strong drum beat and a NIN-styled synth bass line precede the emergence of a strange, wandering vocal melody that doesn't seem to be grounded in any kind of established chord progression. In other words, if you come here looking for something akin to Aretha Franklin you'll quickly realize that this ain't exactly the queen of soul. The excellent "Hyperballad" is next and it's a song that possesses a little more structure that makes it much more comprehensible. The tune's jazzy electric piano as it wafts over a light techno rhythmic scheme is intriguing and Bjork's singing motif sticks out as being wholly unlike any other on earth. "The Modern Things" follows. Its underlying track develops in a way that's reminiscent of Peter Gabriel's early solo work and the jazz influence detected in her songwriting is undeniable. Yet Bjork is remarkably unorthodox on all counts so you never know what to expect. "It's Oh So Quiet" is a case in point. As she did on the previous disc, she slips into nostalgia mode skillfully and without apology, this time as she brazenly fronts a big band. What's great about this cut is how she manipulates the contrasting dynamics and her clever humor so brilliantly. It's highly entertaining stuff. On "Enjoy" she jumps back into an industrial groove that Trent Reznor would approve of and once again sings in a key that only she can hear. The number creates a bizarre, unnerving aura that is somehow magnetic. "You've Been Flirting Again" is a short vocal-with-string- section piece that provides the album with a classy change of pace moment right in the middle.

"Isobel" is another standout song. It sports a full orchestral opening and then morphs into a number containing a pulsating rhythm that exudes a slight South American vibe but the tune avoids becoming your average girl-singer fare because Bjork takes the score wherever she wants to regardless of conventional wisdom. I like that she so openly flaunts her freedom. "Possibly Maybe" is next and it begins with an electronically-generated loop of sampled sound before evolving into a slow-paced number wherein her emotionally-charged voice dominates, establishing a dichotomy between the serene and the passionate. "I Miss You" is another highlight. Its subtle dance beat is augmented by both artificial and authentic percussion instruments as the track strides beneath her aggressive vocal. She wisely lets the intoxicating momentum carry the song on its shoulders without hindrance and the brassy horns are an exciting addition. "Cover Me" is a brief arrhythmic, experimental composition that displays her fearless nature flawlessly. She closes with "Headphones." After an extremely subdued start she introduces muted synthesized toms that instigate a beat pattern to guide you through an array of inventive vocal snippets and manifestations of her free form poetry and utterances that tastefully manage to skirt around the potholes of becoming irritating or insincere.

Released in the summer of 1995, "Post" reached #32 in the USA but streaked up to #2 in the UK. The singles that the CD spawned also did much better in Britain than here in the states and that further confirms to me that the English continue to be much more prog-minded and flexible in their musical tastes than their Yankee counterparts. The effects of the MTV virus still linger, evidently. Bjork's music also suggests that the final decade of the second millennium was a lot more progressive than I realized and that may be due to the fact that her eclecticism kept her off of US radio stations that were too timid and conservative to give her songs a decent chance to flourish. Over here she was more likely to gain exposure from her wild costumes and exotic looks than from her adventurous music and that's a shame. Hopefully a lot more American proggers will discover her charms in time. Give her a spin. 3.5 stars.

Latest members reviews

3 stars I like "Post". It is quite like "Debut" in many ways as both albums have lots of variety although this one explores some slightly different sounds. The album kicks off with "Army Of Me", a very energetic track with a warped, industrial sound which makes it suitable for running along or dancin ... (read more)

Report this review (#382169) | Posted by Frankie Flowers | Tuesday, January 18, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Ok, I said I though Debut was her greatest album, but listening to this album, I thought, "ok, I take it back" I don't know what it is about this album. it just has this divine spark, where every song is rememerable and interesting (except one) This album also I felt showed Bjork at her st ... (read more)

Report this review (#347657) | Posted by arcane-beautiful | Wednesday, December 8, 2010 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Every early Bjork album could be counted on to yield 5 massive hits, and this one's no different: Hyperballad, Isobel, It's Oh So Quiet, Army of Me, and Possibly Maybe. On that basis alone, this stands as a major achievement. Many of her fans consider Hyperballad to be Bjork's absolutely best s ... (read more)

Report this review (#344538) | Posted by jude111 | Monday, December 6, 2010 | Review Permanlink

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