Sandra Clark88 said:There isn't much to say about this music. It’s boring, predictable, and honestly, all this hype on the third track is just annoying. 🤦 Pure trash.
Man, I have to say, the third track, "in the red," is just incredible. I remember back when I first heard the album a few years ago, that heavy breathing thing didn't really click for me at all. But with every listen since, it’s like the purpose finally reveals itself. It feels like after those first two tracks—using that intense, physical breathing as an actual instrument—she pulls you through this vague, "physical" space. I can almost feel the soundscape; it's so tangible, like I could reach out and stretch it with my hands. Then, it shifts into this totally different, "mental" territory in such a deliberate contrast. It’s like she’s pulling you straight into her subconscious before transitioning beautifully into the fourth track, "Conceptual romance." To me, that song feels like pure introspection because of its specific sound. That transition from the third to the fourth track is easily one of the best moments on the album. I guess when something actually feels purposeful and intentional, it just hits harder for me.
I'll get back to the rest of your post later. 😉
Ashley Grant66 said:Don't be afraid, it's only... Blood Bitch is an investigation of blood..
Ashley Grant66 said:Björk knows we’re living in a world where blood is constantly being flashed in front of us, usually tied to violence or death, yet at the exact same time, you see blue liquid being used in pad commercials. This isn't some romanticized, forbidden love trope straight out of a trashy paperback, and it’s definitely not just a horror fairy tale about bloodthirsty creatures either. Instead, Lolita is an investigation of blood that taps into this dark, timeless craving. I guess it's more about that deep, visceral hunger. Erotic self-oscillation. how he says in my absolute favorite song from the album.
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The author claims the album ultimately uses "Lolita is an investigation of blood" to explore this concept of longing, which I guess comes through clearly in that stunning final Lorna track. 😍
I really love this. 🙂
I guess I agree—"Conceptual romance" is probably the strongest track on the album. It's definitely the most catchy thing there, both in terms of the lyrics and the actual sound. But honestly, even though it sounds easygoing and almost like simple Pop, it really isn't like that at all. Out of everything on the record, it's the only one with that specific kind of tenderness (though maybe "Lorna" counts too, since you pointed that one out).
Well, here I go again. Time for another attempt:
"Concept" or "conceptual"—it's one of those interesting words that you can actually translate in a few different ways depending on how you look at it.
conceptIt might be clearest to just frame it as a concept, an idea, or maybe just an intention used to get the point across...
noun It’s basically just an abstract concept—like having a vague plan or some kind of intention floating around. It’s the whole process of coming up with a scheme or just starting to devise an idea. I guess you could call it the initial stage of formation. Maybe.
conceptionMaybe it could be the inception (or maybe a creation?).
noun The act of conception—whether you're talking about actually making a baby or just the biological process of it happening.
Or, layers:
Mid-16th century (in terms of thought and imagination):
It comes from the Latin *conceptum*, meaning "something conceived."
It comes from the Latin concept of being "conceived," stemming from *concipere*. I guess it’s just where the idea takes root.I think she’s actually pretty good with her wordplay (I guess).
another language.
Even if it’s just an idea, it’s easily the most impactful song on the album. Every single time I listen, I find something new if I dig just a little deeper. For instance, I mentioned "the origin of the world" at the end of the intro—mostly because my head is always filled with these random art history images, not just when I'm listening to music. No reviewer has ever pointed that out, but to me, that image feels vital. It feels essential to what the whole album is trying to say. So, I’m spinning it again right now to catch that specific part, then I'll go double-check the lyrics...
...and then I see this:
Here’s a list of all my biggest fails.
I get how infatuation works. I get rejection, too.
They can connect and turn into anything, I guess. Maybe.
Everything that’s been ripped apart in your life.
But hey, come with me—I really want to show you something.
The primal wound, the very beginning of everything.I guess Björk didn't really mention anything like that.
In your explanation... This (almost) hit might not be an accident! I mean, the middle section of the album is easily the best-produced part—all that Conceptual romance, The Untamed region, The Great Undressing, and period piece stuff. That specific stretch just kind of pulls you in and refuses to let go.
Sandra Clark88 said:I can't be bothered to slog through the entire liner notes, so I'm not sure if it actually mentions that Björk used to be the singer for that band Shellyz Raven. They have this one album that usually only pops up in threads about "stupid/WTF album covers" or discussions about what on earth people are thinking. The reason is... nakedThe lyrics are just as "deep," I guess: I am crying, and there are no tears... I am bleeding, and there is no blood... I am dying, and there is no death...
After failing to make it in the Metal scene, it looks like she moved to those parts of America where vampires, glitter, and peel-off masks are considered intriguing—maybe even avant-garde. Who knows...
🙂
It wasn't mentioned. I honestly had no clue she was ever part of a metal band like that, and let's be real—that tacky nude lady on the cover you linked has absolutely nothing to do with Björk. But it’s interesting, because in some interviews, she actually referenced that specific genre. In American Black Metal (is it death or black?), the whole thing about slaughtering women, vampires, violence, and blood is just routinely bundled together as something totally normalized and easy to digest. Personally, I find that pretty problematic, especially since it's mostly served up to a male audience.
Look, everyone has their own thing they can't stand. Personally, I can listen to pretty much anything, but that genre? It’s just totally foreign to me. I don't think I could ever find any enjoyment in it—not from the energy it puts out, not from the lyrics, and definitely not from the message. To be honest, I don't really care why the artist was trying to find herself back when she was twenty. What matters to me is who she is today, now that she’s standing on her own at forty. Exploring music as a solo act, away from a mostly male band and with total creative freedom, is a completely different ballgame.
If you want to dig deeper into this, here’s a snippet from an
interview where she talks about metal, Swans, and how aggression works in music:
The track is actually an excerpt, more or less, from that. It’s based on an interview with Michael Gira – I just found it so interesting that he talked about his voice – he wanted to be “like a boxing match” on stage. But he would be both the puncher and the punched at once. Normally, I find very aggressive rock to be all about being the puncher. It’s about feeling superior – that’s what I think seems very “macho”, and so I found this interview very different, and very interesting. On [Swans’ The Seer] there’s really aggressive playing, but then it’s just cut – and then there’s this floating feeling – and I find that to be in some of his lyrics as well.
You think it’s really aggressive, and then there’s a very different tone in the words. Whereas when you go to a lot of Norwegian Black Metal or rock music, the lyrics are about being strong, and killing women, and raping, and that stuff, so I just found it quite valuable to have something so intense, yet not being about standing on top of someone else. I get why you aren't feeling the album, but honestly, it feels like you've had a grudge against Björk for a while now, for whatever reason. Which, I guess, is fine. I'm sorry it doesn't resonate with you. But I don't think the whole point here is menstruation; I think you might be taking that a bit too literally. Instead of leaning into those typical aggressive trash tropes you see in Death Metal, she uses this album to offer a soft, gentle, and sensitive response to what blood actually represents. In this context, blood is maybe just a tool—a word, a language—to show that something primal and natural inherently holds the capacity for massive pain, but also the capacity for the exact opposite: pleasure (and creation).
Jason Mendoza said:more than enough to trigger my morbid curiosity to give this album a listen 😁
That's awesome! 😁
