"Since I was a child, singing and writing melodies have always been
quite a solitary process," Bjork says. "More and more, since I've
become savvier on the computer, I spend perhaps 90% of the time working
on the album alone. So, collaborations are the treat at the end of the
stick.
"With every collaborator, there is a completely
different method," she continues. "It is probably part of my
philosophy, a little romantic, I know, that one of the main targets is
to communicate, to merge. Then magic happens-when one plus one becomes
three. It is easy to do solo albums where you play absolutely every
noise, but merging is tricky. It takes courage to let go like that."
Yet no matter who Bjork works with, she still enjoys
following the beats and rhythms of her own beautifully off-kilter drum.
The array of musical instruments on "Volta" encompasses a Chinese lute,
French horns, a brass band and, Bjork being Bjork, major slabs of
electronic programming. Aggressive instrumentation intertwines with
suspenseful cinematic rushes, but there are also quiet and meditative
moments like "Pneumonia," which builds and builds with no release.
Bjork says she wrote the song at the piano in one take, after seeing
the film "Pan's Labyrinth" -- and after having pneumonia for two weeks.
"There is a physical sadness to wheezing away with that disease," she says. That, coupled with "the determination of the little girl in that film to believe in her imagination, whatever it took, even though no one believed her," struck a chord with the singer. A few days later, the song was recorded with seven horn players.
While lyrics on "Volta" frequently veer toward motherhood and religion, other tracks could very well have been ripped from today's headlines. One of the latter -- the war-themed "Earth Intruders" -- recently made headlines of its own. One of three Timbaland collaborations on "Volta," it became the first Bjork track to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 in 13 years, since "Big Time Sensuality" in 1994. Though its chart visit was fleeting (one week, attributed to 16,000 download sales), "Earth Intruders" is being spun by 31 modern rock stations.
But whether exposure for the single translates into sales for "Volta" and helps turn around the downward slide of each of Bjork's past solo studio albums, remains to be seen. Her solo debut, 1993's "Debut," sold 918,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Post," issued in 1995, has sold 810,000 units. "Homogenic" (1997) stands at 501,000 sold, "Vespertine" (2001) at 402,000 and "Medulla" (2004) at 235,000.
Still, Bjork's label is optimistic that this trend can be reversed-and for good reason. Her head-turning performances on "Saturday Night Live" (April 21) and at Coachella (April 28) have been widely covered. She has just commenced a yearlong global tour, and her online activity is up. Video of her Coachella Festival 2007 (Earth Intruders)
Embedding of the official video was disabled by request on youtube. But here is the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wioa74MsBYA
And for the first time, Bjork has agreed to license her catalog for ringtone and video ringer use. "This offers additional ways for us to get her music out there," Venable says.
While the label execs focus on extending Bjork's reach, the singer herself remains focused on her music. "One of the reasons I have headspace on this album to take on issues like the Earth, suicide bombers and so on is possibly because all things are pretty good at home right now -- as good as it gets."
Read My Mind appeared on the album Sam's Town and has been tagged as: rock, indie, indie rock and now it's in everyday list of my favorite Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong play list... Nice music, nice video (The Killers mingle with pleasant Tokyo citizens and take in some colorful sights)...
I don't know who's cuter, Brandon or the green monster thing!! :D
I love absolutely everything in this song. I went immediately to the site where I usually get music and downloaded all the remixes from them (they had 10!)... Gabriel and Dresden remix is perfect for car driving... Linus Loves Radio Edit is nice for background (as any electronic track).
I decided to add the video, track listing and off course music to this blog so if anyone get here he will not have to surf for all these things...
On the corner of main street Just tryin' to keep it in line You say you wanna move on and You say I'm falling behind
Can you read my mind? Can you read my mind?
I never really gave up on Breakin' out of this two-star town I got the green light I got a little fight I'm gonna turn this thing around
Can you read my mind? Can you read my mind?
The good old days, the honest man The restless heart, the Promised Land A subtle kiss that no one sees A broken wrist and a big trapeze
Oh well I don't mind, if you don't mind 'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine Before you go, can you read my mind?
It’s funny how you just break down Waiting on some sign I pull up to the front of your driveway With magic soaking my spine
Can you read my mind? Can you read my mind?
The teenage queen, the loaded gun The drop dead dream, the Chosen One A southern drawl, the world unseen A city wall and a trampoline
Oh well I don't mind if you don't mind 'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine Before you jump, Tell me what you find.. When you read my mind
Slipping in my faith until I fall You never returned that call Woman, open the door, don't let it sting I wanna breathe that fire again
She said I don't mind if you don't mind 'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine Put your back on me Put your back on me Put your back on me
The stars are blazing like rebel diamonds, cut out of the sun Can you read my mind
Is't it perfect? :) This is such a wonderful song. And the video is one of my favorites.
I'm loving that Japanese guy in the red jumpsuit and when they're all
dressed as Geisha's :)
Remix on this song is in my MUSIC (http://osaya.multiply.com/music). Sorry - these are my first steps in html-coding...(
