Medúlla

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Medúlla
Studio album by Björk
Released	August 30, 2004 (UK) August 31, 2004 (US)
Recorded	Greenhouse (IS), Estúdio Ilha Dos Sapos (BR), La Hoyita Studios (ES)
Genre	A cappella, Electronica
Length	45:40
Label	US: Atlantic Records One Little Indian
Producer(s)	Björk Mark Bell
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Austin Chronicle 15 Oct 2004 The A.V. Club (Favourable) 8 Sept 2004 Blender link The Guardian 27 Aug 2004 The Independent 27 Aug 2004 Mojo Sept 2004, p.93 NME 4 Sept 2004, p.73 Pitchfork (8.4/10) 30 Aug 2004 Rolling Stone 16 Sept 2004 Slant link Spin (B+) 13 Oct 2004 Stylus Magazine (A) link The Times 29 Aug 2004
Björk chronology
Live Box (2003)	Medúlla (2004)	Army of Me: Remixes and Covers (2005)

Medúlla, meaning spine in spanish, is an album by Icelandic singer/songwriter/musician Björk, which was released on 30 August 2004 (see 2004 in music). The album is almost entirely a cappella and constructed with human vocals, with only a bass synthesizer on "Who is It", piano on "Ancestors" and a gong on "Pleasure is All Mine" other than the human voice; even the atmospheric haze that dominates the soundscape of "Desired Constellation" was created from a sample of Björk singing "I'm not sure what to do with it" from "Hidden Place" on her previous album, Vespertine.

The album features beatboxing, choral arrangements and throat singing, as well as guest appearances by such artists as Mike Patton, Robert Wyatt, Tagaq, Rahzel (formerly of The Roots), Shlomo and Dokaka.

The lyrics of "Sonnets/Unrealities XI" are based from a poem by E. E. Cummings. And Björk covered the song Vökuró, originally by Jórunn Viðar.

Björk received 2 Grammy nominations for Medúlla, including Female Pop Vocal Performance for Oceania, and Alternative Music Album.

The album reached a position of #9 on the UK Albums Chart, #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 - her highest ever position, and peaked at #1 in Estonia, France, Iceland and Belgium (Wallonia).

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Performances 3 Chart performance 4 External links

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Björk unless otherwise noted.

1. "Pleasure Is All Mine" – 3:26
2. "Show Me Forgiveness" – 1:23
3. "Where Is the Line" – 4:41
4. "Vökuró" (Sigurðardóttir/Viðar) – 3:14
5. "Öll Birtan" – 1:52
6. "Who Is It" – 3:57
7. "Submarine" – 3:13
8. "Desired Constellation" (Björk/Alary) – 4:55
9. "Oceania" (Björk/Sjón) – 3:24
10. "Sonnets/Unrealities XI" (Björk/Cummings) – 1:59
11. "Ancestors" (Björk/Tagaq) – 4:08
12. "Mouth's Cradle" – 4:00
13. "Miðvikudags" – 1:24
14. "Triumph of a Heart" – 4:04
15. "Komið" (Japanese bonus track/iTunes release) – 2:02

[edit] Performances

"Oceania" was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee and performed at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games, in which Björk's sea-blue dress expanded to cover nearly the entire stadium.

On October 8, 2004, Björk performed at the BBC Studios for the Jonathan Ross Show. She performed "Who Is It (Bell Choir Mix)" with Rahzel and the Bell Choir.

On October 15, 2004, Björk performed a set of six songs for a French television show called "Album de la Semaine" at the Canal studios in Paris, France.

Setlist:

1. "Desired Constellation"
2. "Pleasure Is All Mine"
3. "Show Me Forgiveness"
4. "Sonnets/Unrealites XI"
5. "Vökuró"
6. "Who Is It"

On July 2, 2005, Björk performed in Tokyo, Japan at the Makuhari Messe for Live 8. Accompanied by Matmos, the Japanese String Octet, and Zeena Parkins, she performed a set of nine songs.

Setlist:

1. "Pagan Poetry" (Instrumental)
2. "Pagan Poetry"
3. "All Is Full of Love"
4. "Desired Constellation"
5. "Jóga"
6. "Hyperballad"
7. "Generous Palmstroke"
8. "Bachelorette"
9. "It's in Our Hands" (Soft Pink Truth Mix)

On January 7, 2006, Björk performed in Reykjavík, Iceland at the Stortonleikar. The major concert in Iceland was announced in the Icelandic Morgunblaðið for the support of Icelandic Nature preserve. The artists playing were Ham, Magga Stína, Múm, Sigur Rós, Hjálmar, KK, Rass, Björk, Ghostigital, Damon Albarn and Egó. Björk was accompanied by Zeena Parkins on harp and she performed 3 songs.

Setlist:

1. "Vökuro" (Harp version)
2. "Show Me Forgiveness"
3. "Generous Palmstroke"

[edit] Chart performance

Chart (2004)	Peak Position
Argentina albums chart	4
Australia albums chart	17
Austria albums chart	6
Belgium (Flanders) albums chart	4
Belgium (Wallonia) albums chart	1
Billboard European Top 100 albums chart	1
Billboard Internet Sales chart	7
Brazil albums chart	33
Canada albums chart	6
Czech Republic albums chart	13
Denmark albums chart	2
Estonia albums chart	1
Finland albums chart	4
France albums chart	1
Germany albums chart	5
Greece International albums chart	3
Hungary albums chart	71
Iceland albums chart	1
Ireland albums chart	22
Italy albums chart	2
Japan albums chart	10
Mexico albums chart	2
Netherlands albums chart	20
New Zealand albums chart	35
Norway albums chart	3
Poland albums chart	2
Portugal albums chart	5
Singapore albums chart	6
Spain albums chart	6
Sweden albums chart	7
Switzerland albums chart	3
UK albums chart	9
USA Billboard 200	14
USA Billboard Top Electronic Albums	1
USA Billboard Top Internet Albums	7
World Global Album Sales chart	2

[edit] External links

• Medúlla mini-site